Welcome back student chapter members and advisers!

I hope you had an enjoyable, relaxing summer and are ready to get back to school. I am Brian Stagg, the new education program associate at AIBS. I recently graduated from the University of Maryland with a BS in environmental science. My goal is to improve your student chapter experience.

This new Student Chapter newsletter is one way we hope to strengthen connections and networking between AIBS and the chapters. While the newsletter will contain updates and information from AIBS, it will also include updates and articles written by YOU, the student chapter members. This is a great way to share your experiences, and to showcase your events and programs with AIBS and other student chapters. The newsletter will be distributed four times a year. Another way to connect is through the student chapter listserv. The listserv is a good way to ask your colleagues and AIBS staff for help, and to get feedback on new ideas. We encourage you to take advantage of the newsletter and listserv, and we look forward to hearing from you.

Brian Stagg, Education Program Associate AIBS

Things to talk about…
by Brian Stagg, Education Program Associate AIBS

BioScience is a great place to catch up on the latest biological issues and research. Sharon Levy’s Running Hot and Cold: Are Rainforests Sinks or Taps for Carbon? from the July/August issue of BioScience could serve well as a discussion-starter on topics such as global warming, deforestation, and scientific debate. Here are some questions to explore at your next meeting.

Tropical rainforests cover a small portion of Earth’s surface, yet they account for more then a third of all plant productivity. To what extent are rainforests the most important ecosystem to conserve?

Can cutting down forests reduce the amount of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere?

Is it okay to threaten local biodiversity by attempting to solve a global problem?

Research can focus on proving existing theories or models, or can focus on disproving models that are in debate. If you are looking for certain outcomes when you’re working on a project, are you more likely to collect data that support your hypothesis? How do you avoid biases?

Things to think about…
by Brian Stagg, Education Program Associate AIBS

As the new school year begins, here are a few things to consider and act upon…

How can you recruit new chapter members?

How can you create awareness of biology as a program of study at your institution?

How can you make a difference in your community?

Answers to these questions can be found at our student chapter Web site, or you may choose to brainstorm new ideas at your next meeting. Remember to use the listserv to solicit feedback about potential chapter activities and other programming issues.

Howard Hamilton presenting his research at the AIBS 2007 annual meeting in Washington, DC. Photograph: Carroll Photography

Going to SACNAS National Conference in Kansas City?

Check out the following Evolution and Ecology events sponsored by AIBS, ESA, NCEAS, NESCent, & SSE:

Field trip

Movie night

Panel

For more information, visit: SACNAS

Things to send AIBS…

Please submit photos, stories, and successes from your student chapter to us by e-mail. We’d also be happy to acknowledge your research, publications, and honors in upcoming newsletters. The deadline for submitting materials for the next newsletter is November 15.