Richard Lenski Updates

12 November, 2013

Dear SSE Colleagues:

First of all, I want to thank you for your past support of the Society for the Study of Evolution. This is a reminder to renew your membership now.  Renewing before year's end will provide you with uninterrupted benefits and ensure that you receiveEvolution in print as well as Society newsletters.  For the first time in many years, membership dues for the Society have increased slightly.  However, membership remains very inexpensive, and your dues help support the many wonderful benefits that the Society brings to all of us: the highly-ranked journal Evolution, a scientifically diverse and stimulating annual conference, and some important and valuable opportunities for awards and travel grants. 

PLEASE RENEW ONLINE NOW

A few key points about SSE membership:
Membership dues remain at very reasonable rates, just $25 for Students and $50 for Professional members.
Online access to Evolution is included with your membership dues.
Evolution in print continues to be a bargain at just $75 for delivery of 12 issues.
SSE members receive discounted registration rates to the annual Evolution meeting.
SSE members also receive many other benefits described here
The Society puts the majority of dues and meeting revenues back into our missionthrough research and travel awards.  Many of these awards are available only to SSEmembers.

GIFT MEMBERSHIPS:
To assist in the continued growth of the Society, we encourage you to recruit new student members from your labs and classrooms.  Did you know that you can give a student a NEW membership for only $10 when you renew your own membership online?  Wow!  Look at the students around you and give a gift membership or two this year!  We want to grow our student population, so please consider this special invitation.  We also invite you to take advantage of the opportunity of giving gift associate memberships to colleagues from developing countries, also at the low rate of $10.  This is an easy and amazing way to introduce new members to our community. 

EVOLUTION 2014:
Save the date!  Next year the Society will meet in Raleigh, North Carolina, from June 20-24.  The meeting organization is in the capable hands of our friends at NESCent, and details are already being posted on the conference area of the SSE web site.  It promises to be must-attend conference, and I hope to see you there!

Thank you for your dedication and loyalty to the Society for the Study of Evolution.  These are exciting times for the Society and for the study of evolution, and we want you to be a part of our activities.  Please note the business contacts for the Society:  Bill Dahl and Heather Cacanindin are ready to help with any membership questions that you might have.

 


10 September, 2013

Dear SSE Colleagues:

SSE Announces New Latin American Interest Group
EVOLAT is an interest group, started by SSE members, intended to promote Latin American research on evolution within the SSE. EVOLAT offers the opportunity for researchers and their ideas to come together together to reinforce and advance the study of evolution in this region.  A Latin American mixer is in the works for EVOLUTION 2014 in Raleigh.  EVOLAT will work to:
1. Bring together scientists with interests in advancing research and teaching of evolution across Latin American institutions
2. Encourage participation of Latin American researchers by recruiting professionals and students as new members of the SSE.
3. Promote involvement of Latin American researchers in the activities of the SSE.
4. Represent a portal for Latin American scientists to promote scientific interactions and foster professional collaborations with scientists from North America and around the world.
5. Organize workshops and/or mini-courses, either during Evolution meetings or in Latin America.
For more information please visit www.uta.edu/faculty/pinzon/EVOLAT, like us on Facebook (www.facebook.com/evolat), or contact Jorge H. Pinzón (pinzon@uta.edu) or Jorge L. Hurtado-Gonzalez (jorge.hurtado@uc.edu)

SSE Awards Accepting Nominations/Submissions
Start thinking about nominations for 2014 Society awards.  The Society for the Study of Evolution’s Committee for the Stephen J. Gould Prize for the Improvement for the Understanding of Evolution is soliciting nominations for the Award for 2014.  The award includes a prize of $5,000, and the recipient will present the Public Outreach Seminar at the Evolution Meeting (expenses for travel/lodging and registration to be covered by the SSE). The nomination deadline for this award is <span data-term="goog_1165969019" tabindex="0">December 18, 2013

A number of other awards have deadlines in January and February, so now is the time to begin thinking about nominations and working on submissions.

