President’s Letter: The Many Legacies of ASPB

At ASPB, so much has changed over the past few years. Our flagship journals are now online only and offer open access options; we welcome the initiation of our new journal, Plant Direct; and ASPB is set to better interconnect its members with the larger plant science community by way of the Plantae digital ecosystem. The Society stands behind a new annual meeting in phenomics, and it is playing a growing role in helping support meetings for a number of plant science groups. ASPB has recently expanded its outreach activities to represent and inform plant scientists, sponsoring the first and second plant science research summits, the development and promotion of the Decadal Vision document, and subsequent plant science community efforts to build consensus plans for research, graduate student and postdoctoral training, and cyberinfrastructure.

If ASPB is to continue its leadership role in plant biology, additional financial resources will be needed to sustain these activities. Library subscriptions continue to be the largest revenue source for ASPB. But pressure from governments around the world to implement open access publication of publicly funded research, coupled with declining congressional support for basic research and state support for public universities, have influenced those revenues, compelling the Society to seek other ways to ensure it remains fiscally sound. Consequently, ASPB is creating a mix of revenue sources that will allow it to continue its many good works. Among the funding opportunities being developed as ASPB approaches its centenary in 2024, all aimed at ensuring the Society’s financial stability and longevity, is a plan to increase its endowment fund.

As the first step to enhance the ASPB endowment account, we have created the ASPB Legacy Society, modeled after similar initiatives at the Botanical Society of America (https://tinyurl.com/kmqd4us) and the American Phytopathological Society (https://tinyurl.com/l5ko54x). Investment income generated by Legacy Society funds will be used to support innovative programs and activities at ASPB related to education and outreach, publishing, community expansion and engagement, and, of course, professional development for future generations of plant biologists.

To help create the Legacy Society, a group of longstanding, prominent ASPB members were invited to become Founding Members by making a contribution of at least $5,000, either in cash or as a legacy gift. The names of those who chose to do so are listed below, and their biographies will appear in upcoming issues of the ASPB News and provide the foundation for creating an ASPB academic family tree that will be presented at the Society’s 100th anniversary meeting in 2024.

Boosted by the generosity and commitment of these Founding Members, the ASPB Legacy Society is now open to all members of the Society. By making your own commitment to become a member of the ASPB Legacy Society, you help pave the way for ASPB’s future success, moving us toward our goal of doubling the existing endowment and investment account by the Society’s 100th anniversary. You can join the Legacy Society at a variety of financial levels, and your membership will be recognized in the online ASPB Directory. Broad-based support for Legacy Society membership will also help ASPB acquire additional financial support from industry and private foundations.

Please consider becoming a member of the ASPB Legacy Society. By doing so, you help maintain ASPB as the leading society in plant biological research.

ASPB Legacy Society Founding Members