Enid MacRobbie Corresponding Membership
This honor, initially given in 1932, provides life membership and Society publications to distinguished plant biologists from outside the United States. The honor is conferred by election on the annual ballot. The committee selects no more than three (3) candidates, and these are placed on the ballot for approval of corresponding membership by majority vote. The president notifies successful candidates of their election. Election of a corresponding member is to be considered each year, and held if warranted, provided the election will not increase the number of corresponding members beyond two (2) percent of the dues-paying membership. Membership is required for this award.
2022 Winner: Tzyy-Jen Chiou
Tzyy-Jen Chiou is a Distinguished Research Fellow and full professor at the Agricultural Biotechnology Center of the Academia Sinica, Taipei. She has made groundbreaking contributions in plant physiology, particularly to our understanding of phosphate nutrition. Tzyy-Jen made the seminal discovery that microRNAs play a central role in maintaining plant phosphate homeostasis by acting as long-distance signals for phosphate starvation. She has also advanced our understanding of phosphate transport through her discovery of tonoplast transporters. In addition to establishing herself as a leading expert in molecular plant nutrition and as an excellent mentor, Tzyy-Jen has been a dedicated member of ASPB since 2000 and has served the plant biology community in many ways. She was Monitoring Editor of Plant Physiology (2009-2014), co-edited a focus issue on Plant Phosphorus Nutrition (2011), and has presented symposium talks at ASPB Plant Biology meetings.
2022 Winner: Andreas Schaller
Andreas Schaller is been a full professor of plant physiology and biotechnology at the University of Hohenheim since 2002. He has made seminal contributions to the field of peptide hormone biogenesis and signaling. For many years, Andreas worked on the large family of subtilases as candidate proteases for the maturation of signaling peptides, which are involved in the biogenesis and activation of plant peptide hormones. In addition, Andreas significantly contributed to our understanding of dirigent proteins, which are responsible for the stereochemical control of metabolic reactions in biosynthetic pathways. Andreas joined ASPB as a PhD student, and he has been an active member ever since. He has served the plant community in many ways, publishing regularly in Plant Physiology and The Plant Cell, frequently serving as a reviewer for these journals, and contributing to Plant Biology meetings whenever possible.
2022 Winner: Nicholas Smirnoff
Nicholas (Nick) Smirmoff has been a full professor of plant biochemistry at the University of Exeter since 2006, and he served as the Director of Research for Exeter Biosciences from 2015-2021. Nick is best known for his seminal work on the ascorbate biosynthesis pathway, named the Smirnoff-Wheeler pathway in his honor; and he has made important contributions across multiple areas in the fields of plant biochemistry and physiology. Nick has studied the function of reactive oxygen species and antioxidants in various plant processes. He excels in teaching plant metabolism and stress biology, and he has inspired numerous scientists to pursue careers in plant biology. Nick has served our community in many ways; and he is a passionate supporter of ASPB activities, most notably as a Monitoring Editor for Plant Physiology starting 2018, followed by his promotion to Associate Editor this year.
Steffen Abel, Chair (2021-2024)
Jaswinder Singh, Past Winner (2019-2023)
Marilyn Anderson (2020-2024)
George Coupland (2020-2024)
Keiko Sugimoto (2020-2024)
Sylvia Lee, Staff Liaison