LATEST NEWS

Advocacy Event Grants

Feb 22, 2022 - 04:04 PM

The words Society for the Study of Evolution Advocacy Event Grants, Deadline extended: March 6, 2022 in white text on a blue and red background.



The SSE Public Policy Committee is pleased to offer grants to SSE members to attend advocacy events, including the American Institute of Biological Sciences (AIBS) 2022 Virtual Advocacy Event, comprised of a Communications Boot Camp for Scientists (April 25-26, 2022), a half-day training session on how to be an effective advocate for science policy, and virtual meetings with lawmakers organized by AIBS (April 27-29). Scientists and graduate students who are interested in communicating the importance of federal investments in scientific research and education to lawmakers are encouraged to participate in this valuable workshop. Funding will cover the cost of registration. Members interested in applying these funds to other opportunities related to advocacy are also welcome to apply. 

To apply, please complete this application including a brief (<250 words) statement describing your interest in participating in federal policy making and what issues you would like to address. We especially encourage applications from individuals belonging to historically excluded groups. The deadline to apply has been extended to March 6, 2022. Read statements from previously funded participants here.


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Letter: The Diversity Committee and Graduate Student Advisory Council fully support the Code of Ethics

Feb 15, 2022 - 05:39 PM

On February 7, 2022, SSE, the Society of Systematic Biologists, and American Society of Naturalists invited comments from our members on proposed Codes of Ethics for each society. Adopting such codes will allow the societies to establish explicit standards of excellence and a transparent process for upholding these standards, and in so doing, foster societies that are welcoming for everyone. Please see below for a letter of support for adopting the SSE Code of Ethics from the SSE Diversity Committee and the SSE Graduate Student Advisory Council. 

We invite you to review the standards and processes and indicate your support and/or concerns before March 7, 2022.



31 January 2022


The development of the joint SSE/SSB/ASN Code of Ethics is a major step forward in our efforts towards improving equity and inclusion in the field of evolutionary biology and within our societies. The Diversity Committee and Graduate Student Advisory Council of the SSE strongly support its development and implementation.

While many professional societies, our own included, have survived with an inconsistently enforced, unwritten code of ethics, the formalization of an ethical code sets the standard for behaviors that are and are not acceptable in professional and social contexts, whether in person, in writing, or in a virtual setting. Having a transparent and standardized code of ethics clarifies the boundaries of appropriate behavior to all society members, including society leaders and those involved with the societies, thereby removing the temptation of allowing unethical behavior to continue simply because it reflects historical norms. A code of ethics ensures concrete accountability (with potential sanctions listed in the code) when members harm others or the Society through violations of these ethical codes. It provides a venue for reporting unethical behavior, which is a key form of support for people who are common targets of ethical violations, including people from historically excluded groups and early career researchers. Importantly, a code of ethics also provides a framework from which society leadership can fairly assess or address ethical violations, with clear descriptions of the evaluation process and explicit mechanisms for appealing outcomes.

Although it could be argued by some as regrettable that these boundaries need to be laid out in a concrete fashion, a robust and enforceable code of ethics, as laid out and implemented here, benefits the safety and wellbeing of all members of our society and all individuals involved with the society. We welcome its development. We encourage all society members, and indeed all individuals associated with the society, to read the Code of Ethics and provide any suggestions or feedback that might clarify and improve it. Following the incorporation of input from members of the society, we encourage you to support adopting the Code of Ethics and commit to putting it into practice in your own lives and work.

Signed,

The Diversity Committee, Society for the Study of Evolution
The Graduate Student Advisory Council, Society for the Study of Evolution


Small Grants for Local and Regional Outreach

Feb 15, 2022 - 05:02 PM


This program provides up to $1,000 USD in funding for local and regional outreach activities, including but not limited to public lectures, exhibits, student competitions, and professional development events for teachers. Proposals are due March 6, 2022. Learn more about how to apply here.


SSE Council Mid-Year Meeting Recap

Feb 09, 2022 - 05:07 PM

Earlier this month, the SSE Council met virtually for the annual mid-year meeting, which complements the annual Council meeting which occurs in conjunction with the Evolution meeting. Some highlights from the meeting:



  • The Code of Ethics committee proposed a Code of Ethics for SSE, which we invite you to review. ASN and SSB have also proposed Codes of Ethics.

