Hello ASPS members,

The latest  Phytogen is available HERE!

• National Science Week in coming up. See what ASPS has on offer.
• Raise your national profile by submitting a 30 sec video

The latest GPC e-bulletin is available HERE!

Dear ASPS Members,

We have a unique opportunity to promote your work!  Our President Peter Ryan’s application for funding to support ASPS running National Science Week (14-22 August) activities was successful and many events across Australia are in the process of being organized at QUT, Univ of Newcastle, Southern Cross Univ, Univ of Sydney, ANU, CSIRO, La Trobe Univ, Univ of Melbourne, Monash Univ, Univ of Adelaide and Flinders University).

To help engage National Science Week attendees we would like to introduce you and your work to participants – if you are an ASPS member we want to promote you!

To achieve this we need you to create a 30 second (mp4) video of yourself delivering four key pieces of information – in the video please tell us (1) your name, (2) your institution, (3) the piece of plant science research that you are most proud of and (4) the most pressing plant science research question you want to resolve in the future.

We need your video files by 25^th July. They will be compiled for sharing publicly as part of National Science Week Events, and potentially online in the lead up to the event. Instructions on how to do this are included below.

Thank you in advance,

ASPS WCSC

Instructions:

1. Log into Zoom and create a new meeting
2. Select ‘record’ and record the meeting to your computer
3. Record yourself explaining: (1) your name, (2) your institution, (3) the plant science research break through you are most proud of and (4) the most pressing plant science research question you want to resolve in the future. Then stop the recording and stop the meeting (file should be available on your computer). Open the file location and make sure it is 30 seconds or less (re-record if you go over time to keep it to 30 seconds or less).
4. Check the size and clarity – 30 sec video files should be approximately less than 4000KB, small enough to send via email; also, in Zoom settings you can chose to select a background image relevant to your work (your favorite plant, field site, lab equipment, figure file) – this will make your content more engaging.  30 seconds is about 50-60 spoken words – you can plan your words to ensure clear and simple messages, which are best for engaging all age groups.
5. Email ausplantsci@gmail.com with your video attached. Thank you!

____________________________________

Dr Peter R Ryan

President, Australian Society of Plant Scientists

Honorary Fellow, CSIRO Agriculture and Food

PO Box 1700

Canberra ACT 2601, Australia

Email: Peter.Ryan@csiro.au

Mob: 0468671565

Dear ASPS Members,

June Phytogen can be accessed HERE.

GPC May e-bulletin can be accessed HERE.

Our Society is organising activities during Science Week (14-22 August) to highlight Australian plant science. The theme of our activities is around “Plant Science Safeguarding our Future Food Security”. A series of short, fun and engaging talks and tours will be organised around the country to explain the pivotal role plant scientists and agriculturists play in feeding and clothing us all. We will present some of our research and explain how it will help meet the challenges posed by a growing world population and a changing climate. We’ll emphasise the diversity of plant science. The fact that some of us wear lab coats and rarely grow a plant in soil, while others conduct field trials or predict yields by satellite. The aim of these sessions is to explain what we do, to highlight its importance to society and hopefully to inspire more young people to consider plant science as an exciting career.

The purpose of this email is two-fold:

1. to prompt members from universities not listed below to consider organising an event. Contact me for details if you’re tempted.
2. to encourage ASPS members to contact the Science Week coordinators at their own university (below) and offer your assistance. Helpers and speakers do not need to be ASPS members.

Contact me if you have questions. Thanks, Peter Ryan

Once you have your National Science Week event organised please email Phytogen editor Georgia Koerber  (georgia.koerber@adelaide.edu.au) with a link to your event, a picture and dates  for inclusion in the July issue of Phytogen. June Phytogen can be accessed HERE.

Queensland University of Technology – Brett Williams

University of Newcastle – Joseph Pegler (hopefully)

University of Sydney (separate events at the Camperdown and Camden campuses) – Mary Byrne, Brent Kaiser, Robert Park, Marcus Heisler, Claudia Keitel

Australian National University/CSIRO Agriculture and Food – Peter Ryan, Caitlin Byrt, Uli Mathesius

La Trobe University – Kim Johnson, Janet Wheeler

University of Melbourne – Mike Haydon, Michelle Watt

Monash University – Ros Gleadow

University of Adelaide – Megan Sheldon, Beth Loveys, Georgia Koerber, Steve Tyerman, Rachel Burton

Flinders University – Kathy Soole

____________________________________

Dr Peter R Ryan

President, Australian Society of Plant Scientists

Honorary Fellow, CSIRO Agriculture and Food

PO Box 1700

Canberra ACT 2601, Australia

Email: Peter.Ryan@csiro.au

Mob: 0468671565

Dear ASPS members past and present,

Due to the ongoing issues with travel and the pandemic in 2021 the ASPS will run coordinated local face-to-face meetings in states and territories across Australia.

We ask members to “Save the Date”

ASPS 2021 conference

When: Thursday 25^th of November (joint awards session 2-4pm AEDT)

Where: Local state/territory meetings (TBA soon)

ASPS AGM

When: Friday 26^th of November, 12pm (AEDT)

Where: Online meeting

More details will come regarding local venues and registration in May.

Cheers,

Simon

Honorary Secretary ASPS.

Hello ASPS members.

The April edition of Phytogen is out now and can be accessed HERE.

Hello ASPS members.

The April edition of Phytogen is out now and can be accessed HERE.

Hi ASPS members,

It appears that ASPS Honorary President, Peter Ryan’s email has been compromised and people involved in ASPS are receiving an email from someone impersonating Peter (as the ASPS chair) that ends up in a request for money to help him out. It actually looks very legitimate as it appears to come from an @csiro address.

I’m sending this email because multiple people have got this email. Under no circumstances would Peter request money from any members.

Thanks,

Simon Williams, ASPS Honorary Secretary.

The April Global Plant Council E-bulletin can be accessed HERE.

Hello ASPS members,

Earth Hour is this weekend. More information in the March edition of Phytogen.

The March edition of Phytogen is available HERE.

ASPS members,

This  Tuesday 23^rd March is National Eucalypt Day and we would like to celebrate by sharing stories of our members’ Eucalypt research via Twitter.

To participate, either tag us (@asps_ozplants) in a tweet on the day using the hashtag #NationalEucalyptDay or email Frances.Sussmilch@utas.edu.au in advance with an action shot with your study organism and something about you and your Eucalypt research in 280 characters or less. Include your university/workplace so we can tag them too.

The March GPC e-bulletin can be accessed HERE.

Dear ASPS Members,

The closing dates for the two major ASPS awards has been extended until Wednesday 24^th March 2021.

These prestigious awards include the Peter Goldacre Medal, which is awarded for research contributions for early/mid-career researchers (male or female) within 10 years of their PhD, and the Jan Anderson Award, which specifically recognises the significant contribution of mid-career female researchers.

For further information about the applications please see these links:

www.asps.org.au/awards/peter-goldacre-award

www.asps.org.au/awards/jan-anderson-award-and-lecture

Nominations for these awards should be sent to secretary@asps.org.au by midnight 24 March 2021.

 

Cheers,

Simon Williams

ASPS Honorary Secretary