General Elections
Candidates and Biographies
President Elect:
- Sarah A. Woodin
Current position: Carolina Distinguished Professor of Biology and Marine Science, University of South Carolina, Columbia
Education: B.A. cum laude, Goucher College, Towson, Maryland 1967; Ph.D., Department of Zoology, University of Washington, Seattle, Washington 1972
Professional experience: Assistant Professor, University of Maryland, College Park, Maryland (1972-1975); Assistant Professor, Johns Hopkins University (1975 1980); Research Associate Professor to Research Professor, University of South Carolina (1980-1987); Professor, Department of Biology and Marine Science Program, University of South Carolina (1987-present); Panel Member of NSF-European Union Taskforce on New Research Tools for a Life Sciences Decade (Rapporteur of Ecological Observatory Systems Report) (June 2001); Honorary Membership Committee of the Ecological Society of America (1998-2000); Editorial Board of Biological Bulletin (term 1995-1999); Chair of Benthic Meeting Organizing Committee (1974, 1976, 1996); Co-Chair Provost's Commission on Women at USC (1998-1999); panel member at NSF, primarily in Biological Oceanography; Chair Eminent Ecologist Award Committee of the Ecological Society of America (1989-1991); Sigma Xi Committee on Grants-in-Aid of Research (1981-1992); Editorial Board of Paleobiology (1984-1986); Editorial Board of Bioscience (1985-1990); Marine Editor for Ecology/Ecological Monographs (1978-1982); organizer of special symposia at meetings of ASLO and SICB
Honors: 1967 Phi Beta Kappa; 1967 cum laude, Goucher College; NDEA predoctoral fellowship; NSF predoctoral fellowship; 1972 Sigma Xi; 1977 Recognition Award for Young Scholars, American Association of University Women; 1981 Elected as a Fellow of the American Association for the Advancement of Science; 1998 Russell Research Award for Science, Mathematics, and Engineering, University of South Carolina; 1999 Awarded Carolina Professorship as Distinguished Professor of Biological Sciences and Marine Science
SICB past activities: Chair of the Division of Ecology and Evolution (1999-2001); Libbie Hyman Memorial Scholarship Committee (1995-1997); Editorial Board Member for DIZ of American Zoologist (1983-1987); participant and organizer of special symposia as well as contributed sessions
Other memberships: Ecological Society of America, American Society of Limnology and Oceanography, British Ecological Society, AIBS, American Society of Naturalists, Estuarine Research Federation, Society for the Study of Evolution
Research Interests: Community structuring processes in marine sedimentary systems, the dynamics of macrofauna particularly polychaete annelids, negative cues and control of recruitment into sedimentary systems, biogenic disturbance, alteration of the chemistry of sedimentary systems by release of haloaromatic compounds as well as by such infaunal activities as irrigation and defecation
Goals Statement: Intellectual barriers among the disciplines of biology are becoming more porous as increasingly breakthroughs are made at the interfaces of traditional boundaries. SICB is uniquely poised to be the forum for interdisciplinary synergism and in many cases has been already. From the first meetings that I attended in the late 1960's every meeting has had a wide representation of the diverse and fractious field of biology with symposia spanning the disciplines. These meetings reinforce my belief in the excitement and progress to be made from cross-fertilization across disciplines and provide me with insight into the progress being made in fields very distant from mine with an opportunity to discuss common interests with the participants. Most other meetings to which I go are either interdisciplinary but across physics, chemistry and ecology such as ASLO or are focused on one facet of biology such as ecology (ESA). As reflected in the new name of the Society, many of the Society's symposia focus on organism function and regulation which is what ties the Divisions and members of the Society together. To me these represent the strength and future growth of the Society. The new Evolutionary Developmental Biology Division illustrates one aspect of future growth. To remain vibrant and intellectually exciting the Society needs to strive for high quality discipline-centered contributions, interdisciplinary symposia in established interface areas, and symposia in potentially controversial new areas. Furthering such growth and prodding the members to organize symposia, particularly where SICB provides a forum for interface areas currently rootless such as EDBD a decade ago would be my primary goals. Specifically I would try to stimulate the following:
Increase our representation in vibrant research fields poorly represented at SICB in Divisions and recent symposia, for example phylogenetics and protenomics. Both of these fields are strongly tied to topics surrounding the anthropogenic degradation of the earth, an emerging aspect of many research initiatives and of enormous interest to the public at large and undergraduates. Symposia in these areas with a focus on ties to organism function and evolution would be very timely. The society-wide symposium being organized by R. Scott Winters for Toronto sounds like an example, "The Integration of Comparative Genomics and Ecological/Evolutionary Studies."