  • An ad hoc committee proposed an updated Constitution and Bylaws that better reflect the organizational structure of the Society and more closely adhere to common standards for formatting and content of such documents (read more here).

  • The SSE Education and Outreach Committee announced plans for this year’s Undergraduate Diversity at Evolution program

  • The Diversity Committee reported on their many in-progress initiatives, including the results of the tri-society climate survey conducted last year, efforts to increase equity and inclusion in awarding, publishing, and Council processes, and ongoing work with Diversity Consultant Dr. Kim Mulligan.

  • Diversity Consultant Dr. Kim Mulligan led a visioning session to establish Council’s goals for SSE and develop a vision and mission statement for the Society. Stay tuned for more details on and results from these efforts. 


Special issue in Evolution: 75th Anniversary Symposium

Feb 09, 2022 - 05:03 PM

Last year, SSE celebrated its 75th anniversary. As part of this celebration, SSE hosted a symposium at the 2021 Virtual Evolution meeting to commemorate this anniversary with a series of talks representing SSE’s long-standing and continuing commitment to expanding evolutionary understanding. The papers collected in this special issue will present the work of the symposium speakers, including Amanda K. Gibson, John Beatty, Martha Munoz, Brandon Ogbunu, and Noah Whiteman. Keep an eye out for this special issue, to be released later this year with an introduction by María Rebolleda-Gómez and former SSE President Ruth Shaw.


Save the Date: Evolution 2022

Feb 09, 2022 - 05:00 PM

The Evolution 2022 logo: a fish fossil in gray on a blue background with the words Evolution 2022, Cleveland in white framing it it.


The Evolution conference 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. 2022 is currently planned as a hybrid meeting, with a 2-day virtual conference (June 21-22) followed by the standard 4-day in-person meeting (June 24-28), provided it is safe to meet in person. More details will be provided soon.


Upcoming Vote on Constitution Changes

Feb 09, 2022 - 04:57 PM

Last year, SSE Council formed an ad hoc committee to review the Society’s Constitution and Bylaws, which were found to be inconsistent with standard structure and content of governance documents for non-profit organizations. The committee has recommended changes to improve the clarity and organization of these documents. These changes have already been approved by Council. Changes to the Bylaws can be enacted following a vote from Council, but all changes to the SSE Constitution must also be approved by the membership. Keep an eye out for a vote via email in the coming weeks. 


Undergraduate Diversity at Evolution Program

Feb 08, 2022 - 05:23 PM

The words Society for the Study of Evolution Undergraduate Diversity at Evolution Program Applications due March 27, 2022 in white on a blue and orange abstract painting.


The Undergraduate Diversity at Evolution (UDE) program sends undergraduate students to the annual Evolution meeting, where they will present a poster; receive mentoring from graduate students, postdocs, and faculty; and participate in a career-oriented 'Undergraduate Futures in Evolutionary Biology' panel and discussion. The program is funded by SSE and the BEACON Center for Evolution in Action. Applications are due Sunday, March 27. Learn more and apply on the website.


Code of Ethics Comment Period

Feb 07, 2022 - 05:29 PM

The words A Code of Ethics for Evolution Societies in white on a dark blue background above the logos for SSE, SSB, and ASN.


In 2018, SSE announced a tri-society initiative to develop a Code of Ethics for SSE, the Society of Systematic Biologists, and the American Society of Naturalists. While behavior at the annual Evolution meeting falls under a Code of Conduct, the societies currently have no policies regarding conduct outside the meeting. Adopting Codes of Ethics will allow the societies to establish explicit standards of excellence and a transparent process for upholding these standards, and in so doing, foster societies that are welcoming for everyone. The three societies have now each drafted their own Codes of Ethics, which have been approved by the Councils of each society. Before each Code is put into place, we are seeking our members’ feedback and approval. 

We invite you to visit the Code of Ethics website, review the standards of conduct and processes for enforcement, ask any questions you may have, and give your feedback before March 7, 2022. Thank you for your participation!


Welcome New SSE Council Members

Feb 07, 2022 - 04:42 PM

A grid of squares showing head and shoulders photos of Kelly Zamudio, Hanna Kokko, Courtney Murren, Robert Driver, Regina Baucom, Daniel Bolnick, and Angelica Cibiran-Jaramillo on a green background with the words 2022 New Officers in white text.


