Spotlight on the American Society of Plant Physiologists

The American Society of Plant Physiologists (ASPP), in partnership with the ASPP Education Foundation, has articulated 12 basic principles of plant biology that the society believes should be included in any biological curriculum. These "Principles of Plant Biology : Concepts for Science Education" are aimed at helping students of all ages gain a better understanding of plant biology. Published in 1998 and posted on the ASPP web site, the principles have been presented to state and national precollege curriculum leaders, classroom educators, and textbook publishers.

Dr. John Markwell, chair of ASPP's education committee and professor in the Department of Biochemistry at the University of Nebraska, has seen the benefits of these principles, both to his society and to the wider science education community. "ASPP represents an extraordinarily broad range of plant biologists, from biophysics to applied agronomy and with interests ranging from quantum yield to harvest yield," he said. "At first, the >Principles of Plant Biology' was a challenge to our diverse membership. Could we agree amongst ourselves about the central tenets of plant biology? Much to my pleasant surprise, work on the principles not only brought together ASPP members with different perspectives and expertise, but also helped to develop a synergy among the society leadership, the Education Foundation, and the Education Committee, and it moved us to focus on having more of a national impact. We now have a much more outward-looking view of our mission than we had before this process began."

Drafting the "Principles of Plant Biology: Concepts for Science Education" launched a dialogue within ASPP about what should be taught about plants and plant biology in a general life science curriculum. Moreover, the society is reaching out to other plant-based professional societies. As part of the 1998 ASPP annual meeting, representatives from several plant-based professional societies will participate in a discussion of literacy in plant biology for undergraduate students. In addition, members of plant-based societies are being asked to join together to improve teaching and instructional materials using plants.

The members of the Education Committee of the American Society of Plant Physiologists in 1997 were (l to r): Dr. John Markwell, Biochemistry Department, University of Nebraska (Lincoln, Neb.); Dr. Dale Blevins, Agronomy Department, University of Missouri (Columbia, Mo.); Dr. Robert Wise, Biology Department, University of Wisconsin-Oshkosh; Dr. Carol Reiss, Department of Molecular Biology, Cell Biology and Biochemistry at Brown University (Providence, R.I.); and Dr. Dina Mandoli, Botany Department, University of Washington (Seattle, Wash.).

Education Foundation fosters leadership

The ASPP Education Foundation, created in 1996, has significantly increased the capacity of the society to enhance education in plant science. By securing financial resources, the Education Foundation gives the society a dimension that extends beyond its operations and short-term projects in education. It enables a vision for profound changes in the public understanding of plant science and in supporting those who teach plant biology.

"The ASPP Education Foundation has been extremely fortunate in attracting leaders from the corporate world to serve on its Board of Directors," said ASPP president Dr. Kenneth Keegstra, Professor and Director of the MSU-DOE Plant Research Laboratory at Michigan State University. "These outstanding individuals have been very supportive in donating their time and mental energy in addition to providing valuable financial support. The foundation is off to a great start, and the challenge now is to sustain this activity over the longer term."

ASPP is proud of its record over the last decade in promoting teaching of plant science at all levels. The annual meetings incorporate a designated education session, often including workshops and poster presentations. An Excellence in Teaching Award honors outstanding educators. Recent examples of successful projects undertaken by the Education Committee are a videotape called How to Make a Great Poster and "The Cube," an engaging three-dimensional display of plant facts developed by Dr. Dina Mandoli of the Department of Botany at the University of Washington, Seattle. A brochure called "Teaching a Plant Physiology Laboratory Course for the First Time?" was developed by Dr. Carol Reiss, Department of Molecular Biology, Cell Biology and Biochemistry at Brown University in Providence, R.I.. The society's newsletter, ASPP News, has a regular feature, "ASPP Education Forum," edited by Dr. Robert Wise of the Department of Biology at the University of Wisconsin-Oshkosh.

Founded in 1924, ASPP is dedicated to promoting research, development, and interest in plant physiology specifically and plant science in general.