Call for Nominations

Remy and Remy Paleobotanical Award

The Paleobotanical Section of the Botanical Society of America has established the Remy and Remy Paleobotanical Award to honor Winfried and Renate Remy for their long standing research on the Rhynie chert. Professor Remy was a Corresponding Member of the Botanical Society of America. Nominations are solicited for the first Remy and Remy Paleobotanical Award to recognize the best published paper in the fields of paleobotany and palynology in a recognized international journal. Nominees need not be a member of the Paleobotanical Section or Botanical Society of America. Nominations are to be received by 1 February 1998 and are to include the title of the paper, a brief statement as to the significance and impact of the work, and five copies of the paper. Nomination materials can be sent to either Thomas N. Taylor, Department of Botany, University of Kansas, Lawrence KS 66045, or Professor Hans Kerp, Abt. Paläobotanik - WWU, Hindenburgplatz 57-59, D-4814 3 Münster, Germany.

Lawrence Memorial Award

The award committee of the Lawrence Fund invites nominations for the 1998 Lawrence Memorial Award. Honoring the memory of Dr. George M. Lawrence, founding Director of the Hunt Institute for Botanical Documentation, the Award ($1,000) is given biennially to support travel for doctoral dissertation research in systematic botany or horticulture, or the history of the plant sciences, including literature and exploration.

Major professors are urged to nominate outstanding doctoral students who have achieved official candidacy for their degrees and will be conducting pertinent dissertation research that would benefit significantly from travel enabled by the Award. The Committee will not entertain direct applications. A student who wishes to be considered should arrange for nomination by his/her major professor; this may take the form of a letter which covers supporting materials prepared by the nominee.

Supporting materials should describe briefly but clearly the candidate's program of research and how it would be significantly enhanced by travel that the Award would support. Letters of nomination and supporting materials, including seconding letters, should be received by the Committee no later than 1 May 1998 and should be directed to: Dr. R. W. Kiger, Hunt Institute, Carnegie Mellon University, 5000 Forbes Avenue, Pittsburgh, PA 15213-3890 USA. Tel. 412-268-2434.

1998 Darbaker Prize in Phycology

The Botanical Society of America is accepting nominations for the Darbaker Prize in Phycology. This award is presented for meritorious work in the study of microscopical algae. The Darbaker Award Committee will base its judgment primarily on papers published by the nominee during the last two full calendar years (1996-1997). The award is limited to residents of North America and only papers published in the English language will be considered. A monetary prize is presented to the recipient at the BSA society banquet during the annual meeting.

Nominations for the 1998 award should include all reprints of the nominee's work that are to be considered for the 1996-97 period and a statement of the nominee's merits addressed to the committee. The materials must be received no later than April 1, 1998. Please send nomination materials to: Gary L. Floyd, Chair, Darbaker Committee, 936 Kendale Road South, Columbus, Ohio 43220; email - floyd.1@osu.edu

The 1998 Jesse M. Greenman Award

The Greenman Award, a certificate and a cash prize of $1,000, is presented each year by the Missouri Botanical Garden. It recognizes the paper judged best in vascular plant or bryophyte systematics based on a doctoral dissertation published during the previous year. Papers published during 1997 are now being accepted for the 30th annual award, which will be presented in the summer of 1998. Reprints of such papers should be sent to Dr. P. Mick Richardson, Greenman Award Committee, Missouri Botanical Garden, P. O. Box 299, St. Louis, Missouri 63166-0299, U.S.A. In order to be considered for the 1998 award, reprints must be received by 1 June 1998.

Calls for Applivations

The Furniss Foundation/American Orchid Society Graduate Fellowship

The American Orchid Society solicits applications from graduate students working towards their Ph.D. degree on orchid related dissertations for The Furniss Foundation/ American Orchid Society Graduate Fellowship ($9,000 per annum for up to three years). Interested candidates should submit an outline of their project, college transcript, a letter of recommendation from their chairperson, and a brief, one page statement of the value of their project and its impact on the future of orchidology. The deadline for submission is April 15, 1998. The successful candidate will be notified by June 15, 1998. Send applications to the American Orchid Society, attention Ms. Pam Giust, 6000 South Olive Avenue, West Palm Beach, FL 33405-4199 USA.

