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Society News
- SICB moving headquarters
- Online Membership Directory
- Program Innovations Welcome
- Your Input is Required!
- A Message from SICB's new Web Master
- American Zoologist
- More New Members Needed!!!
- Dues Renewal Reminder
- Future SICB Annual Meeting Dates
- Fund Contributions
- SICB Discounted Journal Information
- In Memoriam
- General Announcements
Important Announcement - SICB Moving Headquarters
Effective April 1, 2000, the Society for Integrative and Comparative Biology moved its headquarters from Chicago to McLean, Virginia.
Effective April 1, 2000
New mailing address: Society for Integrative and Comparative Biology
1313 Dolley Madison Blvd. # 402
McLean, VA 22101-3926
Unchanged toll-free phone: 800/955-1236
New phone: 703/790-1745
New fax: 703/790-2672
New e-mail: SICB@BurkInc.com
Unchanged Web site: http://www.sicb.org
New management: Burk and Associates, Incorporated
New Executive Director: Mr. Brett Burk
Direct inquiries to: Mr. Micah Sauntry
To facilitate this transition, please make certain your membership information is correct by pointing to: http://216.71.123.10/memberinfo.htm. Here you can verify or modify your address, phone, etc. online.
Please also indicate the time of year you prefer for the annual meeting by completing the online survey at: http://216.71.123.10/survey.htm.
Online Membership Directory
Now you can change your membership information online
Our new Web master, Ruedi Birenheide, has now implemented an online member directory that you can use to look up the name, address, phone numbers, e-mail address and home page of any SICB member. Simply point your Web browser to: http://216.71.123.10/memberinfo.htm.
If your membership information has changed or you would like to enter your home page URL, simply follow the instructions on this page. It's quick, easy and simple.
Program Innovations Welcome
The SICB Executive Committee has approved a $25,000 Program Innovation Fund for the Chicago meeting. This fund is intended to support new ideas that will bring more people to our annual meeting, both in Chicago and in subsequent locations. So, if you have a good idea, now is the time to bring it forward. These ideas need not be for symposia, although they could be. Proposals could be for invited speakers, social events, prizes, workshops, educational programs, Web sites, etc. Proposals could be to send you or another SICB delegate to the meetings of another group, with an eye towards recruiting others to SICB. You could even propose a scheme in which you get support to learn a new technique/approach and then report this back to your division or interest group. Or, it could be anything else that will immediately or ultimately draw people to the annual meeting. Get your ideas or proposals to Program Officer John Pearse (pearse@darwin.ucsc.edu; 831/426-0542) or Program Advisory Committee Chair Bob Dores (rdores@du.edu; 303/871-3596).
Your Input is Required!
Are you sick of January meetings? Want to meet between Christmas and New Year's? Hate e-mail from SICB?
SICB sure has changed, in many different ways: the name itself, the time of the meetings, the format and size of the meetings, the advent of electronic communications and so on. Even those aspects that haven't changed (e.g., the name of the journal, American Zoologist), are being reviewed. Although your officers try to implement only change for the better, it's often difficult for the officers to know if they're on the right track or if they're doing things against your preference. Here's your chance to tell them. Get yourself to a computer (if you don't have access to one, prevail on someone to get you temporary access), and point your Web browser to: http://www.sicb.org/survey.htm.
There you will have an opportunity to register your opinion on a range of issues, including the timing of the annual meeting, the "electronification" of SICB and American Zoologist. Only one entry per person please!
As of this writing, more than 400 members have responded to this survey. Their responses can be viewed at http://www.sicb.org/surveychart.php3 , a web page that automatically updates itself as more members respond. Your responses to date reveal some interesting things: An overwhelming majority of members prefer the present size and scope of the meeting, while previously the Executive Committee was proceeding on the premise that the meeting should be expanded in size and scope. Almost as many members could attend an annual meeting in late July or early August as at the present meeting time. Most (but not all) members value a later abstract deadline for the annual meeting more than do having a paper program in advance of the meeting. Few members strenuously object to the increasing electronification of SICB communications [but then again this is an on-line survey, so if you DO object, please prevail upon a 'wired' colleague to indicate this by completing only the first question in the survey for you]. Please do respond to the survey if you haven't already, as the results help the Executive Committee understand what the members want.
A Message from SICB's New Web Master
Ruediger Birenheide (ruedi@birenheide.com)
I would like to introduce myself to you as the new Web master of SICB. I am of German origin and have been a member of SICB since 1995. After finishing my doctorate in Germany in 1990, I went to Japan to work at Tokyo Institute of Technology, where I stayed for nearly nine years as a postdoc, visiting scientist and research associate. My field is comparative morphology, physiology and biomechanics of invertebrates, especially echinoderms. In recent years I became interested in aquaculture of these animals, which is a quite new field. I moved to Vancouver Island, Canada, last year and started working as an independent consultant for aquaculture of new species and for the design and maintenance of science-related Web sites.