Congratulations to our new Council members: President-Elect Kelly Zamudio, Non-North American Vice President Hanna Kokko, Treasurer Courtney Murren, Councilors Regina Baucom, and Daniel Bolnick, and Angélica Cibrián-Jaramillo, and GSAC Chair-Elect Robert Driver.

To nominate yourself or someone else for Council, please complete
this form. All nominations received by March 1 will be considered for this year’s slate.


New Article Types in Evolution

Feb 02, 2022 - 07:26 AM

Starting in April, Evolution will accept two new article types: Evolution Insights and Evolution Reviews. Reviews will synthesize research fields and provide novelty through new or significantly updated research syntheses and will be limited to 4500 words. Insights will provide insights or summaries of emerging hot topics, observations, theory, controversies, and new and unresolved questions, and will be limited to 1500 words. Learn more about Evolution’s other article types here.


2022 Dobzhansky Prize Deadline Extended to February 14

Jan 31, 2022 - 04:41 PM

The words Dobzhansky Prize Deadline Extended: February 14, 2022 in white on a dark blue starry background.


The deadline to submit a nomination for the 2022 Dobzhansky Prize has been extended to February 14, 2022. This award recognizes the accomplishments and future promise of an oustanding evolutionary biologist who has received their PhD within the last four years. The recipient will receive $5000 USD and will present the Dobzhansky Prize talk at the annual Evolution meeting. Learn more here.


2021 Rosemary Grant Advanced Award Recipients

Jan 27, 2022 - 02:52 PM

2021 Rosemary Grant Advanced Award recipient list


Congratulations to the twelve recipients of the 2021 Rosemary Grant Advanced Awards, part of the Graduate Research Excellence Grants. This year’s recipients are Colby Behrens, Ying Chen, Derek Denney, Tanmay Dixit, Robert Driver, Santiago Herrera-Álvarez, Hanna Makowski, Manish Pathak, Rozenn Pineau, Rosalyn Price-Waldman, Jill Sanderson, and William Thomas.

These grants are funded in part by donations from our members to the Rosemary Grant Advanced Award funds and the George W. Gilchrist Student Support Fund. This year's George W. Gilchrist Student Support Fund recipient is Derek Denney.


IDEA Award Deadline Extended to February 1

Jan 21, 2022 - 01:21 PM

The words Inclusiveness, Diversity, Equity, Access Award Deadline Extended: February 1, 2022 in white on a dark background with a glowing lightbulb.


The deadline for the ASN/SSE/SSB Inclusiveness, Diversity, Equity, and Access (IDEA) Award has been extended to February 1, 2022. The IDEA 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. Learn more and submit your nomination here.


2022 R. C. Lewontin Early Award Call for Applications

Dec 22, 2021 - 05:17 PM

2022 R. C. Lewontin Early Award Deadline Februray 23 12:00 PM Pacific


The Society for the Study of Evolution is pleased to announce the 2022 R. C. Lewontin Early Award competition. These grants are part of the Graduate Research Excellence Grants award program and are for students in the 1st or 2nd year of their PhD program. Awards will range from $1,500 to $2,500. Proposals will be due February 23. Learn more here.


Evolution Journal Survey Results

Dec 15, 2021 - 05:23 PM

Evolution journal cover showing an orange flower on a black background with the title Evolution in red across the topEarlier this year, the SSE Evolution Journal Taskforce distributed a survey to members of SSE and the European Society of Evolutionary Biologists (ESEB) to collect feedback from the community on authors' perspectives on the journal Evolution and priorities when choosing where to publish. Your feedback is now being used to devise new initiatives to increase quality submissions from existing and new audiences and improve the journal reputation and author experience. Thank you to all who participated! 


Review the full data, or read the text summary here.


Three Opportunities with Evolution Letters

Dec 08, 2021 - 04:34 PM

Evolution Letters seeks to fill three positions to begin early 2022: Communications Editor, Preprints Editor, and Associate Editor. 



  1. The Communications Editor will work with our authors to help promote new research to wider audiences. The role will be particularly well suited to an early career evolutionary biologist with a keen interest in science communication.

  2. The Preprints Editor help identify exciting preprints that fit the journal’s remit and scope. The role will be suited to a mid-career evolutionary biologist with a keen eye for the best research across the field of evolutionary biology and a reputation for producing high-quality research.

