BSA Announcement Board

MEETINGS

• MOLECULAR ECOLOGY - Vienna, Austria, February 4 – 7, 2012
  Abstract submission deadline: November 3rd 2011. Early bird registration deadline: November 10th 2011. Homepage: http://www.vipca.at/MOLECOL/
  Conference organisers: me2012@vipca.at

• MOLECULAR MAPPING & MARKER ASSISTED SELECTION, Vienna, Austria, February 8-12, 2012
  Abstract submission deadline: November 3rd 2011. Early bird registration deadline: November 10th 2011. Homepage: http://www.vipca.at/MAS12/
  Conference Organisers: mmmas2012@vipca.at

• PLANT GROWTH, NUTRITION & ENVIRONMENT INTERACTIONS - Vienna, Austria, February 18- 21, 2012
  Abstract submission deadline: November 17th 2011. Early bird registration deadline: November 24th 2011. Homepage: http://www.vipca.at/PLAGRONUT/
  Conference organisers: pgnei2011@vipca.at

• PLANT ABIOTIC STRESS TOLERANCE II- Vienna, Austria, February 23 – 26, 2012
  Abstract submission deadline: November 12th 2011. Early bird registration deadline: November 19th 2011. Homepage: http://www.vipca.at/pgdt2012/
  Conference organisers: pgdt2011@vipca.at

• Society for Experimental Biology Education Symposium - London, UK, March 27-29, 2012
  In association with the Higher Education Academy at the Charles Darwin House, London. We will deliver a programme of teaching and learning specifically aimed at those teaching in the Biosciences. Themes include:  Learning as research; Peer learning and learning communities; Innovating assessment and feedback; Increasing engagement; Students as researchers; Postgraduates who teach; International education links; Action research in biological sciences
  CALL FOR PAPERS - http://www.sebiology.org/meetings/EPASymposium/home.html

• Planet under Pressure 2012 - London, UK, March 26-29, 2012
  The conference will provide a comprehensive update of the pressure planet Earth is now under. The conference will discuss solutions at all scales to move societies on to a sustainable pathway and will provide scientific leadership towards the 2012 UN Conference on Sustainable Development - Rio+20. The programme is designed to attract senior policymakers, industry leaders, NGOs, young scientists, the media, health specialists, and academics from many disciplines. For further information on submitting an abstract, conference themes and sessions, mentoring and funding visit: www.planetunderpressure2012.net Click here to view details on funding assistance: http://www.planetunderpressure2012.net/funding.asp
  

• Ethnobotany of Mountain Cultures - Frostburg, Maryland, June 3-7, 2012
  The annual meeting of the Society for Economic Botany will be held on the campus of Frostburg State University. Mark your calendars now and more details will be forthcoming at www.econbot.org
• MOSS2012 and 3^rd International Conference on Molecular Systematics of Bryophytes - New York Botanical Garden from June 15-22, 2012.
  Registration is open for MOSS2012 and 3rd Int. Conference on Mol. Syst. of Bryophytes to be held jointly at the New York Botanical Garden from June 15-22, 2012.
  MOSS 2012: contributed oral and poster sessions focusing on the evolution of genes, genomes, developmental networks and physiological pathways in bryophytes.
  The 3rd International Symposium on Molecular Systematics of Bryophytes:  contributed oral and poster sessions focusing on the macro and microevolution of bryophytes.
  Information regarding these conferences can be obtained at: http://www.regonline.com/builder/site/Default.aspx?EventID=1015479.  Please note that the rates shown on the main page are early bird rates good through March 18. Click on "details" to see rates beginning March 19.
  We have preliminary approval for funding from the US National Science Foundation to sponsor students to attend the joint conference. This is a great opportunity for students aimed at fostering collaborations bridging the two fields. Students will be able to apply for a fellowship that will cover housing, breakfast, lunch, and registration.  Students supported by this fellowship will be expected to attend BOTH conferences and demonstrate that they have funds to come to New York. Please check back for instructions for applying for a fellowship. 
  Abstract submission: anyone registered can submit an abstract for an oral or poster presentation. The abstract submission page is integrated into the registration page.  The deadline is in April. You may register now and submit your abstract later.

CALL FOR NOMINATIONS & PROPOSALS

• 2012 Smithsonian Institution Research Fellowships - Deadline January 15, 2012
  Research fellowships in Botany are available through the Smithsonian Institution Fellowship Program, which provides funding for graduate students, postdoctoral scholars, and senior investigators to conduct research in association with Smithsonian scientists. Candidates are especially encouraged to apply for the new multi-year Peter Buck Fellowships (http://www.si.edu/ofg/fell.htm - fnmnh). Fellows based at the National Museum of Natural History have access to a research staff of more than 100 scholars, world-class collections, and modern core facilities including molecular and stable isotope laboratories and SEM. All applicants should contact potential staff advisors to determine the feasibility of the proposed research and tenure dates, as well as the availability of relevant collections and other resources. Potential staff advisors and information about their work is available at the departmental web site (http://botany.si.edu/). Fellowship durations range from three months to three years depending on fellowship category. The stipend for Predoctoral Fellows is $30,000 per year (twelve months) and for Postdoctoral and Senior Fellows is $45,000 per year (twelve months). A maximum research allowance of $4,000 per year is available. Ten-week Graduate Student Fellowships are also available with a stipend of $6,500. Fellowships are open to citizens of any country. For more information and to apply online, visit the Program website (http://www.si.edu/ofg/Applications/SIFELL/SIFELLapp.htm).