1999-2000 Fulbright Awards for U.S. Faculty and Professionals

Opportunities for lecturing or advanced research in over 125 countries are available to college and university faculty and professional outside academe. U.S. citizenship and the Ph.D. or comparable professional qualifications required. For lecturing awards, university or college teaching experience is expected. Foreign language skills are needed for some countries, but most lecturing assignments are in English.

The deadline for lecturing or research grants for 1999-2000 is August 1, 1998. Other deadlines are in place for special programs: distinguished Fulbright chairs in Western Europe and Canada (May 1) and Fulbright seminars for international education and academic administrators (November 1).

Contact the USIA Fulbright Senior Scholar Program, Council for International Exchange of Scholars, 3007 Tilden Street, NW, Suite 5M, Box GNEWS, Washington, DC 20008-3009. Telephone: (202) 686-7877. Web Page (on-line materials): http://www.cies.org/; e-mail: (apprequest@cies.iie.org) (requests for mailing of application materials only).

Katherine Esau Postdoctoral Fellowships
University of California, Davis

Applications and nominations are invited for Katherine Esau Postdoctoral Fellowships, which will be awarded to outstanding young scientists interested in developing careers in structural aspects of plant biology, including studies in which plant structure is integrated with function. Esau Fellowships will be awarded for a period of two years to enable successful candidates to work under the mentorship of a University of California, Davis, faculty member.

Applications/nominations should identify an appropriate faculty mentor(s) and include a curriculum vitae of the candidate, reprints of published works, and brief proposal of the research that would be carried out under this program. The names and addresses of three references are also required.

Requests for information regarding these fellowships should be addressed to Dr. William J. Lucas, Chair, Faculty Advisory Committee, Esau Fellowship Program, Section of Plant Biology, Division of Biological Sciences, University of California, Davis CA 95616. Fellowships will be awarded on a bi-annual basis. Deadlines for this on-going program are June 1 and December 1. The University of California is an equal opportunity employer.

Educational Opportunities

Systematics of Tropical Plant Families
May 17-22, 1998 Course I: Dicots
May 24-29, 1998 Course II: Cycads & Monocots

As part of the NSF Chautauqua Short Courses for college faculty, these workshops are designed to facilitate instructors in incorporating tropical plant materials in their courses. They will be conducted at Fairchild Tropical Garden and the Montgomery Foundation, Miami, Florida, where participants are encouraged to photograph and collect specimens. Short lectures will provide orientation to field and technical characters (particularly leaf architecture of dicots), systematic placement and subdivision, and uses of the major tropical families. Costs include travel, lodging, incidentals, a $125 lab fee, and a $40 application fee. Applications available from the Science Education Center, Univ. Texas (512) 471-7354; jamesb@mail.utexas.edu. For questions about content, contact the instructor.

Siskiyou Field Institute
10-17 June 1998

The Siskiyou Field Institute, a science-based environmental education program will begin June 10-17, 1998. The Institute will include a wide range of field courses, such as Geo-Botany, Conservation Biology, Biology of Fishes, Birds of the Siskiyous, Ethnobotany, Nature Writing, etc. Each course will be taught by a leader in their respective areas of study, and many of the courses can be taken for college credit through Southern Oregon University. For more information, contact Jennifer Beigel or Erik Jules at The Siskiyou Regional Education Project, P.O. Box 220, Cave Junction, OR 97523; phone: 541-592-4459; or email: Jen@siskiyou.org.

Recombinant DNA Lab Courses
7-19 June 1998

During the summer of 1998, Indiana University's Department of Biology, in cooperation with the I.U. Division of Continuing Studies, will offer two week-long laboratory courses focusing on the techniques and procedures used in recombinant DNA research and their application. Participants also have the opportunity to work with a DNA sample of their own research organism. Both courses will be taught on the Indiana University campus in Bloomington.

Recombinant DNA Technology - The first course, "Recombinant DNA Technology," will introduce participants to procedures involved in recombinant DNA work and to the molecular aspects of genetic engineering. Most of the procedures that are taught to biology graduate students in the recombinant DNA section of a graduate techniques course at Indiana University will be covered. Participants can make arrangements to isolate genomic DNA from their own research organisms during the course.

The following techniques will be included: DNA and cloning vector manipulation, PCR technology, preparation of recombinant DNA, transformation of bacterial cells, selection and assay of cloned and amplified fragments of "foreign" DNA, transfer of DNA for probing (Southern blot), preparation of nonradioactive DNA probes, and use of web sites in research and teaching. "Recombinant DNA Technology" is designed for those with a basic understanding of the structure of DNA and elemental genetics and with a minimal understanding of enzymes and biochemistry. The course is scheduled for June 7-12, 1998. Registration deadline is May 15.