Funding for symposia remains problematic though less so with relaxation of the budgetary restrictions of the past. The Society should attempt to increase the funds available for symposium support while continuing to restrain costs to members, particularly students. A portion of this of course is trying to grow the membership which is how the Society continues to grow intellectually and financially.
The Society should reach out to members of other societies by periodically, perhaps every 4 to 5 years, meeting jointly with those societies or a subset of their divisions around a co-sponsored interdisciplinary theme.
Continue the Society's focus on quality of teaching and new teaching initiatives. The publications sponsored by the "Science as a Way of Knowing" grant led by John Moore were landmark achievements that we should consider revisiting or expanding upon in some form. A possible focus would be symposia on methods to evaluate teaching that eliminate biases of discipline, gender and sex.
- Peter Wainwright
Current position: Associate Professor of Evolution and Ecology, University of California, Davis
Education: BS Degree, Duke University, 1981; Ph.D. in Anatomy, University of Chicago, 1988
Professional experience: Postdoc with Al Bennett, University of California, Irvine (1988-1991); Faculty member, Florida State University (1991-1999); Associate Professor of Evolution and Ecology, University of California, Davis (1999-present)
Other memberships: Associate Editor for Evolution and American Naturalist; served on several National Science Foundation review panels
Research Interests: Research on the evolution and ecology of vertebrate functional morphology, especially feeding mechanisms in fishes.
Goals Statement: As President I would seek to represent society-wide issues within SICB. This would include advocating for the continued trademark integration of major disciplines represented in our society while maintaining depth in our traditional areas of focus. I favor the careful development of creative symposia, both because of the interest that they generate at the annual meetings and because the published products can play a valuable role in establishing the society as a vehicle for the development of integrative biology. I am also interested in continuing to develop programs and events within SICB that promote the early careers of graduate students and postdocs.
Program Officer Elect:
- Robert D. Stevenson
Current position: Associate Professor, Dept. of Biology, University of Massachusetts Boston
Education: B.S. Civil Engineering and B.S. Plan of Study: Systems Ecology, Tufts University, 1974; M.S. Wildlife Science, University of Washington, 1979; Ph.D. Biophysical Ecology, University of Washington, 1983
Professional experience: Humboldt Fellowship, Max-Planck-Institut für Verhaltensphysiologie, Andechs, W. Germany, sponsored by E. Gwinner, 1984-85; Humboldt Fellowship, Zoological Institut, J.W. Goethe University, Frankfurt/Main, W. Germany, sponsored by Prof. G. Fleissner, 1985; NSF Post-doctoral Fellowship: Dept. of Zoology, University of Cambridge, England, sponsored by C.P. Ellington; Dept. of Psychobiology, University of California, Irvine, sponsored by R.K. Josephson; Dept. of Entomology, Cook College, Rutgers University, sponsored by T.M. Casey, 1986-87; Research Associate, Dept. of Entomology, Rutgers University, 1988; Assistant Professor, Dept. of Biology, University of Massachusetts Boston, 1989 -1995, Board Member of the Massachusetts Environmental Educators Society, Associate Editor for the Massachusetts Society for Conservation Biology, Panel Member at NSF.
Honors: Cum laude, Civil Engineering & Magna cum laude, Plan of Study Major in Systems Ecology, Tufts University, 1974; Alexander von Humboldt Fellowship; 1984-85; NSF Environmental Biology Post-doctoral Fellowship; 1986-87
SICB activities: Member of the Education Committee (2001-2002), Chair of Contributed Sessions, Judge of student papers
Other memberships: Society for Experimental Biology; Society for Conservation Biology, AAAS, American Institute of Biological Sciences; Ecological Society of America
Research Interests: Comparative Physiology, Environmental Informatics, Biomechanics, Science Education, Conservation Biology, Evolution, Sustainability Science
Goals Statement: SICB has a strong history and international reputation for promoting comparative and interdisciplinary symposia. In addition, the society has focused on science education especially as exemplified in the Science As a Way of Knowing series led by John Moore that is widely cited in science education reform efforts. As Program Officer I would continue to promote these strengths. I think it is important to work with other societies, especially AIBS and AAAS, on educational efforts.