• William L. Brown Research Award - Deadline January 15, 2012
  The William L. Brown Research Award is given to a young but established researcher who is conducting promising research in the field of ethnobotany and conservation. The $5,000 cash award is administered by the William L. Brown Center at the Missouri Botanical Garden and is made possible through a generous endowment from the Sehgal Family Foundation, in cooperation with the family of Dr. Brown.
  
  Bill Brown was a distinguished, internationally-recognized scientist, businessman, and humanitar- ian. Over the course of five decades, he devoted himself to the collection, preservation, understand- ing, and sharing of useful plant resources in order to help meet the global demand for food. The William L. Brown Research Award is designed to promote the work of an individual whose research efforts reflect a concern for those issues that were so important to Dr. Brown.
  
  Nominations for the 2012 William L. Brown Research Award will be accepted through the January 15, 2012. All nomination materials and supporting letters must be received no later than February 15, 2012. The name of the recipient will be announced in the spring of 2012 and the award will be given at the 2012 meetings of the Society of Economic Botany.
  
  Nominations should call attention to the nominee’s achievements and the significance of his or her work as it relates to the study and conservation of plants that are used by people for nourishment, medicines, or other important functions of life. Please include a photograph of the nominee along with a curriculum vitae containing a list of the nominee’s publications. In addition, independent letters of support are required from three individuals not directly associated with the parent institution of either the nominee or the nominator. The letters may be sent directly to the Award Committee by those writing them. Please do not send videos or similar presentations, books, or published papers. All submitted materials become property of the Missouri Botanical Garden and cannot be returned. All nominations and letters should be sent to:
  The William L. Brown Award Committee WLBC @ the Missouri Botanical Garden P.O. Box 299 St. Louis, MO 63166-0299 USA
  Please send email queries to Bruce Ponman (bruce.ponman@mobot.org)

• 2012 Botany in Action Fellowships- Deadline January 20, 2012
  Phipps Conservatory and Botanical Gardens (Pittsburgh, PA) is currently accepting proposals for its 2012 Botany in Action Fellowship program, which fosters the development of a next generation of plant-based scientists who are committed, first, to excellent research, and second, to educational outreach. Open to PhD students enrolled at US graduate institutions and conducting plant-based scientific field research, the BIA program provides each Fellow with:
  1) $3,000 for use towards field research and related expenses at sites in the US or abroad (including expenses for travel, food, housing, laboratory supplies, and to return research findings to the research host community), 2) an all-expenses paid trip to Phipps in Pittsburgh, PA, to engage in science outreach training and opportunities to translate and communicate his or her research to non-scientific, public audiences through written, visual, oral and/or multimedia means, and 3) subsequent opportunities to communicate his or her research to public audiences through Phipps classes, programs, newsletters, exhibits onsite and online, and other outreach venues.
  Learn more about Phipps, the BIA program, and how to apply at: phipps.conservatory.org/project-green-heart/botany-in-action and PhippsBotanyinAction.org

• 2012 Anne S. Chatham Fellowship in Medicinal Botany - Deadline February 1, 2012
  The Anne S. Chatham Fellowship provides a grant of $4,000 annually to promote the study of medicinal botany. The fellowship was established to protect and pre- serve knowledge about the medicinal use of plants, and thus prevent the disappear- ance of plants with therapeutic potential.
  
  Eligible candidates include students currently enrolled in Ph.D. programs at recog- nized universities and recent graduates who have received their degrees in the last five years. Fellowship recipient will be selected by a panel of botanists appointed by the Missouri Botanical Garden and is subject to approved by the Garden Club of America Scholarship Committee.
  
  Information about the fellowship and how to apply can be found at the following website: www.wlbcenter.org/chatham.htm.
  
  Proposals should be received no later than February 1, 2012.
  
  Mail applications to: Dr. Wendy Applequist The William L. Brown Center at the
  Missouri Botanical Garden Dept. 43
  P.O. Box 299 St. Louis, MO 63166-0299
  
  Questions regarding applications should be directed to Bruce Ponman at the address above, by phone (314-577-9565), or via email (bruce.ponman@mobot.org).

• "Société de Physique et d'Histoire naturelle" of Geneva (SPHN) 2012 Botany Prize - Deadline February 29, 2012
  The "Société de Physique et d'Histoire naturelle" of Geneva (SPHN) is pleased to announce the award in 2012 of the Botany Prize instituted by A.-P. de Candolle in 1841, which recognizes the author or co-authors of the best monograph of a genus or family of plants. The Prize is intended preferably to scientists early in their career. Monographs will be considered if unpublished, or published after December 31st 2007.
  

