ASPB members share a common goal of promoting the growth, development, and outreach of plant biology as a pure and applied science. This column features some of the dedicated and innovative members of ASPB who believe that membership in our Society is crucial to the future of plant biology. If you are interested in contributing to this feature, please contact ASPB Membership at info@aspb.org.

Membership Corner

Name: Rodrigo A. Gutiérrez
Title: Postdoctoral Fellow/Assistant Professor
Place of Work or School: New York University/P. Universidad Católica de Chile
Research Area: Systems Biology
Member since: 2005

1. Why has being a member of ASPB been important?
I think ASPB is a cornerstone of plant biology in the world. ASPB’s role in connecting scientists worldwide and in providing a forum for exchange of the scientific knowledge is central in my professional life. The member directory allows me to identify fellow scientists with similar interests. The international conference provides the opportunity to communicate my findings effectively and learn the latest advances in plant biology.
ASPB is also essential in my day-to-day education. ASPB gives access to some of the highest quality journals in plant research and textbooks with broad knowledge about plant biology. I enjoy and benefit from being part of this community and throughout my career I hope to be able to contribute to the Society at least a fraction of what I gain by being a member.

2. Was someone instrumental in getting you to join ASPB?
Although I have been planning to join for several years, I have to recognize that Brian Hyps [ASPB director of public affairs] during last year’s meeting of the American Society for Cell Biology gave me the final push to actually press the button on the web. Thanks, Brian!

3. What would you tell colleagues to encourage them to join?
I would recommend that every plant biologist be a member. The best ways to connect with people and be on top of the new developments in the field are to read ASPB News and the journals and attend the international scientific conferences. Membership also gives us opportunities to contribute to this valuable organization.

4. Have you enhanced your career using ASPB job postings or through networking at an ASPB function?
I have benefited by being a member, but I should certainly make better use of the resources for networking that ASPB provides.

5. Have you had any success at finding candidates as a result of a job posting at the meeting or on our online Job Bank?
I have not yet. But I will, as I start my new research group in Plant Systems Biology next year in P. Universidad Católica de Chile. I will try my best to recruit talented students and postdoctoral researchers from around the world to do research in our brand-new facilities in Santiago, the largest city in Chile and one of the fastest developing cities in Latin America. I will use the ASPB job postings and other services provided by ASPB to let people know of this opportunity.

6. Do you read print journals? If so, where do you usually read them?
I hardly read print journals anymore. I read all papers as PDF on my computer screen. Only when the articles are not available from JSTOR or other repositories do I visit the library and get the dust off some old issues. Too bad so many good books are not available in electronic format yet. I would buy quite a number of book chapters and read more books in general if they were accessible from my browser.

7. What do you think is the next “big thing” in plant biology?
Systems biology.

8. What are you reading these days?
Depending on my mood and intellectual energy level, I read research papers, reviews, or the books Data Mining: Multimedia, Soft Computing and Bioinformatics (Mitra & Acharya, eds., Wiley); and Angels & Demons by Dan Brown.

9. What are your hobbies?
Software development and web design, West African percussion. And I love to collect and hear traditional music from around the world.

10. What is your most treasured possession?
If by possession we mean something under my care, at least temporarily, my two-and-a-half year-old son. In order of impact on my professional life, my e-mail inbox, laptop, iPod, and djembe from Guinea (when the stress level builds up, there is nothing better than a good drumming session to relax).

11. What do you still have left to learn?
Too many things to list here. But at the very least, some of what is going to be published in the next issues of The Plant Cell, Plant Physiology, Science, Nature, BMC Bioinformatics, Bioinformatics, Gemone Research, PNAS…a good measure of statistics, math, computer sciences, and biology from areas not related to plants. I will have no trouble keeping myself busy for a long time.