Application of recombinant DNA Technology: RFLP and Fingerprinting Analysis, RAPD Analysis and DNA Sequencing - This course will provide participants with the opportunity to learn about the materials and techniques used in recombinant DNA research. Participants may bring a DNA sample to sequence during the course. This course will emphasize the following techniques: DNA sequencing using non-radioactive methods, RAPD analysis of genomic DNA, fingerprinting and RFLP analysis of genomic DNA, electroporation of bacterial cells, chemiluminescent detection of nucleic acids, application of computers to DNA sequencing data analysis, preparation of random fragment sequencing libraries and double-stranded DNA for sequencing, use of bioneb cell and bipolymer disruption systems, and use of web-based sites for molecular biology.

A basic understanding of the structure of DNA and elemental genetics is assumed for participants in this short course, as is a minimal understanding of enzymes and biochemistry. Previous experience with PCR or RFLP analysis and DNA sequencing is not a prerequisite, nor is completion of "Recombinant DNA Technology." This course is scheduled for June 14-19, 1998. Registration deadline is May 15.

The instructor for both courses is Dr. Stefan J. Surzycki, Associate Professor of Biology at Indiana University. The registration fee for each course is $1,125.00. The fee for those enrolling in both courses is $1,800,00. The fees include all instruction, laboratory supplies, use of equipment, and lab manuals. For additional information, contact Jane Clay, Bloomington Division of Continuing Studies, Indiana University, Owen Hall 204, Bloomington, IN 47405, phone (812) 855-6329, internet Jclay@indiana.edu, web http://www.indiana.edu/~scs/iub/DNA.html.

Positions Available

Plant Scientist
University of California, Riverside

Assistant level Cooperative Extension (CE)/Agricultural Experiment Station (AES) academic career-track appointment (11 months). The Department of Botany and Plant Sciences, University of California, Riverside, is recruiting for a position in the area of subtropical crops with emphasis in citrus and avocado.

Applicants are required to have a Ph.D. in a plant science related field and at least 1 year of postdoctoral experience. The position includes both CE and AES responsibilities, including educational efforts within the citrus and avocado industries, establishing communication channels for conveyance of results from basic and applied research programs to all facets of the subtropical fruit industries, and research on subtropical crops, emphasizing citrus and avocado, using tools of plant physiology, breeding and/or molecular genetics to enhance fruit quality and productivity. Experience with tree crops is preferred but is not essential. Opportunities also exist for supervising graduate students.

The College of Natural and Agricultural Sciences has a rich history and an active group of researchers in subtropical agriculture including faculty in the departments of Botany and Plant Sciences, Entomology, Plant Pathology, Nematology, and Soil and Environmental Sciences. UC Cooperative Extension has a national reputation for innovative and independent research and extension programs. Funding opportunities exist from State and Federal agencies, as well as the California Avocado and Citrus industries which currently provide more than 2 million dollars per year in grant support for basic and applied research projects.

Send letter of application, curriculum vitae, statement of research interests, transcripts, and arrange to have at least three confidential letters of reference sent to: Dr. Elizabeth M. Lord, Chair, Department of Botany and Plant Sciences, University of California, Riverside, CA 92521-0124, E-mail: (lord@ucrac1.ucr.edu), Fax: (909) 787-4437, Web Site: ( http://cnas.ucr.edu/~bps/homepage.htm) Deadline: Review of files will begin in April 1998, and will continue until the position is filled. Position Available: July 1, 1998.

The University of California, Riverside is an Affirmative Action/Equal Opportunity Employer

Biology
SUNY New Paltz

Biology, Assistant Professor: Teach scanning electron microscopy, plant physiology, and one semester of general biology. The successful candidate is expected to develop courses in his/her specialty and establish an independent research program. Requirements: Ph.D. with specialty in plant biotechnology. Send letter of application, curriculum vitae, representative publications, separate statements of research interests and teaching philosophy, and three letters of recommendation to: Biology Search, SUNY New Paltz, Affirmative Action Office, HAB 501, 75 S. Manheim Blvd. Suite 9, New Paltz, NY 12561. Review begins 3/15/98. AA/EOE/ADA employer.