Division of Comparative Physiology & Biochemistry (DCPB): 2003 Fall Newsletter
In this newsletter:
Message
from the Chair
Nora B. Terwilliger
Congratulations
to Dr. Jason Podrabsky, the 11th Bartholomew Award winner!
Jason obtained his BS degree from Oregon State University, where he
joined George Somero's lab as an undergraduate research assistant.
As a doctoral student with Steve Hand at University of Colorado, he
began his field studies and research on gene expression on
Austrofundulus limnaeus, a killifish from Venezuela. He
returned to the Somero lab at Hopkins Marine Station as a
post-doctoral fellow and moved into the realm of DNA microarray
technology. Jason is currently a new assistant professor at Portland
State University, Oregon (and a new father). He is continuing his
outstanding work on alterations in gene expression during ontogeny of
this annual fish, including the effects of diurnal and seasonal
changes in temperature experienced by the animal. You'll get to
hear all about his research when you come to New Orleans for the SICB
2004 annual meeting and attend the Bartholomew Award lecture.
The
SICB 2004 meeting promises to be a stimulating week of science with
excellent symposia, posters, and contributed papers, as well as the
festivities for which New Orleans is famous. DCPB members will want
to be sure to put Tuesday's society-wide symposium honoring George
Bartholomew on their meeting calendar. It features lectures by our
outstanding group of past Bartholomew Awardees as well as Bart
himself. Tuesday evening will feature the Bartholomew Award lecture
by Jason Podrabsky, with a reception and DCPB Social immediately
following the lecture. Two other symposia with special DCPB focus
include Ontogeny of Physiological Regulatory Mechanisms: Fitting into
the Environment as well as Selection Experiments as a Tool in
Evolutionary and Comparative Physiology: Insights into Complex
Traits. The fun doesn't stop there however; since the research
interests of most members of our division are integrative and
comparative, we'll be challenged with many intriguing choices
during the entire meeting. This diversity of topics is one of the
strengths of the SICB meeting, of course, which distinguishes it from
some of the more specialized meetings we each attend. For more
information on the program, see the comments of our DCPB Program
Officer, Michael Dickinson. He and the other Program Officers have
done a superb job in weaving together the program for this Louisiana
meeting.
We
encourage all members, including students and post-docs, to attend
our DCPB Business Meeting, which will be held on Tuesday, January 7,
2003. Mary Chamberlin, our Secretary, spearheaded a committee that
revised the DCPB Bylaws. Please review her portion of this
newsletter, including the recommended revisions, so that you can vote
knowledgably on the Bylaws at our Business Meeting. At the meeting
you will also get a good preview of coming attractions in the area of
comparative physiology and biochemistry.
Congratulations
to Paul Yancey, who has been elected Secretary of DCPB. He will be
assuming his new role at the New Orleans meeting.
Let
the good times roll...
Message
from the Program Officer
Michael Dickinson
Over
1100 Abstracts were submitted to SICB this year, a sizable increase
over 2002. In reading through physiology and biochemistry entries at
the recent program officer's meeting, I was impressed by the
diversity of both topics and taxa. Comparative Physiology is alive
and well!
This
year's meeting in New Orleans is chock-o-block with events and
symposia of interest to DCPB members. Tuesday is a big day. The
symposium to honor George Bartholomew will run from 8:00am to 3:30pm.
Special thanks to Ray Huey and Gretchen Hofmann for organizing this
chance to pay tribute to a seminal figure in comparative physiology.
In case you were thinking of slipping down to Bourbon street for a
Hurricane from 5:30 to 6:30 (after the poster sessions ends), please
save that time for the Divisional Business Meeting. The Bartholomew
Award Lecture will start at 6:30, followed by a reception at 7:30.
A
DCPB-sponsored symposium entitled, 'Selection
experiments as a tool in evolutionary and comparative physiology:
Insights into complex traits' will start on Wednesday morning.
