LATEST NEWS

2023 R. C. Lewontin Early Award Recipients

Jun 15, 2023 - 05:38 PM

Text: Society for the Study of Evolution, Graduate Research Excellence Grants, R. C. Lewontin Early Award 2023 Recipients: Nathalie Alomar, Neil Balchan, Tara Empson, Anjali Gupta, Matthew Hack, Azwad Iqbal, Juliana Jiranek, Gina Lucas, Jess Lund, Sage Madden, Akshat Mall, Quinn McCallum, Jenna Palmisano, Faye Romero, Marissa Sandoval, Fernando Torres, Wout van der Heide, Erica Vong, Claire Williams, Maximiliano Zuluaga Forero.


Congratulations to our 2023 R. C. Lewontin Early Award recipients: Nathalie Alomar, Neil Balchan, Tara Empson, Anjali Gupta, Matthew Hack, Azwad Iqbal, Juliana Jiranek, Gina Lucas, Jess Lund, Sage Madden, Akshat Mall, Quinn McCallum, Jenna Palmisano, Faye Romero, Marissa Sandoval, Fernando Torres, Wout van der Heide, Erica Vong, Claire Williams, and Maximiliano Zuluaga Forero

These awards provide up to 2500 USD to assist students in the early stages of their PhD programs. These grants are part of the Graduate Research Excellence Grants award program. 


 


Call for Speakers: International Symposium

Jun 08, 2023 - 02:22 PM

Text: Society for the Study of Evolution International Symposium for India and neighboring regions, August 2, 2023 via Zoom. Apply to be a speaker by June 30. Logos for ISEB and SSE.


We are pleased to announce the second SSE International Symposium, organized in collaboration with the Indian Society of Evolutionary Biologists (ISEB) and set for August 2, 2023. This event will be aimed at India and neighboring regions and will be conducted in English. We are now accepting applications for speakers.

The symposium will be followed by a workshop on how to publish articles in Evolution the following day. This workshop will be taught by the Evolution Associate Editors Kavita Jain (Jawaharlal Nehru Centre for Advanced Scientific Research), Sutirth Dey (Indian Institute of Science Education and Research Pune), and NG Prasad (Indian Institute of  Science Education and Research Mohali).

SSE invites India-based scholars and those from neighboring regions to apply to be a speaker of this event. You do not have to be a member of either SSE or ISEB, but this is encouraged. If you are not a member of SSE, you can receive free or discounted membership through the Global Membership Assistance Program.

We aim to showcase the work on evolutionary biology of six early-career researchers (15-min talks) and two senior researchers (30-min talks) working in India and neighboring regions. All speakers will receive a USD 200 honorarium.

If you would like to participate as a speaker, please email us the following information as a single PDF to GSAC@evolutionsociety.org before June 30, 2023:

     - Motivation letter (1 page max.), please include:
             - Name 
             - Pronouns
             - Affiliation
             - Career stage
             - Tentative topic of the talk
             - Motivation to participate in the symposium
      - CV


Deadline: June 30, 2023

The speakers will be selected covering several axes of diversity to guarantee a fair representation of the regional community in terms of gender, geographic location, subdisciplines, and study systems. We will inform the results of this call in the first week of July. If you have any questions, please contact us at GSAC@evolutionsociety.org.

This event is organized by the SSE Graduate Student Advisory Committee (GSAC) in collaboration with the Indian Society of Evolutionary Biologists, with support from the SSE Council and the SSE International Committee.


Apply now for the Graduate Student Advisory Committee

Jun 02, 2023 - 08:00 PM

Text: Society for the Study of Evolution Graduate Student Advisory Committee. Apply now: evolutionsociety.org.


The SSE GSAC is looking for three new council members to join our 2024 cohort!

The GSAC represents student and postdoc interests to the SSE Council and facilitates interaction among students and postdocs, and between students, postdocs, and mentors. Our goal is to be a source of information for students and postdocs during their graduate school career and as they make career transitions, and to provide an early-career perspective to the rest of the SSE council. For example, recently we took a leading role in putting on the successful virtual International Symposia Series and the SSE Caregiver Award.


