Progress 09/01/15 to 08/31/16
Outputs
Target Audience:Target audience: researchers interested in in abiotic and biotic stress responses, particularly those interested in the integration of stress responses by plants. There were 204 attendees at the Symposium on Abiotic and Biotic Stress Responses. Of the 204 attendees, over half (57.8%, n=118) were students and/or postdoctoral fellows. Attendees represented 10 countries and 18 states. Multiple efforts were made to deliver science-based knowledge to our target audience. These efforts included oral presentations, poster sessions, and networking events. Changes/Problems:
Nothing Reported
What opportunities for training and professional development has the project provided?Individuals: Melissa Mitchum (PI), Heidi Appel (Co-PI), Walter Gassmann (Co-PI), David Mendoza-Cozatl (Co-PI), Saadia Bihmidine (postdoctoral representative), Deborah Finke, Felix Fritschi, Abe Koo, Paula McSteen, Mel Oliver and Sona Pandey all served on the organizing committee for the 32nd Annual Symposium on The Interface between Abiotic and Biotic Stress Responses. Responsibilities included identifying, contacting, and hosting speakers; establishing the program and schedule; selecting poster abstracts for short presentations; and identifying and following up with potential sponsors. Partner organizations included Monsanto, Journal of Experimental Botany, LI-COR, Metabolon, Cotton Incorporated, ABC Labs and American Society of Plant Biologists. Collaborators at MU included the Interdisciplinary Plant Group, who hosted the symposium and provided financial support, University of Missouri Chancellor's Distinguished Visitors Program, University of Missouri College of Agriculture, Food, and Natural Resources, and University of Missouri Mizzou Advantage. MU sponsors provided financial support for selected speaker travel. Training or Professional Development: Invited speakers gave 30 or 45 minute oral presentations about their research. There were also five 15-minute poster presentations, four from either a graduate student or postdoctoral fellow throughout the symposium. Selection of these poster talks were based on abstracts submitted prior to the meeting. The Symposium also included a poster session for attendees, including students. The organizing committee invited poster submissions on topics related to plant biology research in general; the posters described recently completed research, research in progress, or publicly presented research. Poster sessions at scientific meetings, in general, give young investigators, such as undergraduate students, an opportunity to present and communicate their research efforts to a scientific audience and to receive feedback and for informal discussions with meeting speakers. The Symposium also included a networking dinner for speakers, undergraduate and graduate students, and postdoctoral fellows. How have the results been disseminated to communities of interest?To reach members of communities who are not usually aware of these research activities for the purpose of enhancing public understanding and increasing interest in learning and careers in science, the Wednesday evening Keynote speaker Dr. Julian Schroeder, University of San Diego gave a public lecture "Calcium Specificity Signaling Mechanism in Abscisic Acid Signal Transduction in Arabidopsis Guard Cells." The Journal of Experimental Botany also sponsored a special issue containing reviews and research articles written by symposium speakers and attendees. What do you plan to do during the next reporting period to accomplish the goals?
Nothing Reported
Impacts
What was accomplished under these goals?
The 32nd Annual IPG Symposium on Plants Between a Rock and a Hard Place: The Interface between Abiotic and Biotic Stress Responses provided a venue and an opportunity for researchers who study plant interactions with abiotic and biotic factors using varying disciplinary approaches to share their research and approaches. An increased understanding of the interface between plant biotic and biotic stress responses is needed to allow U.S. agriculture to face critical needs in developing effective germplasm and address the impacts of climate change, loss of agricultural land, global competition, and food and feed security. Knowledge of how plants respond to and tolerate multiple and simultaneous stressors remains in its infancy and increased attention to this critical area is needed. Topics covered by the symposium included the interactions between abiotic and biotic stress on plant growth, productivity, population genetics, and ecology, all important issues affecting agriculture worldwide. Its impacts/outcomes included exposure to interdisciplinary research in the plant sciences for students; networking opportunities for graduate students and postdoctoral fellows; potential collaborative and interdisciplinary research projects for faculty. The symposium took place on May 27-29, 2015, on the Columbia campus of the University of Missouri in the Christopher S. Bond Life Sciences Center. Twenty-one world-renowned experts shared their recent advances in studies of plant responses to abiotic and biotic stresses. There were 204 attendees at the Symposium on The Interface between Abiotic and Biotic Stress Responses. Of the 204 attendees, more than half (57.8%, n=118) were students and/or postdoctoral fellows and half were academics from research universities and institutions. Attendees represented 10 countries and 18 states. A Symposium website was created to advertise the Symposium. Information regarding the Symposium was also disseminated by (1) distributing postcards about the symposium at scientific conferences (ASPB) (2) advertising in the ASPB newsletter (3) posting on the American Society of Plant Biologists, and TAIR online calendars. Invited speakers gave 30 or 45 minute oral presentations about their research. There were also four 15-minute poster presentations, four from either a graduate student or postdoctoral fellow. The Symposium also included a poster session for attendees, including students. The organizing committee invited poster submissions on topics related to plant biology research in general; the posters described recently completed research, research in progress, or publicly presented research. In total, 60 research posters were showcased at the IPG Symposium. Of those 60, 26 were submitted by students (graduate and/or undergraduate). "Speed Poster" session were also held before each poster. Participants in these sessions were allowed 1-minute to present a summary of their poster research. There were 20 participants in the speed poster sessions. Attendees received an unpublished program booklet with abstracts of oral and poster presentations. Poster sessions at scientific meetings, in general, give young investigators an opportunity to present and communicate their research efforts to a scientific audience and to receive feedback. The interdisciplinary nature of the IPG Symposium poster session offered a great opportunity for young investigators to see the diversity of topics, interests, and talents in the plant biology community. It also provided an excellent venue for extended informal discussions with meeting speakers and attendees. The Symposium also included a networking dinner for speakers, undergraduate and graduate students, and postdoctoral fellows to encourage interactions between speakers and younger investigators. The goal was to provide an informal venue for students and postdoctoral fellows to interact socially with invited speakers. In the past, graduate students have been recruited to postdoctoral positions in speakers' labs following these opportunities.
Publications
- Type:
Journal Articles
Status:
Published
Year Published:
2016
Citation:
Journal of Experimental Botany Special Issue: The Interface Between Abiotic and Biotic Stress Responses
Volume 67 Issue 7 March 2016 (http://jxb.oxfordjournals.org/content/67/7.toc)
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