  3. The Associate Editor should be an individual whose research expertise includes experimental evolution. The role will be suited to an early-, mid- or late-career group leader who has a reputation for carrying out cutting-edge research using any experimental evolution system.


Applications are due Friday, 17 December. Continue reading to learn more.


SSE Diversity Committee Seeks Two New Members

Dec 02, 2021 - 01:40 PM


The SSE Diversity Committee (DC) seeks to add two new members starting in late January of 2022. The DC works to support members from all backgrounds through several main actions: by broadening representation to the SSE Executive Council, by pursuing initiatives that support historically excluded groups, and by creating an inclusive, accessible environment at the Evolution conference and in evolutionary biology in general. 


Applications are due December 20. Continue reading to learn more.


SSE Council Election Results

Oct 28, 2021 - 04:07 PM

We are pleased to announce the results of this year’s election for SSE Council. Please join me in welcoming Kelly Zamudio (President-Elect), Courtney Murren (Treasurer), Hanna Kokko (Non-North American Vice President), and Councilors Angélica Cibrián-Jaramillo, Daniel Bolnick, and Regina Baucom. These positions will start January 1, 2022. Thank you to everyone who participated in this year’s election!


New Assistant Chief Meeting Organizers

Oct 28, 2021 - 04:06 PM

The Evolution Joint Meeting Committee is pleased to welcome two new Assistant Chief Meeting Organizers: Brian Hollis and Alex Wong. With Chief Meeting Organizer Howard Rundle, the new organizers will help plan and run the annual Evolution meeting, including producing the scientific program and interfacing with the society councils and the professional conference organizer. Thank you Dr. Hollis and Dr. Wong for your commitment!


Gould Prize Call for Nominations

Oct 28, 2021 - 03:21 PM

The words Gould Prize Nominations due January 15, 2022 in white on a blue background with blurry white and blue circles


The Stephen Jay Gould Prize recognizes, promotes, and rewards individuals who have increased public understanding of evolutionary biology and its place in modern science. Nominations will be due January 15, 2022. Learn more and apply here.


IDEA Award Call for Nominations

Oct 28, 2021 - 03:16 PM

The words Inclusiveness, Diversity, Equity, Access Award and Nominations due January 15, 2022 in white on a dark background next to a glowing lightbulb


The ASN/SSE/SSB Inclusiveness, Diversity, Equity, and Access (IDEA) Award is given to a person or group at any career stage who has strengthened the ecology and evolutionary biology community by promoting inclusiveness and diversity in our fields. Nominations will be due January 15, 2022. Learn more and apply here.


Dobzhansky Prize Call for Nominations

Oct 28, 2021 - 03:10 PM

The words Dobzhansky Prize Nominations due January 31 in white text on a dark blue background next to a white geometric flower-like shape


The Theodosius Dobzhansky Prize recognizes the accomplishments and future promise of an outstanding young evolutionary biologist. Nominations will be due January 31, 2022. Learn more and apply here.


SSE Presidents' Award Call for Nominations

Oct 28, 2021 - 02:51 PM

The words SSE Presidents' Award for Outstanding Dissertation Paper in Evolution and Nominations due January 31 2021 in white text on a brown background next to two covers of the journal Evolution


The SSE Presidents’ Award for Outstanding Dissertation Paper in Evolution recognizes an outstanding PhD dissertation paper published in an issue of the journal Evolution during a given calendar year. Nominations will be due January 31, 2022. Learn more and apply here.


Tri-Society Climate Survey Coming Soon

Oct 26, 2021 - 03:49 PM

The words Tri-Society Climate Survey in white on a dark background of interconnected blue points and lines forming a network that looks a bit like the night sky


As part of SSE Council’s 2020 commitment to actions to increase inclusion of and support for members of historically excluded groups, the ASN, SSB, and SSE Diversity Committees will be distributing a survey to our members to identify areas where the societies could work to be more inclusive and better serve our diverse memberships. The survey, created by the Diversity Committees and McKinley Advisors, was crucially shaped by input from interviews with a small group of tri-society community members. Your responses to this survey will inform our efforts to make our ecology and evolutionary biology community more welcoming and inclusive. Members, keep an eye out for the survey in your inbox soon!

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