The Three-year ASPB President’s Experience

President-Elect (PE)    President (P)      Past President (PP)

The three years of service is an elected position, currently selected by the membership in an annual vote from a slate of two candidates. All terms start on 1 October. The President is the face and voice of ASPB, and provides strategic leadership.

Communications among leadership:

President elect (PE) and President (P) have standing phone calls with the CEO (typically scheduled for one-hour, weekly, sometimes bi-weekly), and monthly or more frequent calls with each other. Past-President (PP), P and CEO have discussions as appropriate, typically bi-weekly.

  • Comprehensive vision for the future of ASPB
  • Experience in leadership positions and advisory capacities: the president does both and these sometimes conflict
  • Excellent communication skills
  • Persistence and outstanding organizational skills to complete tasks in addition to your day job
  • Willingness to dedicate time to address the ASPB community’s needs
  • Capacity for big-picture, long-term thinking
  • Balancing need for confidentiality on sensitive matters with transparency and openness
  • Sensitivity to the needs of the broad membership
  • High-level experience with budgets and budgeting
  • Experience in science management, team science, and/or developing policy
  • Awareness of the national and international scientific communities
  • Broader work and institutional experience; for example, outside of academia/R1 institutions
  • Institutional support, including formal or implicit release time from local institutional activities. For example, being relieved of some responsibilities and work.

Commitment: Approximately 5-10h/week

Roles and activities:

  1. Board of Directors (BoD), Chair

The BoD provides formal advice, oversight and approval regarding activities of ASPB. Currently, there is a standing schedule of conference calls every other month, which can be augmented/removed as needed. Additional email correspondence occurs as required on items that require timely action. Two in-person approximately 2-3 hr. meetings at the annual meeting (one prior to and the other late during the meeting). Additional in-person meetings are convened with the Board of Trustees, ASPB staff, and/or external stakeholders as needed. As Chair, the PE works with the CEO to organize agendas, communicate with BoD members and run the meetings.

  1. Council member

Council meets virtually bi-monthly (alternating with BoD conference calls). Immediately prior to the annual meeting, Council holds an in-person daylong meeting. The PE also serves on the ~20-person ASPB Council, which provides vision and advice to ASPB staff and the Board of Directors regarding all activities of ASPB.

  1. Nominations Committee, Chair

The PE leads the process for assembling ballots for Pres-elect annually, and for Secretary or elected BoD member – these are in alternate years. The PE notifies award winners, including Corresponding members. In consultation with P, PP, committee chairs and staff, the PE is responsible for standing and awards committee membership appointments, identification of new members and chair succession.

  1. Program Committee, member.

Duties include two in-person meetings (one in fall and one in winter) and evaluation of 100-200 abstracts. As a member of the program committee, the PE is involved in planning of the scientific program for the upcoming annual meeting.

Roles and activities:

  1. Six newsletter articles per year, with solicitation and editing of attendant Plantae collections as desired.
  2. Organizer of President’s Symposium at that year’s annual conference
  3. Emcee of awards ceremony at annual conference
  4. Host of varied events at annual conference
  5. Board and Committee Roles:
    • Board of Directors (BoD), member: There is a standing schedule of conference calls every other month, which can be augmented/removed as needed. Additional email correspondence as required on items that require timely action. Two in-person approximately 2-3 hr. meetings at the annual meeting (one prior to and the other late during the meeting).
    • Council, member: There is a standing schedule of conference calls every other month (alternating with BoD conference calls), in addition to one in-person daylong meeting immediately prior to the annual meeting.
    • Nominations Committee, member: Support the PE as needed
    • Member of ad hoc committees supporting publications (e.g. EIC searches), or groups exploring new opportunities or needs (e.g. fundraising or responsible conduct)
  6. Partner, mentor and evaluator of CEO
  7. Interactions with staff
  8. Miscellaneous activities that may vary from year to year:
    • Dealing with emergencies, generally collaboratively with other community leadership and CEO.
    • Responding to staff requests, leading by communicating with staff in a positive and supportive way.
    • Attending one or more regional ASPB meetings upon request and based upon availability
    • Attending other ASPB-sponsored or -centric activities

Commitment: 5 hours/week, travel to annual meeting

  1. Council, Chair: Together with CEO, BoD and chairs of committees develop and distribute agenda, run meetings. Meetings scheduled as bi-monthly conference call (alternating with BoD conference calls), in addition to one in-person daylong meeting immediately prior to the annual meeting. Communicate with BoD items from Council that need BoD approval/discussion.
  2. Nominations Committee, member, Supporting the PE as needed
  3. Science Policy Committee, member, Includes monthly calls, input on policy priorities, and a 2-3-day trip to DC for in-person meeting and Congressional visits