GSAC members must be graduate students at the time of application and members of SSE. (Learn more about how to join.) Applicants should be organized, possess leadership skills, and be interested in working with SSE Council and members to contribute to the Society. Many more details about our activities throughout the year can be found in our GSAC blog post on the SSE Community Blog. 

We strongly encourage those with non-traditional pathways to graduate school, those from non-R1 universities, and those from outside the United States to apply. GSAC is also committed to diverse representation, and we encourage applicants from historically excluded ethnic, gender, and socio-economic backgrounds. 

Visit the GSAC webpage for more information about how to apply. Deadline: July 26, 2023 (any time zone)


Hamilton Award Finalists

May 28, 2023 - 02:51 PM

Text: Virtual Evolution 2023, Society for the Study of Evolution W. D. Hamilton Award for outstanding graduate student presentation Symposium, Saturday June 3, 3:30 PM Eastern (GMT-4). 2023 Finalists: Maria Akopyan, Alicia L. Bruzos, Shyamsunder Buddh, Robert Driver, Arielle Fogel, Jay Gallagher, Nikunj Goel, Juanita Guiterrez-Valencia, Israt Jahan, Matthew Kustra, Brian Lerch, Benjamin Moran, Rosalyn Price-Waldman, Ryan Ridenbaugh, and Merlijn Staps.


Congratulations to the finalists of the SSE W. D. Hamilton Award for Outstanding Graduate Student Presentation: Maria Akopyan, Alicia L. Bruzos, Shyamsunder Buddh, Robert Driver, Arielle Fogel, Jay Gallagher, Nikunj Goel, Juanita Guiterrez-Valencia, Israt Jahan, Matthew Kustra, Brian Lerch, Benjamin Moran, Rosalyn Price-Waldman, Ryan Ridenbaugh, and Merlijn Staps! Come hear their talks in three sessions starting at 3:30 pm Eastern (GMT-4) on Saturday, June 3 at the virtual portion of the Evolution 2023 meeting.


SSE Presidential Symposium at Evolution 2023

May 27, 2023 - 05:31 PM

Text: Virtual Evolution 2023, SSE Presidential Symposium, Time does not heal all ills: the misuse of evolutionary biology as a driver of modern-day inequities, Friday June 2, 11:00 AM Eastern (GMT-4).


SSE Presidential Symposium
Time does not heal all ills: The misuse of evolutionary biology as a driver of modern-day inequalities
Friday, June 2, 11:00 AM Eastern (GMT-4)


As evolutionary biologists, we engage in research and scholarship to better understand the world around us, whether it be the origin of life, its relatedness, or responses to environmental change. And through our mentoring and education we seek to equip our students with the tools they need to also examine the world through the lens of evolution and change. This commitment to understanding change in the world around us must also extend to intentional examination of the historical and contemporary impact of our field on society and human history, even if those conversations are uncomfortable or painful. The history of our field of evolutionary biology includes extensive entanglement with eugenics and white supremacy, and thus has served as a driver of social inequality. To this day, genetic research and the concept of genetic determinism are misused by white supremacists and distributed in the popular media. 

The focus of this symposium will be an examination of modern evolutionary genetic research and what it can, or cannot, tell us about variation, origins, and evolution. Speakers will address issues in three broad areas: i) the historical role of evolution as a promoter of inequality, ii) present-day challenges, and iii) best practices and future directions. The symposium will conclude with a moderated panel discussion including all speakers, who will address questions from the audience.


Lifetime Achievement Award Recipient: Sarah Otto

May 24, 2023 - 09:00 PM

Text: Sarah Sally Otto, 2023 Society for the Study of Evolution Lifetime Achievement Award. Headshot of Sally Otto.


SSE Council is pleased to announce the recipient of the 2023 Lifetime Achievement Award, Dr. Sarah "Sally" Otto.

Dr. Otto was selected for her countless important contributions to evolutionary biology as a researcher, mentor, educator, and activist. As an outstanding researcher, Dr. Otto’s empirical and theoretical work on the evolution of ploidy, sex, and recombination has moved the field forward. As a mentor and educator, she has provided rigorous and accessible training to the next generation of biologists. As a member of the scientific community and citizen of the world, she has served in leadership roles for several scientific societies (the American Society of Naturalists (ASN), the European Society for Evolutionary Biology, the American Genetic Association, and SSE), co-founded the Canadian Society of Ecology and Evolution, and directs the Liber Ero Fellowship Program. At every level, Dr. Otto has worked towards bettering the environment—scientifically and globally, individually and collaboratively. Her achievements have been recognized with a number of awards (including the Darwin-Wallace Medal from the Linnean Society, the Sewall Wright Award from ASN, the MacArthur Foundation "genius grant", National Academy of Sciences membership, and Fellow of the Royal Society of Canada), and we are delighted to honor her with the Lifetime Achievement Award for 2023.