John Swallow and Ted Garland have organized an intriguing and
comprehensive collection of talks, which includes research on over a
dozen different model systems. A SICB-wide symposium entitled, 'In
vino veritas: The comparative biology of ethanol consumption'
will also start Wednesday morning. Talks in this collection will link
the peculiar ethanol-tolerant physiology of fruit flies, fruit bats,
and primates. Another DCPB-sponsored symposium entitled, 'Ontogeny
of physiological regulatory mechanisms: fitting into the
environment', will run on Thursday afternoon. This
interdisciplinary collection of talks was organized by Carl Reiber.
Contributed
oral presentations related to DCPB will run Wednesday through Friday.
Given the expected interested in the Bartholomew Symposium, the
program officers managed to keep Tuesday free. Relevant posters will
be distributed throughout the meeting.
Now
the all important Program Officer's culinary tips:
Best
Muffuletta Sandwich: Napolean House
Best
Beignet: Cafe du Monde
Best
(relatively cheap) Cajun: Gumbo Shop
Best
(expensive) Cajun: Bon Ton Cafe
Best
Oyster: Acme Oyster House (it is worth the wait)
Best
Bar: Molly's at the Market (try to act like a local)
Laissez
les bons temps roulez!
P.S.
It is never too soon to start planning for the 2006 meeting. Please
email me (flyman@caltech.edu)
to discuss your ideas.
Message
from the Secretary
Mary E. Chamberlin
Below you will find the revised DCPB Bylaws. Many thanks to the members of an ad hoc Bylaws committee (Nora Terwilliger, Donna Wolcott, Lou Burnett, Steve Hand, Michael Dickinson, Jennifer Head) for their input on this matter. The Bylaws that are currently on the web (http://sicb.org/handbook/bylaws.php3#dcpbbylaws) are incorrect in that they are missing a section on the Best Student Paper Award, which had been approved by the members of DCPB in the 1990's. Fortunately, Lou Burnett had a copy of the original wording:
"Article XII. Awards
A. Monetary first-, second-, and third-place awards and other recognition may be given to graduate student members of the Society for Integrative and Comparative Biology for superior papers and for superior poster presentations at annual scientific meetings of the Division. The research must be original and conducted exclusively by the student. Ordinarily the paper should be single-authored, but joint authorship with the adviser will be allowed if a letter from the adviser certifies that the student worked independently. Postdoctoral fellows may participate in the competition when they present results of studies used in the preparation of the dissertation. In case of a tie, duplicate awards may be given. The Chairperson of the Division shall appoint annually a sufficient number of divisional members to serve as judges. A minimum of two judges will evaluate each paper or presentation. The formal title for these awards is: "DCPB Best Student Paper Award, named in honor of distinguished comparative physiologists and biochemists." Immediately following this title will be a list of the names (plus year dates of birth and death) of those (deceased) distinguished persons who have been members of the Division or otherwise significantly involved with it who have been formally designated by the Divisional Executive as worthy of inclusion. The Division will recognize each year's winners by award to them of cash prizes and certificates signed by all current Divisional officers. These certificates will be presented to them at the next subsequent Divisional business meeting."
We have modified this description and included it in the revised Bylaws. Another major change to the Bylaws is a new Article X regarding the Graduate Student Representative. Other revisions are minor amendments and corrections. All proposed deletions are crossed out and all proposed additions appear in bold italics. Amendments to the Bylaws will be voted on at the DCBP Business Meeting (Tuesday, January 7, 2003). Please read these revised bylaws and come to the divisional Business Meeting to participate in the discussion and cast your vote!
SOCIETY
FOR INTEGRATIVE AND COMPARATIVE BIOLOGY
DIVISION OF COMPARATIVE
PHYSIOLOGY & BIOCHEMISTRY BYLAWS
(As
amended December 1983; December 28, 1986; December 1988; September
1990; December 1993; March 1995; December 1995; January
2002)
Article
I. Organization
The
name of this division shall be the Division of Comparative Physiology
and Biochemistry of the Society for Integrative and Comparative
Biology. It shall be governed in accordance with the Constitution and
Bylaws of the Society.