  The monograph should be a complete coverage of the group considered and include its arrangement in a system of hierarchical classification. It should contain descriptions of external morphological characters and internal characters - anatomical, caryologi- cal, physiological, genetic and molecular - as far as they can be used to distinguish sub-groups. A complete bibliography, critical synonymy, and identifiation keys are requested. The work should comply with the International Code of Botanical Nomen- clature. Partial treatments, i.e. a monograph of a sub-family, tribe, sub-genus or section, would be acceptable provided that the group is clearly defined with respect to its neighbours.
  

  The Prize is open to authors of any nationality or country. The text may be written in Latin, French, German, English, Italian, Spanish or Portuguese. A summary, restricted to a maximum of 4000 words, must be provided in French or English. Two copies of the manuscript, along with author's curriculum vitae and summary, must reach the following address before February 29th 2012:

  Augustin-Pyramus de Candolle Prize
  Conservatoire et Jardin botaniques de la Ville de Genève
  Case postale 60
  CH-1292 Chambésy – Switzerland

  The Prize is endowed with an amount of CHF 5'000. If the submitted monographs are judged of insuficient level or do not fulfil the criteria of this notice, the reward may be reduced, or not awarded. The Prize will be awarded in October-November 2012. Rights on the selected monograph remain the property of the author. Copies of the manuscript will not be returned to their authors. For any further information, please contact: prix-candolle.cjb@ville-ge.ch

  The President of the SPHN

• CALL FOR PROPOSALS - SABBATICAL SCHOLARS AND COLLABORATIVE WORKING GROUPS - Deadlines Vary
  Proposals for Sabbaticals and for collaborative working groups (Working Groups and Catalysis Meetings) are now being accepted at The National Evolutionary Synthesis Center (NESCent). We are looking to support innovative approaches to outstanding problems in evolutionary biology. In particular, proposals that have a clear interdisciplinary focus, or involve evolutionary concepts in non-traditional disciplines, are strongly encouraged, as are proposals that demonstrate international participation and a mix of senior and emerging researchers, including graduate students. Proposals for Working Groups and Catalysis Meetings are accepted twice a year, with deadlines on July 10 and December 1. Proposals for Sabbaticals may be one semester to a full year (deadlines June 10 and December 1) or they may be for short-term visits (2 weeks to 3 months; deadlines on January 1, April 1, July 1 and September 1). NESCent is also now seeking to include graduate traineeship to our portfolio by offering one-semester fellowships for graduate students to pursue research either with a NESCent sabbatical scholar or with a NESCent Working Group. For more information, please see our website at https://www.nescent.org/science/proposals.php.
  

• IRES: Molecular Ecology and Evolution of Marine Photosynthetic Organisms - Station Biologique de Roscoff, France
  This NSF-funded International Research Experience for Students (IRES) will provide US graduate students with opportunities to gain international research experience at the Station Biologique de Roscoff  (SBR) in France, a research and training center in marine biology, oceanography, and marine genomics operated by the Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique and the Université Pierre et Marie Curie. Students will work closely with SBR researchers on the molecular ecology and evolution of marine photosynthetic organisms.  SBR is located in Brittany, a western region of France.  Students interested in the program can apply for stays up to 6 months.  Applications are accepted on an ongoing basis. For more information regarding the IRES project and the application process please contact:  http://armbrustlab.ocean.washington.edu/ires/
  

GENERAL ANNOUNCEMENTS

• State Herbarium of South Australia publications now online
  

  Since 26 October 2011 the new publications web-page of the State Herbarium of South Australia is online (www.flora.sa.gov.au/publications).  Users can view information on all books published by the State Herbarium and its staff, the Board of the Botanic Gardens & State Herbarium (Adelaide), and botanical books published by the ‘Flora and Fauna of South Australia Handbooks Committee’.  If in-print these can be ordered via email.  Some out-of-print books are available for download, e.g. Womersley’s Marine benthic flora of southern Australia or Bates & Weber’s Orchids of South Australia.  More scanned books will be added over time.
  
  The complete back-issues of the Journal of the Adelaide Botanic Gardens from Vol. 1 (1976) to Vol. 24 (2010) are also accessible in PDF form (www.flora.sa.gov.au/jabg).  The journal mainly publishes research papers and articles on botanical taxonomy, systematics and nomenclature.  It is one of five taxonomic journals published by Australian herbaria and botanic gardens.  The next volume of the journal is scheduled for 2012.
  
  
  Finally, the first chapters of the new, 5th edition of Flora of South Australia were launched in October as well (www.flora.sa.gov.au/ed5).  These include an introduction, glossary and revised treatments for 17 families or larger groups, such as Amaranthaceae, Droseraceae, Ranunculaceae, and part of Fabaceae.  For people who want to bind these chapters into a folder, cover pages are also provided for print-out.  More than 60 botanists are contributing to the new flora.  We anticipate to release more treatments every 4 to 6 months.

  Jürgen Kellermann
  State Herbarium of South Australia
  DENR Science Resource Centre
  Adelaide, Australia
  juergen.kellermann@sa.gov.au