Dr. Otto will present the Lifetime Achievement Award talk during the virtual portion of the Evolution 2023 meeting on Friday, June 2 at 6:30 PM Eastern.


Gould Prize Winner: James T. Costa

May 12, 2023 - 11:01 PM

Text: James T. Costa. 2023 Society for the Study of Evolution Gould Prize. Headshot of James Costa.


Congratulations to Dr. Jim Costa, recipient of the 2023 Gould Prize! This award recognizes efforts to advance public understanding of evolutionary science and its importance in biology, education, and everyday life. Dr. Costa was selected for his work to advance the public understanding of evolution and the history of evolutionary thinking, and for his work to promote biodiversity education and conservation through outreach and community engagement. Dr. Costa will present the Gould Prize Plenary the opening night of the in-person portion of the Evolution 2023 meeting. Learn more about Dr. Costa’s work and this award here.


Huxley Award Winner: Sarah Bordenstein

May 09, 2023 - 02:39 PM

Text: Sarah Bordenstein. 2023 Society for the Study of Evolution T.H. Huxley Award.


The SSE Education and Outreach Committee is pleased to announce the winner of the 2023 T. H. Huxley Award, Sarah Bordenstein, for her development of the activity, "Discover the Microbes Within! The Wolbachia Project." This award recognizes and promotes the development of high quality evolution education resources. Learn more about the award and Sarah’s project.


Dobzhansky Prize Winner: Dakota McCoy

May 05, 2023 - 04:29 PM

Text: Dakota McCoy. 2023 Society for the Study of Evolution Dobzhansky Prize. Headshot of Dakota McCoy.


Congratulations to the 2023 Dobzhansky Prize winner, Dr. Dakota McCoy! This award recognizes the accomplishments and future promise of an outstanding early-career evolutionary biologist. Dr. McCoy will present the Dobzhansky Prize lecture at the in-person portion of the Evolution 2023 meeting in Albuquerque, NM in June. Read more about Dr. McCoy here.


Local Undergraduate Day at Evolution 2023

May 04, 2023 - 02:54 PM

Background: Aerial photo of downtown Albuquerque. The Evolution 2023 meeting logo. Text: Local Undergraduate Day. Mentoring and free 1-day registration for Albuquerque students at Evolution 2023. Apply by May 30. evolutionmeetings.org.


SSE is sponsoring registration costs for ten local (i.e., within ~100 miles of Albuquerque) undergraduate students to attend the Evolution 2023 conference in Albuquerque, NM for one day (June 24). Undergraduates selected for this opportunity will be paired with graduate student or postdoc mentors from around the world to help them navigate through the meeting and answer any questions they may have both before and during the event. Accepted students will receive free registration for the day, but participants will be responsible for their own transportation to the Albuquerque Convention Center and any food they purchase. Interested undergraduate students should apply by May 30 here.

Interested in mentoring? Graduate students or postdocs interested in mentoring should apply here.


Early registration deadline for in-person Evolution 2023 extended to May 15

May 01, 2023 - 02:21 PM

Text: Evolution 2023. Register now!


Register now for the Evolution meeting! This is the joint annual meeting of the American Society of Naturalists, the Society for the Study of Evolution, and the Society of Systematic Biologists. The meeting is one of the premiere opportunities for sharing research on evolutionary biology each year.


EVOLUTION 2023
Virtual: June 2-3
Albuquerque, NM: June 21-25


Registration for the in-person portion includes access to the virtual portion.
Early-bird discounts for in-person registration have been extended through May 15!


Red register now button


Caregiver Award Deadline Extended to May 5

Apr 21, 2023 - 03:56 PM

The Evolution 2023 logo, showing a phylogeny and outlines of organisms. Text: Society for the Study of Evolution. Caregiver Awards. Up to $500 US to help cover costs of virtual or in-person attendance. Deadline Extended: May 5, 2023.