Why Web sites? Well, I have been interested in computers pretty much since they became affordable in the '80s. Back then I started with a Commodore 64, with a whopping 64 KB memory! I learned all about that computer, read its machine language routines and programmed it in assembler, something I would not dare to do with present day machines. Later during my career I worked with various types of computers and got on the Internet bandwagon by promoting and facilitating the connection of our lab in Tokyo to the campus network. During that time I learned a lot about Internet protocols and the secrets behind them. Two years ago I started with a Linux system on my own PC (besides working with Mac OS, DOS and Windows at work) and found out quickly that it comes with a Web server set up and ready to use. This sparked my interest in doing more than just simple and static Web pages and I studied how to program dynamic Web pages assembled on the fly from information out of a database. I first tried my hands at a literature database, which ran astonishingly fast.
Last year I became a member of the Electronic Communications Committee of SICB. In that committee, three of us (Alistair Cullum, Wes Grueber and myself) decided that we wanted to do something new for SICB's Web presence and set up an experimental Web site for the Atlanta meeting. After my experience with databases, I felt confident enough to write the programs that are at the heart of the search engine and the personal schedule function. I think it worked quite well and hope it was helpful for the members in preparing for the meeting. I am sure there are still things we could improve. If you have used the meeting Web pages but not yet have participated in our survey, please do so at: http://daphne.bio.uci.edu/survey.php3.
In the coming weeks and months, I will gradually rebuild and rewrite the entire SICB Web site. I hope to do so without any interruptions of service. However, glitches might happen, and I ask for your understanding if you should encounter any problems. You will also notice changes in the design of the pages because I will try to make the site easier to navigate and give it a more modern look. We are planning to introduce several new features during the next year, which aim to facilitate communication among the members as well as between the members and the public. Please watch your mailbox for announcements.
Last, but not least, I would like to invite you to participate in the creation of the Web site by sending me questions, ideas, criticism, reports about problems, URLs you would like to see linked from the Web site, etc. Please feel free to drop me an e-mail anytime. Looking forward to working with you!
Behind the Scenes
An organization like SICB requires many people working behind the scenes to produce the meetings, journal and other functions of the society. One such person is Rod Lawrenz, the advertising manager for American Zoologist. Rod's job is to arrange for the ads that appear in AZ, and revenue from these ads defray the cost of the meetings, journal and membership dues. Rod writes: "The year 2000 is not only the beginning of a new millennium, but is also the dawning of a new era for advertising sales within American Zoologist. Prior to this year, the total advertising sales volume never exceeded $10,000. However, after less than two months into the new year, the total advertising sales revenue for 2000 is already at $10,905. Based upon a solid performance so far, I anticipate a year of continued growth. As your new advertising sales manager, I will work diligently to ensure that the American Zoologist continues to gain credibility within the advertising community and become a legitimate contender in the marketplace. It is my pleasure to represent SICB."
If you are ever in a position to impact print advertising, please consider American Zoologist and/or ask others to do so. Rod can be reached at: 800/627-0932, ext. 267, or rlawrenz@allenpress.com.
More New Members Needed!!!
SICB will be decreasing its dues, abolishing abstract fees, expanding aid to student members and increasing direct support of symposia. SICB has already decreased meeting registration fees for many members. These changes can only be sustained if our membership increases. Please take a moment to recruit a new "full" member (i.e., someone with a Ph.D. and a regular academic position). This could be someone who dropped out during the financial crisis of the early 1990s, someone now appropriate because of our new Evo Devo Division or just any old target of opportunity down the hall. SICB continues to offer a $35 reward for each new member recruited. The membership application is available on the Web page (www.sicb.org) or from the Business Office (800/955-1236).
Dues Renewal Reminder
It's not too late to renew!
Please visit the SICB Web site to renew your 2000 membership. The membership application can be found at https://secure.aibs.org/sicbmembers or contact the Business Office if you have any questions.
Future SICB Annual Meeting Dates
January 3-7, 2001
Chicago Hilton & Towers
Chicago, Illinois
January 6-10, 2002
Anaheim Marriott
Anaheim, California
JOURNAL 2000 SUBSCRIPTION PRICE CONTACT Brain, Behavior & Evolution $390.00 for faculty
$223.50 for students, post-doctorals, non-facultyS. Karger AG Basel
Journals Dist.