Article
II. Membership
Any
member of the Society for Integrative and Comparative Biology may
register with the Executive Director of the Society as a member of
the Division of Comparative Physiology and Biochemistry, and may
withdraw from the roll of the Division at any time on notice to the
Executive Director.
Article
III. Purpose
The
purpose of the Division shall be to facilitate communication among
comparative physiologists and biochemists.
Article
IV. Officers
Officers
of the Division shall be a Chair, a Chair-Elect, a Past Chair, a
Program Officer and a Secretary. They shall be elected by a majority
vote of the members conducted by a mail ballot prior to the annual
meeting by a procedure consonant with the Bylaws of the Society for
Integrative and Comparative Biology. In the case when a divisional
office is unexpectedly vacated, the current Nominating Committee will
recommend to the Chair an interim officer who will be appointed to
serve the remainder of the term. The Officers plus
the graduate student representative shall constitute
an Executive Committee responsible for divisional affairs. The
business year of the Division shall run January 1 through December
31.
Article
V. Chair
The
Chair shall preside at business meetings of the Division, and shall
represent the Division on the Executive Committee of the Society.
Each year the Chair shall appoint a Nominating Committee of three
divisional members and such other committees or representatives to
committees as may be desirable to promote affairs of the Division in
the Society. All proposals submitted on behalf of the Division to
granting agencies shall be signed by the Chair or be delegated by the
Chair for approval by the Chair-elect. The Chair shall serve a term
of two years and shall not be eligible for reelection within three
years.
Article
VI. Chair-Elect
The
Chair-Elect shall assume the duties of the Chair whenever that person
is unable to act, and shall succeed the Chair. Election shall be for
a term of one year, beginning with the second year of the Chair term.
Article
VII. Past Chair
The
Past Chair shall assist the Chair and other members of the divisional
Executive Committee in handling divisional affairs. The Past Chair
assumes this position upon completion of a term as chair and shall
serve for two years. The Past Chair shall serve as a member of the
Nominating Committee.
Article
VIII. Program Officer
The
Program Officer shall arrange programs for meetings of the Division,
which shall include coordination of joint or special programs with
the Program Officer of the Society for Integrative and Comparative
Biology and with the program officers or secretaries of other
divisions or societies when desirable. Election shall be for a term
of two years. The Program Officer shall not be eligible for
reelection within two years.
Article
IX. Secretary
The
Secretary shall keep divisional records,
coordinate the production of the biannual Divisional newsletter,
and conduct business affairs in consultation with the Executive
Director, the Society for Integrative and Comparative Biology. The
term of elective office shall be two years and alternate with the
term of the Program Officer. The Secretary shall not be eligible for
reelection within two years.
Article
X. Graduate Student Representative
The
Division Chair shall appoint a Graduate Student Representative for a
term concurrent with the Division Chair. The Graduate Student
Representative will contribute to the biannual Divisional newsletter
and represent DCPB at the graduate student/postdoc lunch at the
annual Society meeting. The Graduate Student Representative will
serve on the Divisional Executive Committee as a non-voting member.
Article
XI. Finances
Necessary
expenditures of the Division shall be paid from the treasury of the
Society within the limits set by the Executive Committee of the
Society in the annual budget. The Chair shall authorize all
disbursements, and coordinate financial procedures with the Executive
Officer of the Society.
Article
XII. Meetings
A
business meeting of the Division shall be held annually, normally
concurrent with meetings of the Society for Integrative and
Comparative Biology. Notice of this and other meetings shall be sent
at least sixty (60) days in advance to all members of the Division.
Article
XIII. Awards
A.