The 2014 SSE Annual Meeting
And speaking of next year, the next SSE annual meeting will take place from  June 20-24, 2014 , in Raleigh, North Carolina.  NESCent, the National Evolutionary Science Center, is organizing the Evolution 2014 meeting.  Registration will open in January.

Make your plans now to join us in Raleigh next June!

Best wishes,
Richard Lenski, President
Society for the Study of Evolution

 


12 August 2013

Dear SSE Colleagues:

It was wonderful seeing so many of you at our annual meeting in Snowbird, Utah!  The conference was a huge success in every respect. 

On behalf of all the attendees, I extend our heartfelt thanks to all those who organized the meeting including especially SSE members Charlie Fenster, Michele Dudash, and Mitch Cruzan as well as Caitlan Lee, Johanne Stogran and Heather Cacanindin, who provided support, and the staff at Snowbird!

The two most important functions of the SSE are the annual meetings and our flagship journal Evolution. For the past three years, Daphne Fairbairn was the editor-in-chief of Evolution, and she did an absolutely superb job.  Daphne’s term ended in June, and so on behalf of all SSE members: Thank you for your tremendous service!  We also welcome Ruth Shaw as the new editor-in-chief.  

Let me mention a few special highlights from the Snowbird meeting.  Jenny Boughman and Michele Dudash organized a lunch-time discussion on Women in Science that drew ~200 attendees.  They’ve provided a write-up with lots of excellent ideas for all of us.

There was also a successful Student Mixer with almost 200 attendees. SSE Grad Student Representative Cathy Rushworth and President-Elect Mohamed Noor organized the event to solicit ideas on how the Society can better serve and involve its large and active student membership.

The SSE presented several awards at the Snowbird meeting.  You can read about the winners of the Stephen Jay Gould Prize, Judy Scotchmoor; Theodosius Dobzhansky Prize, Rowan Barrett; and the R. A. Fisher Prize, Will Soto; and see the recipients of the W. D. Hamilton and Rosemary Grant Awards. Congratulations to all these winners!

You can start thinking about nominations for next year’s awards as well.

And speaking of next year, the next SSE annual meeting will take place from June 20-24, 2014, in Raleigh, North Carolina.  Registration will open in January.  NESCent, the National Evolutionary Science Center, is organizing the Evolution 2014 meeting.

I hope to see you in Raleigh next June!

Richard Lenski, President
Society for the Study of Evolution

 


June 6, 2013

Dear SSE Colleagues:

EVOLUTION 2013: 
This year SSE will meet in Snowbird, Utah, from June 21-25.  The complete online program is available for your perusal. Or for a higher-level view, take a look at thesymposia and colloquia.  A few highlights -

  • New Molecular Approaches to Species Delimitation
  • Tree of Life Symposium
  • Ecology, Evolution and coevolution of host-parasite interactions
  • The role of field expeditions in modern evolutionary biology
  • Young Investigator Symposium
  • iEvoBio on June 25-26
  • Gould Award Lecture: Keeping Science as the Centerpiece: Lessons Learned
  • Everything you wanted to know about evolution but never thought to ask

Registration is still open HERE.  For an overview of the meeting, student volunteer opportunities, the general program schedule, and sponsorship opportunities, please visit  http://www.evolutionmeeting.org/  There are several options for lodging in theSnowbird Alpine Village and for camping in the Little Cottonwood Canyon.  Several room types are offered in the Village.  Rooms with special features (balconies, fire places, etc.) as well as studios and condos have limited availability, and are booked on a first-come basis. 

SSE STUDENT MIXER:
SSE will hold a graduate student meeting and mixer at Evolution 2013 onSaturday, June 22 at 5-6 p.m. At this meeting, SSE President-Elect Mohamed Noor and Student Representative Cathy Rushworth will be soliciting you for suggestions and feedback on how the Society can better serve its graduate student membership. This event will also lead to the formation of the graduate student advisory committee, so please consider joining us!  The mixer directly precedes the SSE Presidential Address and Society meeting.

