Dear Ecological Section Members,

Botany 2009 Symposia
While the 2008 meeting is just behind us, it is time to prepare for next year. Approval of symposia will be more rigorous this fall, as the program committee will be limiting the number to 12 symposia (each with 6 speakers). While they intend to maximize the number of sections sponsoring symposia, there are more than 12 sections, so it is critical that proposals sponsored by our section be strong. To assure this we are requesting more formal proposals to the section before submitting to BSA. These proposals will be similar to what is required by BSA.

If you are interested in organizing a symposium, send to me (dlbyer2@ilstu.edu) by Sept 8: title, abstract (overview and why this is a hot topic) and list of potential speakers (confirmed would be best and will really be required for BSA). I will share all proposals for symposia with the section and in case of multiple proposals I will ask for a ranking. The deadline for BSA will be Oct. 15.

Call for Nominations for Ecological Section Secretary and Program Chair
Margaret Dewall is at the end of her 3 year term as Ecological Section secretary and program chair. During the last several years she has done a great job and has been very helpful with insightful advice during my first year.

Currently, I have one nomination for this position. If there are any other nominations for this position please send me an e-mail by August 13, 2008.

FYI – David Spooner is the new program director for all of BSA. The person in this position will be working with him on scheduling for Botany 2009. He is also having the section chairs more involved – mainly to coordinate among the sections.

Thank you!

Diane Byers
Chair, Ecological Section
Botanical Society of America
www.botany.org
www.BotanyConference.org
www.PlantingScience.org

Mission: The Botanical Society of America exists to promote botany, the field of basic science dealing with the study and inquiry into the form, function, development, diversity, reproduction, evolution, and uses of plants and their interactions within the biosphere.

The objectives of The Society are to: sustain and provide improved formal and informal education about plants; encourage basic plant research; provide expertise, direction, and position statements concerning plants and ecosystems; and foster communication within the professional botanical community, and between botanists and the rest of humankind through publications, meetings, and committees.