PRESIDENT'S LETTER

Tuan-hua David Ho

Broadening and Enhancing Participation in the Nominating Process

A nonprofit professional association like the American Society of Plant Biologists usually has at least two key functions: to safeguard and further the quality of the discipline its members practice and to enhance the public interest in the profession it represents. To achieve these goals and others, ASPB needs to identify leaders who are willing to serve, who can truly represent the broad interests of our community, and who will receive strong support from our members. Furthermore, we need to recognize those whose outstanding work has advanced our profession through research, education, or service. The honors bestowed on these pacesetters also reflect the standard of excellence the Society is striving for.

The ASPB Nominating Committee prepares a list of two candidates for every major office, such as president, secretary, and elected members of the Executive Committee, for the consideration of our membership. At least one nomination for each of these positions is made by the membership at large. Election to all offices is by majority of those members who vote. In addition, more than a dozen special committees are responsible for soliciting and evaluating nominations for various awards. Members of these award committees are invited to serve on the basis of their interests and accomplishments, and they often reflect the diversity of our Society. These committee members serve multiyear terms, but their terms are usually staggered to ensure continuity and smooth transition for the operation of each committee.

Diversity is always an important issue in our Society, and nominations for leadership positions and awards are an essential mechanism to achieve this goal. When I became president-elect of ASPB last year, one of the most important committees I joined was the Operations Subcommittee, a sort of executive committee of the Executive Committee, consisting of the top leadership of the Society. Although this is but a small group of five people—the president, immediate past president, president-elect, chair of the Board of Trustees, and executive director—it’s intriguing to note that it is a highly diverse yet balanced group when gender, ethnicity, and country of origin are considered. Similar situations exist in virtually all the other committees, and this reflects exactly what our Society really is—plant scientists with different backgrounds pursuing related goals. Therefore, it is imperative that our future leadership be identified by even more active participation from the members. We should also be mindful that much extra effort is still needed to further enhance diversity in our Society.

Although not all awards are given each year, I would like to call your attention to several important ones that will be presented during Plant Biology 2010 in Montréal. Multiple winners of the Fellow of ASPB Award will be recognized for distinguished and long-term contributions to plant biology and service to the Society. Similarly, the Stephen Hales Prize recognizes outstanding service to the science of plant biology. Two awards are given specifically for research accomplishments. As apparent in its name, the Lawrence Bogorad Award for Excellence in Plant Biology Research is for a plant scientist whose work both illuminates the present and suggests paths to enlighten the future. The Charles F. Kettering Award is focused on contributions to the field of photosynthesis. On the education front, we have the Excellence in Education Award, which recognizes outstanding teaching, mentoring, or educational outreach in plant biology. The ASPB–Pioneer Hi-Bred Graduate Student Fellowship provides support for innovative graduate research in areas of plant biology that relate to important commodity crops. For service to our community, the Adolph E. Gude, Jr. Award is given to a scientist or layperson in recognition of outstanding service to the science of plant biology. There is also an award for lifelong contributions, the Charles Reid Barnes Life Membership Award, and two awards for young scientists who have already made significant achievements and are predicted to have outstanding futures in plant biology: the Charles Albert Shull Award and the Early Career Award.

It is important to point out that none of these awards are restricted to plant scientists residing in the United States, and as a matter of fact, several foreign members of ASPB have been honored in the past. Furthermore, up to three Corresponding Memberships will be given each year to successful plant biologists residing outside the United States. These awards are of particular note, because the honor is conferred following a vote of the membership. Please refer to the ASPB Committee website (http://www.aspb.org/committees/) for a detailed description of each of these awards, and please see page 6 in the November/December issue of the ASPB News for more information and nomination instructions.

Speaking of instructions, following a vote of the Executive Committee last year, the nomination process has been markedly simplified in the hope of encouraging wider participation in nominations by ASPB members. To streamline the process, a shorter nomination packet will be used. Most awards will no longer require letters of recommendation. All that is required to make a nomination is a 1- to 2-page letter of nomination and a detailed CV of the nominee. This means that once you have a candidate in mind, you only need to convince that person to throw his/her hat in the ring by sending you his/her CV (or, alternatively, keep your intent hidden and find some other way to obtain the CV). You can submit the package—cover letter plus CV—as a single PDF file via the ASPB website, but you are also welcome to forward the package to Society headquarters via either e-mail or snail mail. The nomination/award committee may ask for additional information, if necessary.

In the past, only a relatively few members have participated in the nomination process. It is my hope that this letter helps explain an important aspect of our Society—that is, how the leadership of our organization and outstanding plant scientists are identified. But much more importantly, I would like to urge all members of our Society to participate in this process of nominating worthy candidates. It is a simple task, and your effort is the foundation of self-governance of our Society. Increasing the nomination pool is perhaps the most potent mechanism by which we can achieve diversity among our leadership and those whose outstanding science and service we recognize.

Tuan-hua David Ho