ROSEMARY GRANT GRADUATE STUDENT AWARDS:
Congratulations to all 32 winners of the Rosemary Grant Student Research Awards!  We had such a large number of high quality applicants this year.  The Rosemary Grant Student Research Awards target students in the first two years of their Ph.D. programs with  an award ranging from $1,500 - $2500.

CAREER OPPORTUNITIES:
Did you know that SSE has a job board on our web site?  Please submit your career opportunities and visit this site first as a great resource for making your next move. 

EVOLUTION Journal News
We’ve made it easier for you to find articles from back issues of Evolution from theSSE website.  After you’ve logged on as a member, you can get any issue from 2000 onward via the link to the Wiley page, and you can get older volumes by following the JSTOR link.

Thank you for your involvement with the Society for the Study of Evolution.  I hope to see you in a few weeks in Snowbird, Utat!


Best wishes,
Richard Lenski, President
Society for the Study of Evolution

 


March 1, 2013

Dear SSE Colleagues:

Read on for recent news about awards and grants as well as the upcoming EVOLUTION meeting this summer.

EVOLUTION 2013 Registration OPENS
This year SSE will meet in Snowbird, Utah, from June 21-25.  This is the premier opportunity to share scientific research on evolution. Early registration deadline and presentation submission deadline is April 19. Registration is open HERE.  For an overview of the meeting, student volunteer opportunities, the general program schedule, and sponsorship opportunities, please visit  http://www.evolutionmeeting.org/  There are several options for lodging in the Snowbird Alpine Village and for camping in the Little Cottonwood Canyon.  Several room types are offered in the Village.  Rooms with special features (balconies, fire places, etc.) as well as studios and condos have limited availability, and are booked on a first-come basis, so reserve early.  The facility is accepting reservations for our meeting now, and you can learn more by clicking HERE.

ROSEMARY GRANT GRADUATE STUDENT AWARDS:
The Rosemary Grant Student Research Awards for students in the first two yearsof their Ph.D. programs has an upcoming deadline of April 1.  Awards will range from $1,500 - $2500 and approximately twenty awards will be made. Visit the SSE website to learn more.

SSE Student Representative Selected:
Over the last year, the SSE Council has been discussing possible ways to increase the involvement of graduate students in planning for the SSE's future.  Cathy Rushworth, a graduate student at Duke University, has generously volunteered to spearhead the initial efforts by soliciting ideas and advice from student members and presenting them at future SSE Council meetings.  To facilitate these discussions, the SSE will host agraduate-student mixer at the Snowbird meeting, where students can hear some thoughts from SSE President-Elect Mohamed Noor and then discuss your ideas with Cathy.  If you are a student member of SSE, stay tuned for occasional emails from Cathy.

Nominations for SSE Offices
SSE’s nominating committee is now accepting nominations for council membersand officers to begin serving in 2014. To nominate someone for the Council, President, North American Vice President, non-North American Vice President, or Executive Vice-President, please submit by March 30 the name and contact information of the nominee, preferably with a short statement explaining why you think your nominee would serve SSE well in his or her capacity. Click HERE to make your nominations. 

EVOLUTION Journal News
We’ve made it easier for you to find articles from back issues of Evolution from theSSE website.  After you’ve logged on as a member, you can get any issue from 2000 onward via the link to the Wiley page, and you can get older volumes by following the JSTOR link.

GOULD AWARD:
Congratulations to Judy Scotchmoor, who has been selected as this year’s winner of the Stephen Jay Gould Prize!  This award recognizes individuals for sustained and exemplary efforts to advance public understanding of evolutionary science and its importance in biology, education, and everyday life.  Judy is the assistant director for outreach and education at the University of California Museum of Paleontology.  She will speak about her work at this year's SSE annual meeting.

