From our offices and laboratories around the world, we don't usually spend a lot of time thinking about ASPB unless, of course, we're waiting to hear about a recent manuscript submission or whether we've been selected as a speaker for a mini-symposium at the annual meeting. The fact that the Society isn't a major blip on your radar screen probably means things are going along pretty well relative to Society business, but it does not mean that the Society is a quiescent organization, sleepily publishing outstanding journals and organizing exciting scientific meetings. Indeed, ASPB is one of the most vibrant and visionary organizations I've had the pleasure to work with. In this letter, I list some examples of recent and future changes and activities associated with Society business that keep us at the leading edge of scientific publication, meeting organization, and public affairs.

Publications

Publication of Plant Physiology and The Plant Cell is our Society's most important contribution to plant science. Our journals continuously define the leading edge of published plant research. We've achieved that status because the Society and the journal editors constantly strive to enhance the efficiency, accessibility, and significance of each publication. Some recent examples of new initiatives or changes that impact our journals include the following:

1. Both journals are now using Bench>Press, an electronic submission and review system. Today, the vast majority of manuscript submissions move from review to production in a virtually paper-free process. This has yielded a substantial cut in publication times. For example, in mid-2001, the average publication time for Plant Physiology was nearly 6.5 months. Today, that has been cut to about 3.5 months. Wow!

2. In July 2003, Richard Jorgensen will take over as editor-in-chief of the The Plant Cell from Ralph Quatrano. Ralph has set a high standard during his tenure as editor. We thank him for his thoughtful leadership and unselfish dedication. (A short commentary from Rich appears on page 5 of this issue.)

3. To spread publication costs more equitably across papers of varying length, we will institute page charges of $55 per page in January 2003. In addition, as a new member benefit (and not-so-subtle attempt to encourage authors to join the Society), ASPB members will get a $10 discount per page. The current fixed handling fee will be eliminated.

4. With electronic publication, both journals are placing new articles online as soon as production is complete. Online publication, before the assembled volume is printed, places our work in the public domain in the shortest time possible while retaining the high production standards of each journal.

5. Last year, the Society paid to have back issues of both journals digitized in a searchable PDF format. The Plant Cell is available back to the first volume (January 1989) and Plant Physiology to January 1993. We are currently examining options that will take Plant Physiology even further back. Importantly, HighWire Press, our online provider, is abstracting these articles in PubMed, so that our older papers will reach a much wider audience. (Until we started electronic publication in 1998, our journals were abstracted only selectively in PubMed.)

6. Both journals continue to produce timely, special-topics volumes. Those planned for next year for Plant Physiology include volumes on Grasses, Legumes, and Arabi- dopsis. The Plant Cell will publish a special volume on Plant Reproduction.

7. Finally, the Society continuously explores new publication opportunities that will serve our members. Our textbook, Biochemistry & Molecular Biology of Plants, is an excellent example. This year we're publishing, in collaboration with editors Chris Somerville and Elliot Meyerowitz, the new Arabidopsis Book. This is an exciting project, not only because of the importance of Arabidopsis as a model plant, but also because it will be a completely electronic and free publication. The editors' vision is that The Arabidopsis Book will never be outdated because a substantial percentage of the chapters will be updated yearly, and even supplementary material or opinions can be submitted by new authors.

Did I mention Hawaii? The annual ASPB meeting is, in my opinion, the most interdisciplinary and informative plant science meeting available. The Program Committee strives to keep the meeting structure and research topics as current and exciting as possible. The shift to minisymposia a few years ago and the recent introduction of five-minute, one-overhead summaries of exceptional posters are just two examples of the vitality of this stimulating conference.

Did I mention Hawaii? The Program Committee has also identified a need for a special- topics meeting that focuses on emerging or poorly covered areas of interest to ASPB members. The first meeting, scheduled for October 22_26, 2003, focuses on Mechanisms of Genetic Variation. The aim is to organize one such meeting every fall. Please contact the Program Committee with your ideas for the next hot topic.

In case you haven't heard, the 2003 ASPB annual meeting will be in…Hawaii! We expect record participation from both mainland and Pacific Rim colleagues. In addition to outstanding science, there will be special events and tours exploring some of the remarkable wonders of this unique island environment. We received some exceptional financial incentives for using Honolulu's new convention center, so costs should be comparable to prior ASPB meetings.

Public Affairs

Over the past 10 years, ASPB has established itself in Washington, DC, as an influential supporter of plant research. The Public Affairs Committee and leadership of ASPB are frequently asked to comment on funding issues and research directions concerning NSF, USDA_NRI, USDA_ARS, and DOE. Moreover, the Society is also called on to provide expert commentary about critical issues in biotechnology. The positive impact of the Public Affairs Committee on the health and vitality of plant research in the United States cannot be overstated. The committee's influence reflects, in part, the importance of public affairs to all of us. The public's concerns about biotechnology and a safe and healthy food supply affect all aspects of our professional careers, from basic research and education to product-driven genetic engineering. I encourage each of you to be active members of public affairs at your institutions and with ASPB.

I hope this brief overview leaves you with a clear sense of what a vibrant professional society you belong to. One of the key mechanisms for maintaining a strong professional society is recruiting the next generation of members that bring new ideas and excitement to the table. In recognition of the vital role recruitment plays, the Membership Committee mounted a major campaign to attract new members, and its current recruiting drive increased membership by more than 800! This is simply terrific. Not surprisingly, the Society won a Standard of Excellence Web Award for its web-based Get-A-Member Campaign. Tell your students and postdocs that the benefits of membership in ASPB include networking, opportunities for symposium presentations, editorial board service, Society leadership, publishing, professional service, and peer recognition. Young scientists are the engine that drives science. Let's get them involved in ASPB!

Daniel R. Bush
USDA_ARS and University of Illinois
dbush@uiuc.edu