Best Student Paper Awards
Two
awards will be given in the Best Student Paper competition at the
Annual Meeting, one for the best oral presentation and one for the
best poster presentation. Each year the award will be titled in honor
of a distinguished comparative physiologist or biochemist. The name of the honored person will be
selected by the DCPB Executive Committee. Each award will include a
certificate and monetary prize. Undergraduate students and graduate
students who have not yet been awarded the PhD are eligible for the
award, as are new PhD's who have received the degree no more than
12 months prior to the meeting. The work must be original and must be
carried out principally by the student presenting the paper or
poster. A student who applies must be a member of the Division of
Comparative Physiology and Biochemistry. In any one year, a student
can enter either the oral or poster competition. A student awarded
either the top DCPB poster or talk prize is not eligible for future
DCPB student presentation contests. The DCPB Chair will appoint a
DCPB member to chair the student competition and, in consultation
with that member, will select the other judges.
B.
Bartholomew Award
An
annual prize may be given to a young investigator for distinguished
contributions to comparative physiology and biochemistry or to
related fields of functional and integrative biology. The formal
title for this award is "The George A. Bartholomew Award."
Eligible candidates are those who have completed their doctorate
within the past seven years. The Chair of the Division shall appoint
an Award Committee consisting of at least three divisional members
with diverse interests to serve as judges. The Chair of the
Division will designate one of the members as the chair of the Award
Committee. Committee members will normally serve for no
more than three years, with at least one member being
replaced each year. Candidates may apply directly or be nominated,
but both types of candidates will be evaluated equivalently.
Applicants shall submit to the Chair of the Award Committee a short
description of their work, selected reprints, and a curriculum vitae;
and also request three letters of recommendation. Nominators must
arrange for these same materials (except that only two additional
letters of recommendation are required) to be submitted to the
Committee. The Committee may recommend for approval one candidate to
the Chair of the Division. Each year's winner will be invited to
present a special address at the annual meeting. The Chair of the
Division may authorize reimbursement of appropriate expenses incurred
by the winner in attending the meeting. The Chair may also authorize
a cash prize. The awardee will be presented with a certificate signed
by all current Divisional officers.
Article
XIVII. Publications
The
Division (DCPB) sponsors two research journals: a) Comparative
Biochemistry and Physiology (CBP) ; and b) Physiological and
Biochemical Zoology (PBZ) . The terms of the
relationships between DCPB and these journals are:
a)
This section recognizes that the DCPB of the Society for Integrative
and Comparative Biology is one of several societies that sponsor the
journal Comparative Biochemistry and Physiology (CBP).
i)
CBP will have up to nine Associate Editors, which will expand
to 12 in the future, and 36 Editorial Board Members. The terms of
service of the Associate Editors will be three years, non-renewable
until at least three additional years have passed. The Editors,
however, following a timely third year review of the performance of
the Associate Editors carried out in consultation with the DCPB
Executive, may renew the appointment of the an
Associate Editor if the Editors determine that this is in the
best interests of CBP. Such a reappointment will be for only
one additional three year term. The terms of service of the Editorial
Board Members will be three years, non-renewable until at least three
additional years have passed. The eEditors,
however, following timely third year reviews of the performance of
the an Editorial Board member
carried out in consultation with the DCPB Executive, may
renew the appointments of Editorial Board for one additional three
year term if the Editors determine this is in the best interest of
CBP. No individual will be appointed for more than two
consecutive terms. In the event that either the an
Associate Editor or one or more of the Editorial Board
members resigns or is otherwise unable to complete his/her term, the
Editors will follow the regular nomination and appointment processes
to find replacements. These replacements will then serve regular
three-year terms.
ii)
In the appointment of the Associate Editors and the Editorial Board,
the Editors will attempt to achieve a balance of international and
regional representation. There will normally be two Associate Editors
representing DCPB. These appointments are made by the Editors from a
list of candidates nominated by the DCPB Executive. All candidates on
these lists must be mutually acceptable to both sides. Associate
Editors must be active members of DCPB. The DCPB will be
represented by six (6) appointments to the Editorial Board.
iii)
One of the Associate Editors or his/her designated representative
will present annual oral and written reports on the activities of the
journal at the Business Meetings of DCPB.
