Fellow SSE Members,

      It was great to see so many of you this summer in Portland, Oregon.  The annual meeting was clearly a big success:  Very well attended, with much first-rate science.  The Society thanks all those who worked so hard behind the scenes to make the meeting run so smoothly.  And, as we turn to the future, we look forward to next year’s meeting in Norman, Oklahoma, scheduled for June 17-21, 2011.

      In an effort to increase communication between the Society and its members, we plan to send out notes now and then to the membership.  (Don’t worry, we won’t fill your inbox— we anticipate only one or two notes a month.)  In this message, you’ll find information about a number of awards for junior or senior scientists, awards that often don’t appear on our radar screens but that may be of interest to members. And as always, remember about nominations for our own SSE awards.

      Please take a few minutes to read the note below and take action whereever appropriate. Remember, it's important that we recognize excellence in the sciences. Please consider those around you and consider/nominate colleagues, and mentors who are deserving of recognition and encouragement in their scientific endeavors.

      In addition, we have several requests for comment from the National Science Collection Alliance (NSC), American Institute for Biological Sciences (AIBS) and the Department of the Interior (DOI). Remember, your input and participation is important for the Society and for Science in general. Please take some time to respond.

NSF Alan T. Waterman Award | NSB Vannevar Bush Award | NSB Public Service Award | NSC Alliance Survey | AIBS Request for Feedback | DOI Request for Comments | SSE CALL FOR NOMINATIONS

CALL FOR NOMINATIONS: NSF 2011 Alan T. Waterman Award

The National Science Foundation (NSF) is pleased to accept nominations for the 2011 Alan T. Waterman Award. Each year, the Foundation bestows the Waterman Award in recognition of talent, creativity, and influence of a singular young researcher. Established in 1975 to commemorate the Foundation's first Director, the Waterman Award is NSF's highest honor for researchers under the age of 36.

PLEASE NOTE: Biologists tend not to nominate and are often underrepresented in the pool of choices. Please, we encourage nominations!

Nominees are accepted from any field of science or engineering that NSF supports. The award recipient will receive a medal and an invitation to the formal awards ceremony in Washington, DC. In addition, the recipient will receive a grant of $500,000 over a three-year period for scientific research or advanced study in any field of science or engineering supported by the National Science Foundation, at any institution of the recipient's choice.

For detailed nomination information, please visit www.fastlane.nsf.gov/honawards/.

Complete nomination packages, consisting of nominations and four letters of reference, are due by October 30, 2010. The nominations and letters must be received through the FastLane system. Please contact the Program Manager for the Alan T. Waterman Award at waterman@nsf.gov or 703-292-8040 if you have any questions. You may also visit www.nsf.gov/od/waterman/waterman.jsp for more information.

The nomination of deserving colleagues is one of the most important and gratifying aspects of service in the scientific community. Please help celebrate the contributions of a promising young researcher by submitting a nomination for the Alan T. Waterman award.

A PDF version of the call for nominations is available at www.nsf.gov/od/waterman/nsf_watermanaward_2011callfornominations_100809.pdf

CALL FOR NOMINATIONS: NATIONAL SCIENCE BOARD - 2011 VANNEVAR BUSH AWARD

Honoring Exceptional Service to the Nation in Science and Technology
View 2011 Nomination Flyer

The Vannevar Bush Award is awarded annually to truly exceptional lifelong leaders in science and technology who have made substantial contributions to the welfare of the Nation through public service activities in science, technology, and public policy.  Recent recipients include: Bruce Alberts, Editor-in-Chief, Science Magazine; Mildred Dresselhaus, Institute Professor, Massachusetts Institute of Technology; and Norman Augustine, former Chief Executive Officer and Chairman of the Board, Lockheed Martin Corporation.

To nominate, visit http://www.nsf.gov/nsb/awards/bush.jsp. Deadline for Award Nominations: November 3, 2010. Please contact Jennifer Richards at jlrichar@nsf.gov with any questions.

