Thank you!
Endowment
Goal met!
Thank you for being a part of the inaugural “A Day for BSA” on August 27, 2024! Over $14,000 was raised for the BSA Endowment, a testament to the generosity and commitment of our community to the future of the botanical sciences. We also enjoyed the stories shared throughout the day and appreciate those who filled out the Endowment Poll, sharing their priorities for future endowment spending.
We look forward to celebrating 130 years of BSA with you on August 27, 2025!
A DAY FOR BSA
On August 27, 1895, the Botanical Society of America held its very first foundational meeting. To celebrate over 100 years of a continuing mission to support the botanical sciences, we have turned this day into “A Day for BSA!”
You can give to the BSA Endowment anytime with any size gift. The endowment supports the next generation of botanists, our Society-owned publications, and our scientific conference. Growing the endowment is more important than ever in securing the future of the Society.
The BSA Endowment Supports STUDENTS
The Botanical Society of America understands that students are the future of the Society, and the BSA endowment supports students with research and travel awards, leadership opportunities, educational programming, and more!
The BSA Endowment Supports SOCIETY JOURNALS
“Global publication access for all scientists, regardless of means, is critical for a thriving research community. Your support of BSA's journals supports research advances world-wide.”
Pamela Diggle - AJB
Briana L. Gross - APPS
The BSA’s two scientific journals, American Journal of Botany and Applications in Plant Sciences, are THE places to publish your botanical research. The BSA endowment ensures that access to publishing is available to scientists around the world.
The BSA Endowment Supports BOTANY CONFERENCES
Community is the cornerstone of the Botanical Society of America, and the Botany Conferences are an integral part of creating connections and sharing research. The BSA endowment supports the Botany Conferences by providing affinity group support, funding networking events, and travel awards to these important gatherings.
Endowment Poll
Thank you to everyone who took the Endowment Poll and shared your ranking regarding where you wanted to see endowment expenditures. The following are the results:
Student Support 40%
Journal Support 33%
Conference Support 27%
From Our Members:
My name is Natalia Pabón-Mora, and I am an international member of the Botanical Society of America (BSA). I founded my research group in 2012 after completing my PhD at the City University of New York and The New York Botanical Garden. We are based in Medellín, Colombia, and our focus is on plant developmental genetics, specifically targeting non-model systems and unique developmental patterns from our diverse flora.
The BSA has been invaluable to us, especially as it warmly includes international members in all its activities. As members, we can apply for grants and awards, present our research at annual conferences, and participate in peer review for the Society’s awards and publications.
In Colombia, our research group is somewhat isolated, with few similar groups nearby. Being part of the BSA has facilitated unique academic interactions for our students, allowing them to feel welcomed and motivated in their botanical careers. They can share research experiences with peers across the US and set long-term career goals that might not be feasible in our home country. The BSA has been crucial not only for my career but also for maintaining our vibrant academic connections over the past 15 years.
From Our Members:
My name is Chelsea Specht, and my very first memory of BSA taking on a major role in my life was the 1997 AIBS conference in Montreal. It was my first “Bot Soc” conference and my advisor, Dennis Stevenson (seen with me on the left at Botany 2023), encouraged me to attend and present some work I had done on comparative root development in maize. I went only knowing a few people from my own institution, yet by the end of the conference I had so many new friends, colleagues, mentors and collaborators from across the country and beyond - each of whom I am always excited to meet again year after year to share ideas, innovate science, and make new memories. One of those people is Jim Seago who approached me at the dinner buffet the evening after my talk. He introduced himself and kindly complimented me on my talk, providing
the first feedback I had ever received at a conference. Dr. Seago’s greeting turned BSA into my home; each year I’m thrilled to get to do that for our new members as they continue to push the
envelope on botanical excellence and build an ever more inclusive, more innovative, more collaborative society.
From Our Members:
My name is Chris Martine, the David Burpee Professor in Plant Genetics and Research at Bucknell University. As a first-gen college student I had no idea what scientists really did, nor who these people might even be. And I certainly never imagined this was a community of folks that I could become a part of. Even during my first year pursuing a PhD at the University of Connecticut I still felt like the lone resident of Imposter Island. And then, that March, my advisor Greg Anderson suggested that I attend the Botany 2002 meeting in Madison, Wisconsin. I submitted an abstract and flew solo to the conference later that summer.
From the minute I stepped up to the registration desk, I knew the BSA was my community – and for the next 5 days it only became more and more apparent. This was a society full of amazing scientists (and run by an incredible staff) who were *actually nice people* – and, to my gleeful surprise, I was welcome to join them! I have never stopped coming back and have never stopped thinking of the BSA as my primary professional society. And I haven’t “flown solo” to Botany in about 18 years because it’s the place where I bring my own students – because I know they will feel the same sort of welcome
and encouragement that I did when I was just starting out. #BSAforlife.
From Our Members:
Our names are Doug Soltis and Pam Soltis, and we are
both distinguished professors in the Florida Museum of
Natural History at the University of Florida. We have been
members of BSA for decades and continue to find a
professional home in the Society. The members of BSA have
always been like family, and our service to BSA has resulted in many life-long friendships. One of the BSA’s longstanding treasures is the American Journal of Botany, which publishes the best of botanical
research across taxa and subdisciplines of plant science. Another newer treasure is the Society’s Open Access methods-and-protocols focused journal, Applications in Plant Sciences, which has evolved and grown tremendously over the past decade. What has remained constant is the BSA’s commitment to scientific excellence and the diversity of science that is included. Both AJB and APPS are journals of the highest caliber with wonderful staff. We are proud to be authors, editors, and reviewers for both journals!