The deadline for the 2023 Caregiver Awards has been extended to May 5, 2023. These awards provide up to $500 USD for SSE members who need assistance in covering caregiver costs while attending the annual Evolution meeting in person or virtually.

A caregiver is broadly defined and includes anyone who cares for children, dependent adults (including adult children with a disability or elderly relatives), or people in need of personal assistance. This award can be spent as the awardee wishes to facilitate attendance.

Learn more about the Evolution meeting or the Caregiver Awards.

Deadline: May 5, 2023


Apply now button


SSE Presidents' Award for Outstanding Dissertation Paper in Evolution

Apr 12, 2023 - 05:23 PM

Text: Michael Itgen. Genome size drives morphological evolution in organ-specific ways. Society for the Study of Evolution SSE Presidents' Award for Outstanding Dissertation Paper in Evolution. Circular photo of Michael with water and trees behind him.


Congratulations to Michael Itgen for his winning paper, Genome size drives morphological evolution in organ-specific ways”, published last year in Evolution. Read more about his paper and this award.


Small Grants Program for Local and Regional Outreach

Apr 05, 2023 - 03:49 PM

Text: Society for the Study of Evolution. 2023 Small Grants for Local and Regional Outreach. Proposals Due April 24, 2023. In the background are hazy blue mountains and clouds.


The SSE Education and Outreach Committee is now accepting proposals for the Small Grants Program for Local and Regional Outreach Promoting the Understanding of Evolutionary Biology

These grants provide support for local and regional educational outreach activities to take place during 2023. Examples of past outreach activities have included public lectures, exhibits, student competitions, and professional development events for teachers.

Grants of up to $1000 USD will be awarded. Applicants must be members of SSE. The deadline to apply is April 24, 2023

Learn more and apply.


SSE Council Nominations - Deadline April 1

Mar 13, 2023 - 01:45 PM

Text: Society for the Study of Evolution Council. Nominations Open. Deadline: April 1, 2023. Outline of a hand holding a megaphone.


Would you like to serve in a leadership role at SSE? Know someone else who would? Nominate yourself or someone else for SSE Council. Officer nominations submitted by April 1 will receive full consideration by the nominating committee for that year's election cycle. 

SSE seeks diversity of people and ideas on council and editorial boards. We strongly encourage nominations and self-nominations of individuals who represent the full diversity of the evolutionary biology community, including (but not limited to) all aspects of identity and background, types of institution, geographic location or scientific approach. 

SSE seeks participation by individuals committed to increasing diversity, equity, inclusion and accessibility in science. We strongly encourage nominations, including self-nominations, of individuals who have a demonstrated commitment to advancing equity and inclusion in science.

Learn more about the roles and responsibilities of each position in the SSE Handbook


Submit Nomination button

Submit your nomination here. Deadline: April 1.


Evolution English Language Support (EELS) Program Now Live

Mar 10, 2023 - 08:07 PM

Circular EELS logo. Text: EELS. Evo English Lanugage Support. The words surround a digital drawing of three eels underwater, poking their heads up out of the sand.


The new Evolution English Language Support (EELS) Program offers free, light touch editing for authors submitting to Evolution for whom English is not their preferred language. To participate in this program, authors can contact the EELS program coordinator before submission at EELScoordinator@gmail.com, or indicate during manuscript submission that they are willing to be contacted during the review process about this language support.

Evolution publishes exclusively in English, which can present additional challenges to authors for whom English is an additional language. The EELS Program is intended to help reduce barriers to scientific publishing by providing such authors with an opportunity for additional support.

Learn more about the EELS program or how to submit to Evolution.


Hamilton Award for Outstanding Graduate Student Presentation

Mar 10, 2023 - 06:28 PM

Text: Society for the Study of Evolution. Evolution 2023. W. D. Hamilton Award for Outstanding Graduate Student Presentation. Deadline: April 15, 2023 (part of meeting registration).