I believe SICB must embrace the exciting changes in biology and information technology. Biology is being transformed by rapid advances in its knowledge derived from new technologies and its increasing stature in the scientific and public policy worlds. With greater frequency, physicists, chemists and engineers tackle biological problems and derive inspiration for designing new materials and products based on biological systems. SICB will continue to play an important role in shaping the direction of these changes because its members appreciate both the diversity of living organisms and actively seek to elucidate unifying concepts of Biology, especially at the organismal and physiological levels.
I see new opportunities for the society to integrate across levels of biological organization in the areas of structural biology and morphology, biomaterials, locomotion, the physiological basis of behavior, scaling theory, rhythms, phylogenetics, evolutionary developmental biology, complexity theory, comparative genomics and protenomics and conservation biology. In recent years SICB has actively organized symposia that compare plants, animals and microbes. We need to continue these developments. Much of our biological knowledge comes from studies on model organisms. In SICB we an opportunity to take a leading role in synthesizing results from model organisms, emerging model organisms and non model organisms to will lead to new conceptual frameworks in Biology and broaden our understanding of evolution.
Information technologies are altering the way science is done. Advances in electronic publications, digital libraries, scientific databases, video conferencing, and educational products are may allow us to better serve the wider biological community with the domain knowledge that resides among our membership as well as impact our revenues. Therefore I think part of our annual meeting can be devoted to discussing these ideas and learning about the opportunities that exist to develop electronic communications. Such initiatives are difficult to start and are likely to depend on securing outside funding but they have the potential to strengthen SICB. Examples of directions SICB might take include 1. setting standards for scientific communication (how to find information about diverse biological solutions derived from comparative studies), 2. providing databases of scientific information (e.g. biological materials), 3. maintaining digital libraries of annotated video clips (e.g. locomotion), 4. organizing simulation standards for structure-functions models (e.g. modeling of heat transfer in biophysical ecology), and 5. developing citizen science models to engage the public and gather data (e.g. data on scaling for organisms).
- Catherine Loudon
Current Position: Associate Professor, Dept. of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, University of Kansas, Lawrence, KS.
Education: Sc.B. Honors in Biophysics, Brown University; Ph.D. in Zoology (minor: Mechanical Engineering), Duke University.
Professional Experience: Associate Professor, Dept. of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, University of Kansas, 2002- ; Assistant Professor, Dept. of Entomology and Dept. of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, University of Kansas 1996-2002; NSF Visiting Professor at Kansas State University 1993-1996; Postdoctoral work at U. of California/Berkeley 1990-1992; NSF Postdoctoral fellowship at Cornell University and Assistant Professor at Ithaca College 1988-1990; Postdoctoral work at the University of Minnesota 1986-1988.
SICB Activities: Member since 1981. Judged student papers and chaired paper sessions.
Other Memberships: AAAS; AChemS; AIBS; ASLO: Entomological Society of America; Sigma Xi.
Research Interests: Biomechanics and insect physiology. The current emphasis is on the physical interaction of sensory structures such as insect antennae with their environment and how this affects chemo- and mechanoreception and information transmission. Additional research is on sensing and mechanical stimulus transmission through particulate media (antlion larvae in sand) and at air-to-water interfaces (water striders).
Goals Statement: A varied, stimulating, and well-organized program is essential for the success of the annual meeting and the health of the society. I have appreciated the great pains taken by previous organizers to make the annual meetings so enjoyable, and would look forward to participating in the coordination of the SICB meetings as a program officer.
Member At Large Elect:
- Robert J. Full
Current Position: Professor, Department of Integrative Biology, University of California at Berkeley, Berkeley, California.
Education: Ph.D. State University of New York at Buffalo, 1984; M.A. State University of New York at Buffalo, 1982; B.A. State University of New York at Buffalo, 1979.
Professional Experience: Goldman Professor, University of California, Berkeley 1999 - 2001; Chancellor's Professor, University of California, Berkeley 1996 - 1999; Associate Professor, University of California, Berkeley 1991 - 1995; Assistant Professor, University of California, Berkeley 1986 - 1991; Post doctoral Lectureship, The University of Chicago, 1984 - 1986.
SICB Participation: Presenter at every Annual Meeting since 1979; Organized interdisciplinary symposia in each of the last years; Delivered opening lecture 2002; Initiated constitutional change allowing undergraduate presentations; Membership committee (1991-2, Chair, 1993); Electronic communications committee (Chair, 1994-1999); Program planning committee (1995 -1998); Nominating committee for society-wide offices (1998); Science Task Force Chair (1999)
Research Interests: Physiology and biomechanics of locomotion; musculoskeletal and neural control systems; energetics; biological inspiration toward the design of artificial muscles, tuned materials, robots and adhesives.
