Division of Ecology and Evolution (DEE): 1999 Spring Newsletter
This Newsletter by Section
Message from the Chair
Sally Woodin
I am happy to report that the 1999 SICB Annual Meeting in Denver was an enormous success. The sessions were well-attended and the presentations were excellent. As is the tradition for SICB (and an important reason to be an active member), there were a number of exciting symposia that crossed normal disciplinary lines. Several of the symposia, such as the one on the "Organismal, Ecological and Evolutionary Significance of Heat Shock Proteins and the Heat Shock Response," drew participants and attendees from across the spectrum of biology. DEE co-sponsored "Excellence in Invertebrate Zoology: A Tribute to Alan J. Kohn" with DIZ, and it was a great success with a large audience and interesting discussions that reflected the depth and breadth of Alan's career and the affection of his students and colleagues for him. In addition there were interdivisional sessions on "Locomotion and Movement," "Reproduction and Life Cycles," "Education," and "Feeding and Foraging." Again, all were well-attended and interesting. Clearly, I had a wonderful time hearing about new ideas and approaches, perusing the book exhibits, and stretching my brain cells.
The plans for the 2000 SICB Annual Meeting in Atlanta, Jan. 4-8, are well in hand with an interesting symposium on "Animal-Plant Interactions" sponsored by DEE with outgoing chair Dianna Padilla as one of the organizers. The Animal Behavior Society, American Microscopial Society, The Crustacean Society, the Society for Vertebrate Paleontology and the International Society of Invertebrate Reproduction and Development are the current co-sponsors of the Atlanta meeting; we are still discussing possibilities with the Ecological Society of America. At the Atlanta meeting the contributed paper sessions will be organized by topic, not exclusively by division, which should reduce conflicts for attendees. We hope to see you there.
The news from the Annual Meeting was four fold. First, please sign onto the SICB web page (www.sicb.org), read about the strategic planning process instituted by president Martin Feder, then send your input to the committee members. Unlike most societies, SICB members each make a difference and can alter the course of the Society. Second, there is a new division "Evolutionary Developmental Biology," reflecting recognition of an exciting area. Third, many of SICB's communications will be done electronically in the future to save printing and mailing costs, but hard copy will continue to be available by request. And fourth, a new minority student program was approved which will be Society-wide. Dianna Padilla agreed to begin the implementation of such a program.
I want to thank the outgoing chair Dianna Padilla who clearly has been a force for stimulating sessions and keeping costs low for students and postdocs. Thanks for all of your time and effort towards keeping the Society vibrant and available. I also want to express my thanks to the outgoing secretary Sarah Cohen who kept all of us informed and Dianna on time. Poor Linda Walters has the dismal task of trying to do the same for me.
Message from the Secretary
Linda Walters
I agree with Sally that the January 1999 meeting was a huge success. I particularly enjoyed hearing the late-breaking symposium by Dr. Michael Soule´ and Dr. Stuart Pimm on The Wildlands Project to develop and increase the number of wildlife corridors in the United States, and SICB past president Dr. Mike Hadfield's report on his awe-inspiring long-term research and conservation efforts with Hawaiian tree snails. I also heard plant talks! This proves that SICB is expanding beyond its original boundaries of a zoological society. And in spite of the lack of snow, Denver was a very nice meeting venue.
Dr. Mike Hart organized a team of 12 volunteers (himself included) to judge student presentations. They should all be thanked for their efforts as it was not an easy task. Of the students that asked to be considered for the best student presentation, two exceptional oral presentations tied for the award. The co-winners were Wendy Reed of Iowa State University for "Egg Size Variation in the American Coot: Consequences for Offspring Survival" and Greg Farley of Florida State University for "Bigger is Better: The Importance of Egg 'Target' Size to Sperm-Egg Collisions in the Sea Urchin Lytechinus variegatus." Please encourage students to enter next year's competition and to participate in all of the other special opportunities that SICB offers student members. For example, 11 students were funded in the 1998-99 SICB Student Grants-in-Aid of Research Program; the Libbie Hyman Memorial Scholarship Fund continues to assist students in their first experience at a field station; and virtually all students who requested assistance to enable them to attend this meeting were supported. There are plans to increase the funding levels for all these important programs. This makes SICB a very student-friendly organization and an excellent place to meet faculty and student colleagues in your area of interest and attend workshops focused on issues important to students and postdoctoral fellows. Workshops on balancing careers and lifestyles and how best to write your curriculum vitae, have been proposed for the Atlanta 2000 meeting.
With the change to a web-based newsletter, it will be possible to include a greater variety of submissions to the DEE newsletter. So, if you have a particularly interesting or intriguing graphic or photo, please send them along to me. The deadline for the October newsletter is August 30. Also, if there are things you really like or dislike about the new format, please let me or Dr. Tom Wolcott (SICB secretary) know. Finally, Dr. Don Levitan will be completing his term as DEE program officer this year. These will be hard shoes to fill as Don has done a very good job. However, if anyone is interested in filling this position, please contact the DEE president Dr. Sally Woodin. Ballots will be distributed in the fall and the new officer announced at the 2000 meeting in Atlanta. Hope to see you there!
Message from the Program Officer
Don Levitan
MacMillan Coastal Biodiversity Workshop at Bamfield, B.C.
The Bamfield Marine Station, located on the west coast of Vancouver Island, British Columbia, will be hosting a series of coastal biodiversity workshops during May 16-28. This new initiative will address current issues in biodiversity research and conservation of the coastal zone of Canada. The workshops will cover both the marine and terrestrial coastal floras and faunas of the West Coast of Vancouver Island, and of coastal B.C. in general. Workshop instructors will be research scientists actively involved in the field of biodiversity and biosystematics and will emphasize specific current research activities that relate to biodiversity through hands-on experience, including field trips and surveys, laboratory exercises, as well as lectures.
The biodiversity workshops are offered to a broad audience, including senior undergraduate students, graduate students, postdoctoral fellows, faculty members as well as other government employees, consultants, conservationists and naturalists whose responsibilities or work involve biodiversity-related activities and who wish to gain further field-oriented experience in the Pacific Northwest region.
The five activities planned for May 1999 include:
- Plenary session / guest speakers (May 16)
- Evaluating Biodiversity of Intertidal and Subtidal Invertebrates (May 17-19)
- Algal Diversity and use of Molecular Techniques in Algal Biosystematics (May 19-21)
- Conservation and Diversity of Arthropods in the Temperate Rainforest (May 22-24)
- Diversity of Plants and Vertebrates on Small Coastal Islands (May 25-27).
Participants are encouraged to register for all five biodiversity activities; note, however, that the workshop is also open to partial enrollment for those who may wish to come for only part of the offered activities. There is an enrollment limit of 15 participants. Further information on the workshops is on the Bamfield Marine Station's new web site www.bms.bc.ca or at info@bms.bc.ca.
The Society for Integrative and Comparative Biology
1313 Dolley Madison Blvd Suite 402
McLean VA 22101
Phone: 703-790-1745 or 800-955-1236
FAX: 703-790-2672
E-mail: SICB@BurkInc.com