1. Has being a member of ASPB helped you in your career? If so, how?
It has been great to be a part of a society devoted to plant biology. I have been reading Plant Physiology and The Plant Cell to learn new information regarding plant science. ASPB also has a list of nearly 5,000 members in its directory, which is helpful for communicating and networking.
2. Why has being a member of ASPB been important?
For plant scientists, including myself, ASPB provides opportunities to present research to fellow scientists in the same fields. This allows us to learn what other plant biologists are doing and to understand applications of the most recent technologies in plant science.
3. Was someone instrumental in getting you to join ASPB?
Yes, many colleagues are members of ASPB. I wanted to join ASPB since grad school.
4. What would you tell nonmembers to encourage them to join?
ASPB has a unique network of plant biologists—if you want to connect to them, join ASPB. I would tell them that being a member of ASPB is important for their career in plant biology. There are opportunities to interact with other plant scientists through various ASPB meetings.
5. Have you found a job or hired anyone using ASPB job postings or networking at the annual meeting?
Yes, I found a job through ASPB job postings. Once I have my working group, I definitely will use this facility for hiring.
6. Do you still read print journals? If so, where do you usually read them: work, home, library, in the car, or on the bus?
I rarely read print journals. Most often, I access journals on the web.
7. Have there been any issues in plant biology in which you thought ASPB should be involved or that led you to consider becoming active in the governance of the Society, and if so, what were they?
No.
8. What could ASPB do better?
ASPB, as one of the world’s top organizations in plant biology, should try to provide additional travel grants for students and researchers from developing countries so that they can participate in annual meetings and meet fellow plant biologists.
9. What do you see as the most important role for scientific societies such as ASPB?
The most important role is to develop programs and curricula that encourage undergraduate students to join plant biology.
10. What advice would you give to a plant scientist just starting out?
Choose plant science—it is one of the most exciting areas of research in biology.
11. What do you think is the most important discovery in plant biology over the past year, and why?
I think studies on ABA receptors in plants and the discovery of pyrabactin that can switch on ABA receptors is one of the important discoveries. For decades, scientists have explored ABA receptors without much success. If a chemical can activate the receptors, it could be used widely in agriculture.
12. What do you think is the next “big thing” in plant biology?
I believe the next big thing is studying gene regulation by small RNAs.
13. What are you reading these days?
I am reading publications on gene expression during fruit development and proteomics.
14. What do you still have left to learn?
The process of learning never ends. |