Statement of Goals: I would be glad to assist the Executive Committee in the governing of the SICB. We are entering an age of integration where we will see the true power and importance of an integrative and comparative approach to biological research. SICB represents this perspective better than any other professional society. I am committed to assisting the society in promoting this important viewpoint and extending this vision beyond biology. Specifically, I hope to assist in the implementation of more of the suggestions from our Science Task Force Report (www.sicb.org/public/1230feder_task.html).
- Greg Wray
Current position: Associate Professor of Biology, Duke University
Education: BS Degree, College of William and Mary, 1981; Ph.D. in Biology, Duke University, 1987
Professional experience: Postdoc with Rudy Raff, Indiana University (1987-1991); Postdoc with Richard Strathmann, Friday Harbor Labs, University of Washington (1991-1993); Assistant and Associate Professor, State University of New York at Stony Brook(1994-1999); Associate Professor of Biology, Duke University (1999-present); visiting faculty, Friday Harbor Laboratories, University of Washington (1992, 1994, 1996) and the Marine Biological Laboratory, Woods Hole (1998-present)
Other memberships: Co-founding Editor for Evolution & Development; Associate Editor for American Naturalist; formerly on the editorial boards of American Zoologist, Quarterly Review of Biology, Journal of Experimental Zoology, and Development, Genes and Evolution; served on several National Science Foundation and National Aeronautics and Space Administration review panels and working groups
Research Interests: The evolution of development in animals. Current projects include the evolution of regulatory gene networks in primates and sea urchins, the developmental basis for polyphenism in ants, the evolution of complex life cycles in metazoans, and the developmental basis for evolutionary changes in body symmetry in echinoderms.
Goals Statement: As Member-At-Large I would work to build on what I see as the most important strengths of the SICB. Chief among these are the Society's unique and distinguished history of promoting an integrative approach to the biological sciences and the annual meeting that has played such an important role in the careers of many young scientists.
Treasurer Elect:
- Ronald V. Dimock, Jr. (incumbent)
Current Position: Wake Forest Professor of Biology, Department of Biology, Wake Forest University, Winston-Salem, NC.
Education: B.A., (cum laude) University of New Hampshire, M.S., Florida State University, PhD, University of California, Santa Barbara.
Professional Experience: Chair, Department of Biology, Wake Forest University 1984-1990; Assistant Professor to Professor 1970-83, named Wake Forest Professor of Biology 2002 - ; Visiting Professor (summers, Marine Invertebrate Zoology), Duke University Marine Laboratory 15 years, 1974-present; Visiting Scientist, MBL, Woods Hole, 1971; Visiting Scientist (NSF - International Cooperative Science Program) University of Amsterdam, 1983; Visiting Professor, University of Sydney, Australia, 1998.
SICB Activities: Member since 1967. Currently Treasurer 2000-2003; Nominee, Chair, Div. Ecology, 1982; Nominee, Chair, Div. Invert. Zool., 1987; Nominee, Member-at-Large, Executive Committee, 1994; Chair, numerous paper sessions.
Other Memberships: President, American Microscopical Society, 1993; President, NC Academy of Science, 1985-86; Treasurer, NC Academy of Science 1987-90; American Malacological Society; North American Benthological Society; Association of Southeastern Biologists; Sigma Xi.
Research Interests: Physiological ecology, functional morphology and development of aquatic invertebrates. Current work focuses on early life history stages of the freshwater mussel family Unionidae, the largest taxon of endangered or threatened animal species in North America. We employ video endoscopy, fluorescence/SEM and physiological techniques to basic questions concerning this poorly studied taxon.
Goals Statement: Having been a member of ASZ/SICB since I was a beginning graduate student, I understand and appreciate the role and importance of graduate students and post-docs as the life-blood of the Society's future. The very encouraging level of participation by these groups in recent annual meetings underscores the obligation of SICB to ensure that it remains one of the most comprehensive and truly integrative professional societies, serving its membership well. The very favorable financial resources of SICB should be managed to facilitate on-going and innovative initiatives to insure the broadest participation of young biologists in the Society, while maintaining an effective forum for seasoned scientists. I look forward to helping sustain that effort.