P.O. Box
CH-4009 Basel
SWITZERLAND
E-mail:karger@karger.chComparative Biochemistry & Physiology Part A: $118.00
Part B: $118.00
Part C: $93.00
All parts: $248.00Joan Saccente
Elsevier Science
Tel: 212/633-3753
E-mail: jsaccente@elsevier.comEvolution and Development $52.00 US
$62.00 Canada and Mexico
$72.00 InternationalJason Miller
Tel: 781/388-8250 X314
E-mail: jmill@blacksci.comGeneral and Comparative Endocrinology $101.00 if institution is a subscriber
$179.00 if institution is not a subscriberStephanie Smith-Burton
Tel: 619/699-6496
Fax: 619/699-6877
E-mail: ssmith-burton@acad.comJournal of Morphology $195.00 for members residing in North America
(Canadian customers add 7% goods and service tax)
$267.00 for members residing outside of North AmericaMs. Miriam Pedone
John Wiley & Sons
Tel: 212/850-8780
Fax: 212/850-6021
E-mail: mpedone@wiley.comMolecular and Development and Evolution $58.00 for members in North America
$60.00 for members outside North AmericaRebecca Morton
Tel: 212/850-6645
Fax: 212/850-6021
E-mail: rmorton@wiley.comPhysiological Zoology $55.00 for members residing in US
$69.85 for Canadian members
$66.00 for members residing outside of the US and CanadaUniv. of Chicago Press
Tel: 773/753-3347
Fax: 773/753-0811
E-mail: subscriptions@journals.uchicago.edu
In Memoriam
IN MEMORY OF GARY POLIS
Our colleague Gary Polis died on March 27, 2000, when his research boat capsized during sudden high winds in the Gulf of California. Michael Rose, a research associate of Gary's at the University of California, Davis, and three Japanese colleagues, Takuya Abe, Masahiko Higushi, and Shigeru Nakano, from Kyoto University also were lost in that tragic accident. Gary was Professor in and Chair of the Department of Environmental Science and Policy at Davis, and the President of the American Society of Naturalists. He was until recently a member of SICB, and had been an active participant in the Program Advisory Committee.
Gary called himself a desert ecologist; he worked primarily on remote arid islands, as well as on mainland desert systems. His research transcended geographic spheres, however, to make significant contributions to ecological theory, including ecosystems interactions. His organisms of study were scorpions, and Gary was acknowledged to be one of, if not THE, world s expert(s) on all aspects of their biology. He included the myths and lore that surround them in his grasp of their significance. His research legacy is a superb body of published work on scorpions and on desert biology, and the regard of colleagues and students for his work.
Gary Polis was an outstanding teacher whose enthusiasm for biology was boundless. He was outgoing and interactive, and a hard-working and reliable contributor to a myriad of actions that he believed in, ranging from students and research through the promotion of biology by working for professional societies and university, national, and international committees.
Our community has lost a spark plug, a leader and worker in so many areas. His loss will be felt every time one seeks an expert ecologist or scorpion-ologist or a dedicated committee member. Gary is survived by his wife, Sharon, and their two young children, Evan and Maia, in Davis, and his parents and five siblings in San Diego, California.
The family of Gary Polis requests that any memorial donations be made to an educational trust fund for the Polis children. Memorial contributions may be made to the Gary Polis Memorial Fund, First Northern Bank, 434 Second St., Davis, CA, 95616. The fund will be used for Evan and Maia's college educations.
We are saddened to learn of the deaths of three SICB members:
Clement L. Markert
Howard G. Sengbusch (DSEB)
Austin Williams (DIZ, DSEB)
General Announcements
The XVIIIth (New) International Congress of Zoology
Athens, August 28 - September 2, 2000
After an interruption of several decades, a new world-gathering of zoologists will be held in Athens on the invitation of the Hellenic Society of Zoology. Several other national societies and international bodies are among the sponsors.
Plenary lectures and a series of 20 invited symposia will present the state of art in the different sub-disciplines. They will be accompanied by related uninvited posters and the proceedings will be open to a recorded discussion from the floor.
Three discussion evenings will deal with stringent issues of general interest: zoological education; collections and data bases; and the crisis of taxonomists. As in the past, the International Commission on Zoological Nomenclature (ICZN) will convene during the Congress and organize a general discussion. The general assembly will draw up a Congress document, discuss the frameworks for the future and choose the venue of the next Congress.
Please visit our Web site: http://lionfish.ims.usm.edu/~musweb/icz_xviii/icz_home.html
For further direct information, please contact Dr. Rosa M. Polymeni, Congress Secretariat at rpolyme@biology.db.uoa.gr; tel/fax: +301 7274249.
We are expecting important participation from SICB colleagues!