The Hamilton Award for Outstanding Graduate Student Presentation will be given to a current or very recent graduate student who presents an outstanding talk based on their graduate work at the Evolution 2023 meeting. Finalists will present their talks during the live-streamed Hamilton Award symposium during the virtual part of the meeting June 2-3. The application to become a Hamilton award finalist is part of registration for the meeting. Applicants must check a box during meeting registration indicating their interest in the Hamilton Award and submit an abstract. Register by April 15, 2023.


Apply now: Undergraduate Diversity at Evolution Program

Feb 17, 2023 - 03:04 PM

Text: Society for the Study of Evolution Undergraduate Diversity at Evolution Program. Applications due March 13, 2023. Background is a blue and orange abstract painting.


The Undergraduate Diversity at Evolution (UDE) program sends undergraduate students to the annual Evolution meeting, held this year online June 2-3 and in Albuquerque, NM, USA from June 21-25. 

At the in-person part of the meeting, awardees will present a poster, receive mentoring, and participate in a career-oriented Undergraduate Futures in Evolutionary Biology panel and discussion. Awardees will receive free meeting registration, travel, and lodging, a meal stipend, and a ticket to the Super Social. 

Applicants must be current undergraduates or very recent graduates. As a group, selected applicants must increase diversity among undergraduates at the meeting. Applicants demonstrating a need for funds to attend will be given preference. 

Learn more and apply on the UDE webpage. 

Deadline: March 13, 2023


T. H. Huxley Award Call for Applications

Jan 24, 2023 - 02:46 PM

A chalkboard with an apple and school supplies. Text: 2023 Society for the Study of Evolution. T.H. Huxley Award. Applications due March 31.


The SSE Education and Outreach Committee is pleased to announce the 2023 T.H. Huxley award, named in honor of Darwin's very public supporter, which recognizes and promotes the development of high-quality evolution education resources. If you have an interesting project or educational activity to share, consider applying for this award. Graduate students and postdoctoral fellows are encouraged to apply. 


This award provides funding for an SSE member to present evolution education resources at an education-focused conference, typically the National Association of Biology Teachers annual conference, or an education-focused session at another conference. This year’s NABT conference will be held in Baltimore, Maryland from November 2-5, 2023. 

Applications are due March 31st. Learn more and apply here


IDEA Award Deadline Extended to February 10

Jan 18, 2023 - 05:14 PM

Header text: American Society of Naturalists, Society for the Study of Evolution, Society of Systematic Biologists. Below that, the words Inclusiveness, Diversity, Equity, and Access Award, with the first letters lined up to spell


The deadline to nominate a person or group for the ASN/SSE/SSB Inclusiveness, Diversity, Equity, and Access (IDEA) Award has been extended to February 10. This award will be given to a person at any career stage who has strengthened the ecology and evolutionary biology community by promoting inclusiveness and diversity in our fields. The award can also be presented to a group. The recipient(s) will be invited to present a plenary lecture at the following year’s Evolution meeting. Each recipient will also receive a plaque and a $1000 honorarium (shared among recipients if more than one).

***Eligibility Note: No contemporary officer, editor, member of diversity committee, or meeting organizer of the three societies is eligible for the award. Membership in any of the three societies is not required to nominate someone or be nominated for this award.***

Nomination packages should include:



  1. Nomination Letter: A single letter of support (1-2 pages) including biographical information (name, title, organization) of the person or group being nominated, along with a short description of the activities supporting the nomination. The letter must also include a section on the nature of impact the person or group has had on inclusivity, diversity, and equity in the field. For self-nominations, this letter should be written by another person who is familiar with the activities of the nominee.

  2. Biosketch: A brief biosketch or list of activities (maximum 3 pages) for the person/group nominated.

  3. Optional supplementary material: any material you believe clarifies the activities of the nominee relevant to this award (maximum 3 pages). 


Please contact committee chair Andrea Sweigart at sweigart@uga.edu with any questions.

Submit Nomination button


Or click here to access the application

DEADLINE EXTENDED: February 10, 2023


2022 Rosemary Grant Advanced Award Recipients

Jan 05, 2023 - 01:47 PM

Text: 2022 SSE Graduate Research Excellence Grants. Rosemary Grant Advanced Award. Grace Burgin, Haley Carter, Dylan DeBaun, Owen Dorsey, Yasmeen Erritouni, Matías Gómez-Corrales, Maggie Grundler, Sarah McPeek, Henry North, Krish Sanghvi, Jeremy Summers, Rebecca Tarnopol.