Secretary Elect:
- Lou Burnett
Current Position: Professor of Biology, Director of the Grice Marine Laboratory, College of Charleston, South Carolina
Education: B.S., College of William and Mary (1973); Ph.D. University of South Carolina (1977)
Professional Experience: Postdoctoral Fellow: 1978, University of Aarhus, Denmark; Assistant through Full Professor, University of San Diego, 1978-1991; Dept. Chair, University of San Diego, 1988-1991; Professor and Dept. Chair, College of Charleston, 1991-1996; Director, Grice Marine Laboratory, 1991-present.
SICB Activities: Member for over 25 years; Program Officer, Division of Comparative Physiology and Biochemistry (1989-1990); Chair, Division of Comparative Physiology and Biochemistry (1993-1995); associate editor of American Zoologist (1998-1999); currently a member of the National Organizing Committee for the congress of the International Union of Physiological Sciences in 2005 in San Diego, California; currently the International Union of Physiological Sciences (IUPS) representative for SICB; currently the International Union of Biological Sciences (IUBS), Section of Comparative Physiology and Biochemistry, representative for the Division of Comparative Physiology and Biochemistry of SICB; co-organized a number of different symposia for SICB
Other Memberships: American Physiological Society; Council on Undergraduate Research; Estuarine Research Federation; National Shellfisheries Association; Sigma Xi; Southeastern Estuarine Research Society
Research Interests: The environmental physiology of animals; the influence of environmental variables on the physiology and biochemistry of animals; the evolution of the transition from water breathing to air breathing in animals; the effects of environmental variables, especially hypoxia, hypercapnia, and temperature on disease resistance in animals.
Statement of Goals: The highly integrative nature of this society played a significant role in how I viewed the world as a scientist when I first joined SICB as a graduate student in the 1970's. It is what keeps me and my students coming back to meetings year after year. I continue to enjoy serving SICB in various capacities and I believe that my experiences within the structure of SICB place me in a good position to contribute to the society’s Executive Committee.
- Jon F. Harrison
Current Position: Professor, Dept. of Biology, Arizona State University, Tempe, AZ.
Education: Ph.D. Univ. of Colorado, Boulder, 1987 (Todd T. Gleeson, thesis advisor); Killam and NSF NATO postdoctoral fellowship, 1987-1990, at Univ. of British Columbia (John E. Phillips, postdoctoral advisor).
Professional Experience: 1991-present: Assistant Professor - Professor, Arizona State University; 1999-present: Editorial Board, Physiological and Biochemical Zoology; 2000: NSF Panel member, Ecological and Evolutionary Physiology; 2000: Scholander Award Competition Judge, Division of Comparative Physiology, American Physiological Society; 2000: Organizer: 21st International Entomological Congress Symposium on "Spiracular mechanisms: ultrastructure and physiology"
SICB-Related Activities: 2000-2003: Program Officer, Division of Comparative Physiology and Biochemistry; 2000 - 2002: Best Student Paper Judge, Division of Comparative Physiology and Biochemistry; 2003: Co-Organizer (with Robert Sterner): SICB Cross-Society Symposium on: "Integrated Research Challenges: Biological Stoichiometry from Genes to Ecosystems:" for Toronto, 2003 meeting; 1996: Co-Organizer (with John E. Phillips): SICB Symposium on "Responses of terrestrial invertebrates to variation in temperature and water availability: molecular, organismal, and evolutionary approaches" for Albuquerque, 1996 meeting; 1992: Co-Organizer (with John E. Phillips): ASZ Symposium on "Insect Acid-Base Regulation" for Vancouver, 1992 meeting; 1990-91: Nominating Committee, Division of Comparative Physiology and Biochemistry, American Society of Zoologists. Best Student Paper Award, DCPB, 1986; Member since 1982.
Honors: Twice nominated for Outstanding Teacher Award, College of Liberal Arts and Sciences, Arizona State University, 1997-2002; Twice nominated for Outstanding Advising Award, College of Liberal Arts and Sciences, Arizona State University, 1997-1998; Scholander Award (American Physiological Society), 1990.
Other memberships: American Physiological Society, Entomological Society of America, International Union for the Study of Social Insects, Organization for Tropical Biology
Research interests: In general, I am interested in evolutionary and ecological aspects of animal physiology. Current funded projects are focused on: How does body size affect the function of insect respiratory systems? What physiological and behavioral mechanisms are responsible for the ecological success of invasive African honey bees? Is phosphorus an ecologically-relevant limiting nutrient for insect herbivores?
Goals statement: I look forward to assisting the Executive Committee in running the society, and the Program Officers in running the meetings. I feel that this is an exciting time for integrative biology, and that SICB is well-placed to grow and serve an increasingly important leadership function at the national and international level.