iv)
The overall intent of this section is that all aspects of the
relationship between DCPB and CBP will be carried out on the
basis of full and open consultation, shared
responsibility and collegiality.
b)
The Editor of PBZ is appointed by the Board of
University Publications, University of Chicago (BUPUC) based on the
recommendation of the DCPB Executive. The Editor shall serve for a
term of five years, with reappointment for only one additional term
permissible. The Editor may request the appointment of an associate
editor(s). The appointment(s) of aAssociate
eEditor(s) will be made by the BUPUC
with the approval of the DCPB Executive. The Editorial Board of
Physiological and Biochemical Zoology shall be
appointed by the eEditor, following
consultation with the DCPB Executive. Early in the fifth year, the
DCPB Executive will review the performance of the eEditor
and recommend to BUPUC whether or not the eEditor
should be appointed to a second five-year term. In the event that the
editor resigns early or is otherwise unable to complete his/her term,
the BUPUC will consult with the DCPB Executive and appoint a mutually
agreeable replacement, who will then serve a five-year term and be
eligible for an additional term. The term of office of the aAssociate
eEditor(s) will be coterminous with
that of the editor.
The
aAssociate eEditor(s)
shall serve for a term of five years, with reappointment for one
additional term permissible; members of the Editorial Board shall
serve for terms of three years, with reappointment for one additional
term permissible. No individual will be appointed for more than two
consecutive terms.
The
Editor or his/her designated representative will present annual oral
and written reports on the activities of the journal at the Business
Meetings of DCPB.
The
overall intent of this section, excluding the business aspects of
journal operations that are the purview of BUPUC, and the day-to-day
editorial matters that are the purview of the editorial staff, is
that all aspects of the relationship between BUPUC, the editorial
staff and DCPB will be carried out on the basis of equal authority,
shared responsibility and collegiality.
Article
XIV. Annual Report
The
Division shall report in writing to the Secretary, the Society for
Integrative and Comparative Biology, in advance of the annual meeting
of the Society. Its official notices and voted actions shall be
included in the records of the Society.
Article
XVI. Amendments
The
Bylaws may be amended at any annual meeting by a two-thirds vote of
those present provided that notice has been given to all members at
least sixty (60) days in advance or by at least two-thirds vote of
the members responding to a mail ballot. In either case, it is the
responsibility of the divisional executive to assure that
opportunities for discussion, either verbal or written, occur before
a ballot is taken.
Message
from the Graduate Student/Postdoc Representative
Jennifer Head
Greetings
DCBP student members! As we prepare for the upcoming SICB meeting in
New Orleans there are a few deadlines to be aware of. By this time, I
am sure everyone is aware that the dates of the 2004 meeting have
been changed to January 5-9. The last day to register with the SICB
business office is Thursday, December 4, 2003. Keep in mind that
generous student support is available via the SICB Student
Support Program
(http://www.sicb.org/meetings/2004/studentsupport.php3).
Although the deadline for the 2004 meeting will have passed by the
time you read this newsletter, be sure to keep this program in mind
for the 2005 meeting in San Diego.
Speaking
of funding opportunities, several scientific organizations offer
grants called GIAR (Grants-in-AID of Research). These are generally
awarded to students in support of scientific investigation in any
field and usually fund costs such as the purchase of special
equipment and travel to and from a research site. The maximum award
is generally $1000.00. Sigma Xi (75% of funds are awarded to Sigma Xi
members or students whose primary advisors are members) offers a
GIAR. Deadlines are October 15 and March 15 annually. SICB
also offers a GIAR program. The SICB GIAR deadline is November 24,
2003. The Student Support Committee encourages all graduate
student members of SICB to apply. SICB also offers the Fellowship for
Graduate Student Travel ($2000.00). Students may apply to one award
per program year. Check out these web pages for more information:
Good
luck with all that you have going on. As usual, feel free to write
(jhead@oimb.uoregon.edu) with questions and comments. Hope to see you
all at the meeting in New Orleans!
Link to officer list on DCPB page