EVOLUTION 2013 MSI Faculty Travel Award
The National Evolutionary Synthesis Center (NESCent), with support from the Society for the Study of Evolution (SSE), is pleased to announce travel awards for faculty from Minority Serving Institutions to attend Evolution 2013, as part of continuing outreach efforts focusing on groups that are under-represented in evolutionary science.  If you are a faculty member at an MSI, HBCU or other institution with significant enrollment of under-represented minority students, you are encouraged to apply.  Funds are available to cover conference registration, travel, food and lodging.  Application Deadline: April 5th, (Awards will be announced by April 12th, 2013) To apply, please visit www.nescent.org/Evo2013facultyapp

Graduate Student Travel Awards to attend "World Congress on Evolution III" 
The National Evolutionary Synthesis Center (NESCent - www.nescent.org) is sponsoring two travel awards to enable Evolutionary Science graduate students to attend the third "World Congress on Evolution" (www.usfq.edu.ec/eventos/evosummit), which will be held from June 1-5, 2013 on the Galapagos Island of San Cristobal.  These awards are part of NESCent's continuing outreach efforts to serve members of groups that are under-represented/under-served in evolutionary science, as defined by the National Science Foundation (www.nsf.gov/statistics/wmpd).  As such, application is restricted to graduate students who are: American Indian/Alaska Native, Asian, Black/African American, Hispanic/Latino/Latina, and/or Native Hawaiian/Other Pacific Islander.  Travel awards cover travel/food/lodging/conference registration.  Application Deadline: April 1.  To apply, please visit www.nescent.org/galapagos-travel-award

Thank you for your involvement with the Society for the Study of Evolution.  I hope to see you this summer in Snowbird, Utah!

Best wishes,
Richard Lenski, President
Society for the Study of Evolution

SSE Business Office
PO Box 299  |  St. Louis Missouri, 63166
314-577-9566

www.evolutionsociety.org

 


 

January 15, 2013

Dear SSE Colleagues:

Happy New Year to all, and a special welcome to our new members! Your SSE Council has recently met and we are looking forward to a busy and exciting year ahead.

EVOLUTION Journal News
I am pleased to announce that Ruth Shaw from the University of Minnesota will be taking over as Editor-in-Chief of Evolution from Daphne Fairbairn in July. We thank Daphne for her outstanding work and dedicated service on behalf of Evolution and our society. Thanks also to Lynda Delph for her excellent service as a handling editor over the past three years, and to Jennifer Mahar who has been the superb managing editor for many years. Also, we’ve made it easier for you to find articles from back issues of Evolution from the SSE website. After you’ve logged on as a member, you can get any issue from 2000 onward via the link to the Wiley page, and you can get older volumes by following the JSTOR link.

EVOLUTION 2013 Meeting News
Save the date! This year SSE will meet in Snowbird, Utah, from June 21-25. This is the premier opportunity to share scientific research on evolution. There will be symposia, contributed papers, and poster sessions, and we’re expecting around 1,500 participants. We plan to open the registration and abstract submission sites by the end of this month. The meeting organization is in the capable hands of past SSE Executive Vice President Charlie Fenster, and details have begun to be posted on the meeting web site. Visit the site to learn more about student volunteer opportunities, the general program schedule, and sponsorship opportunities. http://www.evolutionmeeting.org/

There are several options for lodging in the Snowbird Alpine Village and for camping in the Little Cottonwood Canyon. Several room types are offered in the Village. Rooms with special features (balconies, fire places, etc.) as well as studios and condos have limited availability, and are booked on a first-come basis, so reserve early. The facility is accepting reservations for our meeting now, and you can learn more by clicking HERE.

As in previous years, there will be various awards and prizes, including the W. D. Hamilton Award for Outstanding Student Presentation at the 2013 meeting, the Rosemary Grant Student Research Awards for students in the first two years of their Ph.D. programs, and the R. A. Fisher Prize for an outstanding Ph.D. dissertation paper published in Evolution during 2012. You can find out more about these and other awards, including application details and deadlines, under the AWARDS tab at the SSE website.

Thank you for your involvement with the Society for the Study of Evolution. I hope to see you this summer in Snowbird, Utah!

Best wishes,
Richard Lenski, President
Society for the Study of Evolution


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