Congratulations to the recipients of the 2022 Rosemary Grant Advanced Awards: Grace Burgin, Haley Carter, Dylan DeBaun, Owen Dorsey, Yasmeen Erritouni, Matías Gómez-Corrales, Maggie Grundler, Sarah McPeek, Henry North, Krish Sanghvi, Jeremy Summers, and Rebecca Tarnopol! 

These grants are part of our Graduate Research Excellence Grants. This year's awards were funded in part by member donations to the Rosemary Grant Advanced Award fund and the George W. Gilchrist Student Support Fund. Thank you for supporting student research!


SSE Council Election Results

Dec 20, 2022 - 01:17 PM

Thank you to everyone who voted in this year’s Council election. We are pleased to welcome Anne Charmantier (President Elect), Howard Rundle (Executive Vice President), Michael Whitlock (North American Vice President), and Councilors Danielle Edwards, Amber Rice, and Katie Wagner. We’d also like to welcome Robin Tinghitella, who joined Council earlier this year. 

Thank you to our outgoing Council members, whose terms end at the end of this month: Lynda Delph (Past President), Andrea Case (Executive Vice President), Leonie Moyle (North American Vice President, and Councilors Joel McGlothlin and Nicole Valenzuela. 


New Publishing Home for Evolution and Evolution Letters

Dec 19, 2022 - 06:22 PM

We are excited to be working with Oxford University Press to publish our journals starting in 2023. Beginning in January, all Evolution and Evolution Letters articles will be available at the new Oxford University Press websites for Evolution and Evolution Letters. Newly accepted articles in Evolution are currently free to view on the OUP site. All previously published articles are still available through Wiley websites (Evolution, Evolution Letters). These will remain available through Wiley until the entire archive has been transferred to OUP. Article submission is still through ScholarOne (submit to Evolution, Evolution Letters). Please contact our new Managing Editor Melinda Modrell (managingeditor@evolutionsociety.org) with any questions. 


Welcome New GSAC Members!

Nov 30, 2022 - 04:04 PM

Text: Jill Syrotchen, Haosu Cong. 2023 Society for the Study of Evolution Graduate Student Advisory Council. Circular photos of Jill and Haosu. Both are wearing glasses and smiling at the camera.


Welcome to Jill and Susu, incoming GSAC members!

We are thrilled to welcome Jill Syrotchen and Haosu (Susu) Cong as members of the 2023 cohort of the Graduate Student Advisory Council (GSAC). Jill is a PhD student in the Ecology and Evolutionary Biology department at Tulane University in New Orleans, Louisiana. She uses the Mimulus system to investigate phenotypic plasticity and local adaptation with a combination of quantitative genetic, genomic, and field experiments. Susu is a PhD candidate at Michigan State University, where he studies the evolution of sexual dimorphic mating signals in Drosophila species. Their term will begin on January 1, 2023. 


Welcome New Evolution and Evolution Letters Managing Editor: Melinda Modrell

Nov 29, 2022 - 09:21 AM

Logos: SSE, ESEB, Oxford University Press. Text: Melinda Modrell, Managing Editor, Evolution and Evolution Letters. Next to the text is a photo of Melinda, who has shoulder length dark hair and is wearing a gray sweater.


SSE and the European Society for Evolutionary Biology (ESEB) are pleased to welcome Dr. Melinda Modrell, who is stepping into the new role of in-house Managing Editor for Evolution and Evolution Letters

Dr. Modrell is based at the Museo Nacional de Ciencias Naturales in Madrid, Spain. She earned her Ph.D. in Integrative Biology from UC Berkeley and completed postdocs at the University of Cambridge. She has been working as a self-employed editor and consultant since 2016, providing science and language editing services to primarily non-native English speakers. Dr. Modrell will work closely with the editors of Evolution and Evolution Letters and the staff at Oxford University Press to help our societies continue publishing leading research from our evolutionary biology community. 

Evolution is the flagship journal of the Society for the Study of Evolution. Evolution Letters is an Open Access journal jointly owned by ESEB and SSE. Starting in January 2023, both journals will be published by Oxford University Press. Learn more about this transition here.

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