Support Our Mission with These Two New Giving Opportunities
We are excited to introduce you to two additional funds that allow you to make a meaningful impact on plant biology research, education, and community engagement. Please consider donating to these funds today and help us continue advancing plant science. Your generosity helps us nurture future generations of plant scientists.
The ASPB Plant Biology Conference Participation Temporarily Restricted Fund
The temporarily restricted fund to support travel awards across the plant biology community, including SURF recipients, and ASPB-subsidized childcare at the conference was approved by ASPB’s boards of trustees and directors on March 19, 2025. The ASPB Plant Biology Temporarily Restricted Fund is intended to provide critical and flexible support for conference attendees via three potential avenues.
Specifically, donations to this Fund will be used to address specific urgent needs that may arise in 2025, 2026, and/or 2027 for travel awards, including SURF recipients, and childcare that cannot be readily predicted in advance. Donations to the Plant Biology Conference Participation Temporarily Restricted Fund may be used from April 1, 2025, through December 31, 2027. The fund allows donors to make an immediate impact through addressing needs of plant biologists related to conference attendance as they arise.
Any donors who wish to donate specifically in support of only one of these activities –travel awards to early career scientists, SURF recipients (travel award & research stipend), or childcare at the conference – may instead make a permanently restricted donation to the Joe Varner Travel Award Fund, the SURF Fund, or the Romanoff Fund, respectively.
Romanoff Fund
Dr. Elijah Romanoff was an US-National Science Foundation Program Director of Metabolic Biology from 1968-1983, after a distinguished career in steroid biochemistry at Worchester Polytechnic Institute. At NSF, he was an ardent supporter of plant biochemical and genetics research, mentoring researchers (see ASPB News vol 29, #1 2002 to read about his life). After his passing, ASPB received a significant donation from the Eli Romanoff estate to establish an endowment for use in increasing diversity in ASPB. Return from this endowment has been allocated to provide affordable childcare at the annual meetings, allowing full participation of attendees at meeting events, important for networking, education and collaborations. However, funds currently available from the endowment are not sufficient to cover the subsidy for all who use this service. Additional contributions to this Eli Romanoff endowment fund will be used to subsidize safe, accessible, and affordable child-care during the annual conference, with the goal of accommodating all attendees who need this service.
Priority Fundraising Goals
Summer Undergraduate Research Fellowship Award
Since its inception in 2001, the Summer Undergraduate Research Fellowship (SURF) program has supported the research of over 300 students, providing them a foundation in scientific enquiry and exposing them to plant biology research. Currently, funds to support SURF awards to students are not stable, year to year. However, a generous donor has provided seed funding to permanently endow this program. Your contributions will add to this growing endowment to perpetually fund undergraduate summer research in plant biology. SURF fellows are selected from an ASPB-wide call each year, and awards are disbursed to students at Primarily Undergraduate Institutions and major research institutions on a prorated basis, depending on the number of applications from each institution type. Currently, each undergraduate student receives a $6,000 stipend to support them while they conduct research in a mentor’s laboratory, as well as travel funds to support their attendance at the following summer’s Plant Biology conference, at which they present their research progress, hear cutting edge science, and meet active researchers from other institutions. Your contribution will help ensure the stability and longevity of this impactful program.
ASPB Travel Award
ASPB is competitively awarding a limited number of travel awards to attend Plant Biology. The travel award program aims to increase attendance of early career scientists at the annual meeting by providing funds for those in financial need. Broadening participation of underrepresented groups to increase diversity and inclusion among Plant Biology attendees is a primary goal. Undergraduate students, graduate students, postdocs, pre-tenure faculty, and professionals beginning their careers in plant science are also strongly encouraged to apply. Applicants must be members of ASPB; however U.S. residency is not a requirement to apply.
General Fund
Donations to this fund will be used wherever the need is greatest, as identified by ASPB committees, directed by the Board of Trustees and approved by the Board of Directors.
Additional Active Funds
ASPB Innovation Prize for Agriculture Technology
The innovation prize was inaugurated in 2015 to recognize the outstanding work of industry scientists in companies of all sizes who translate discovery research into real-world outcomes that benefit agriculture. The award additionally acts as a vehicle to increase the awareness of the highest quality science performed by industry scientists, and it showcases the opportunities and rewards of this career path. The award is currently triennial; increasing the size of the fund that supports it would allow ASPB to offer the award biennially.
Joe Varner Travel Award
Approved for fundraising by the ASPB Board of Directors in 2017, this fund seeks to establish an endowment for the specific purpose of providing funds for early career scientists to attend the ASPB Plant Biology meetings. The intent is to supplement the travel awards that ASPB already offers to early career scientists. To learn more about the ASPB pioneer Jo Varner visit here: https://nap.nationalacademies.org/read/5859/chapter/20
Education Initiative
Engaging, educating, and encouraging the next generations of plant biologists is a priority for ASPB. Donations to this fund help support ASPB’s Education and Outreach efforts, including materials and curriculum development, community outreach events at Plant Biology meetings, and initiatives with allied organizations that help introduce plant biology to K-12 learners.
The Robert Rabson Award
The Robert Rabson Award, first given by the Society in 2012, recognizes Bob Rabson’s steadfast advocacy of plant biology through funding programs in the Department of Energy for research in basic energy sciences. The award recognizes postdoctoral scholars and faculty-level early career scientists in academic, government, and corporate research institutions who have made excellent contributions in the area of bioenergy research. The award is currently biennial; increasing the size of the fund that supports it would allow ASPB to offer the award annually.
Lawrence Bogorad Award for Excellence in Plant Biology Research
The Bogorad Award was approved by the Society’s executive committee in 2005 to honor Dr. Bogorad’s many contributions to plant biology, including his influential efforts to bring the techniques of molecular biology to bear on problems in plant biology and his inspired teaching and mentoring. The award recognizes a plant scientist whose work both illuminates the present and suggests paths to enlighten the future. The award is currently biennial ; increasing the size of the fund that supports it would allow ASPB to offer the award annually.
Eric E. Conn Young Investigator Award
The Eric E. Conn Young Investigator Award, first given by the Society in 2011, honors Eric E. Conn’s contributions in plant biology by recognizing young scientists who will be inspired to follow in his footsteps. The award recognizes not only outstanding research but also demonstrated excellence in outreach, public service, mentoring, or teaching by plant scientists at the beginning of their careers. This award is a monetary award made biennially for demonstrated commitment by a member of the Society who is generally not more than five years post-PhD on January 1 of the year of the presentation. It also provides a one-year membership to the Society. Breaks in careers will be considered when addressing the time limit of this award.
ASPB-Excellence in Diversity and Inclusion Award
First awarded in 2022, the ASPB-Excellence in Diversity and Inclusion Award is a biennial award that honors an ASPB member with a strong record of increasing diversity and inclusiveness in plant biology. This individual has made a significant impact in mentoring, supporting, and/or advocating for underrepresented individuals in their careers in the plant sciences at any level. The recipient is invited to deliver a plenary lecture at a Plant Biology annual meeting, receives a cash award, and has the option to accept the award from the president during the annual meeting awards ceremony. A travel allowance is provided for travel and meeting registration in the year of the plenary lecture. The award is currently funded through its first cycle; it is imperative that the society grow the award endowment to ensure that we can continue to offer the award from 2024 onwards.
Recognizing Our Donors and Our Plant Biology Pioneers