CALL FOR NOMINATIONS: NATIONAL SCIENCE BOARD - PUBLIC SERVICE AWARD

Honoring Service in Public Understanding of Science and Engineering
View 2011 Nomination Flyer

The National Science Board (NSB) Public Service Award honors individuals who and groups that have made substantial contributions to increasing public understanding of science and engineering in the United States.  These contributions may be in a wide variety of areas that have the potential of contributing to public understanding of and appreciation for science and engineering - including mass media, education and/or training programs, entertainment, etc.  Recipients of the NSB Public Service Award include NUMB3RS, the CBS television drama series; Ira Flatow, Host and Executive Producer of NPR's "Science Friday"; Alfred P. Sloan Foundation; Bill Nye The Science Guy; and NOVA, the PBS television series.

To nominate, visit http://www.nsf.gov/nsb/awards/public.jsp. Deadline for Award Nominations: November 3, 2010. Please contact Jennifer Richards at jlrichar@nsf.gov with any questions.

NSC Alliance Survey Looks at Impact of Economy on Natural Science Collections – Complete the Survey Online Today

Two years ago as the economy was entering recession, the Natural Science Collections Alliance launched a survey to gather data on the effects of the economic downturn on natural science collections. To further increase our understanding of how natural science collections are being impacted by and responding to current economic conditions, the NSC Alliance is repeating the 2008 survey. All natural science collections, including natural history museums, herbaria, living collections, tissue and genetic collections, and so forth, are encouraged to complete this online survey. The survey should not take more than 10 to 15 minutes to complete. Individual institutional responses will remain confidential.

Please complete the survey now at http://nscalliance.org/?page_id=314. The survey will close on September 20^th, 2010.

Additional information about the 2008 NSC Alliance survey at http://nscalliance.org/?p=234.

AIBS asks - How can biology professional societies better meet your needs?

Biology is changing. Our culture is changing. As a result, professionals in the field face new challenges that professional societies need to be able to address. In order to understand and respond to these changing dynamics, the American Institute of Biological Sciences is conducting this survey as part of its strategic planning process. The results will help us gain an understanding of how to better serve the needs of the biology professional community.

The survey should take less than 15 minutes to complete. We know your time is valuable and we are very thankful to you for taking the time to provide feedback.  To express our appreciation, we have a number of items that we will give away at random.  Six lucky individuals will be randomly selected to receive an iPad (total of two being given away) or $250 cash (total of four).  In order to enter, you must complete this survey in full and register your name at the end.

We thank you for your participation and look forward to continuing to serve you.   

Click here to begin the survey: http://surveys.aibs.org/index.php?sid=58789&lang=en

Department of the Interior - Request for Comments

The Department of the Interior has released a draft policy on scientific integrity. The policy, which applies to all department personnel who engage in scientific activities or who directly supervise such employees, is the first of its kind for Interior. Public comments are being accepted through September 20, 2010. More information is available at http://edocket.access.gpo.gov/2010/2010-21591.htm. Send comments to: DOI_Science_Integrity@ios.doi.gov.

Society for the Study of Evolution - Call for Nominations

Nomination/Application for the 2011 Stephen J. Gould Prize

Nomination/Application for the 2011 Theodosius Dobzhansky Prize

Nomination/Application for the 2011 R. A. Fisher Prize

Again, thank you for your time. I can't tell you how important it is that we Evolutionists participate across the scientific community.

Sincerely,

Allen Orr
President, The Society for the Study of Evolution

SSE Home Page - www.EvolutionSociety.org

Mission: The Society for the Study of Evolution was founded in March, 1946. The objectives of the Society for the Study of Evolution are the promotion of the study of organic evolution and the integration of the various fields of science concerned with evolution. The Society publishes the scientific journal Evolution and holds annual meetings in which scientific findings on evolutionary biology are presented and discussed.