Botanical Society of America Awards Recipients 2023
We are pleased to announce the recipients of the 2023 awards provided by the Botanical Society of America. Here we provide recognition for outstanding efforts and contributions to the science of botany. We thank you for your support of these programs. |
Awards for Established Scientists
Distinguished Fellow of the Botanical Society of America The "Distinguished Fellow of the Botanical Society of America" is the highest honor our Society bestows. Each year, the award committee solicits nominations, evaluates candidates, and selects those to receive an award. Awardees are chosen based on their outstanding contributions to the mission of our scientific Society. The committee identifies recipients who have demonstrated excellence in basic research, education, public policy, or who have provided exceptional service to the professional botanical community, or who may have made contributions to a combination of these categories.
To be announced
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Charles Edwin Bessey Teaching Award (BSA in association with the Teaching Section and Education Committee)
To be announced
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Impact Award The Botanical Society of America Impact Award recognizes a BSA member or group of members who have significantly contributed to advancing diversity, accessibility, equity, and/or inclusion in botanical scholarship, research and education.
To be announced
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BSA Corresponding Members Award
Corresponding members are distinguished senior scientists who have made outstanding contributions to plant science and who live and work outside of the United States of America. Corresponding members are nominated by the Council, which reviews recommendations and credentials submitted by members, and elected by the membership at the annual BSA business meeting. Corresponding members have all the privileges of life-time members.
To be announced
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Darbaker Prize
The Darbaker Prize in Phycology is given each year in memory of Dr. Leasure K. Darbaker. It is presented to a resident of North America for meritorious work in the study of microscopic algae based on papers published in English by the nominee during the last two full calendar years. This year The Darbaker Award for meritorious work on microscopic algae is presented to:
To be announced
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Donald R. Kaplan Memorial Lecture
Erika Edwards, Yale University
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The Grady L. and Barbara D. Webster Structural Botany Publication Award This award was established in 2006 by Dr. Barbara D. Webster, Grady’s wife, and Dr. Susan V. Webster, his daughter, to honor the life and work of Dr. Grady L. Webster. After Barbara's passing in 2018, the award was renamed to recognize her contributions to this field of study. The American Society of Plant Taxonomists and the Botanical Society of America are pleased to join together in honoring both Grady and Barbara Webster. In odd years, the BSA gives out this award and in even years, the award is provided by the ASPT.
To be announced
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Jeanette Siron Pelton Award The Jeanette Siron Pelton Award is given for sustained and imaginative productivity in the field of experimental plant morphology.
To be announced
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The BSA Developing Nations Travel Grants
Rafael Acuña-Castillo, Universidad de Costa Rica, Costa Rica
Tami C. Cacossi, UNICAMP, Brazil
Idowu Obisesan, Bowen University Iwo, Nigeria
Malka Saba, Quaid-i-Azam University, Islamabad, Pakistan
Jayani Wathukarage, University of the Philippines, Diliman, Sri Lanka
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The BSA Professional Member Travel Grants
Ana Andruchow-Colombo, University of Kansas
Nina Baghai-Riding, Delta State University
Israel L. Cunha Neto, Cornell University
Jessamine Finch, Native Plant Trust & Framingham State University
Julia Gerasimova, Senckenberg Research Institute and Natural History Museum Frankfurt
Margaret Hanes, Eastern Michigan University
Adriana I. Hernandez, California Academy of Sciences
Pankaj Kumar Ph.D., FLS, Texas Tech University, Department of Plant and Soil Science
Francesco Martini, Trinity College Dublin
Elizabeth McCarthy, SUNY Cortland
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Awards for Established Scientists - Given by the Sections |
Edgar T. Wherry Award (Pteridological Section and the American Fern Society) The Edgar T. Wherry Award is given for the best paper presented during the contributed papers session of the Pteridological Section. This award is in honor of Dr. Wherry’s many contributions to the floristics and patterns of evolution in ferns.
To be announced
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Margaret Menzel Award (Genetics Section) The Margaret Menzel Award is presented by the Genetics Section for the outstanding paper presented in the contributed papers sessions of the annual meetings.
To be announced
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Samuel Noel Postlethwait Award (Teaching Section) The Samuel Noel Postlethwait Award is given for outstanding service to the BSA Teaching Section.
To be announced
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Michael Cichan Paleobotanical Research Grant (Paleobotanical Section)
The Award is to provide funds for those who have completed a PhD and are currently in a post-doctoral position or non-tenure track position.
To be announced
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Awards for Early Career Scientists |
AJB Synthesis Papers and Prize
To be announced
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Botany Advocacy Leadership Grant
This award organized by the Environmental and Public Policy Committees of BSA and ASPT aims to support local efforts that contribute to shaping public policy on issues relevant to plant sciences. To learn more about the winning projects click here.
To be announced
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BSA Emerging Leaders Award
To be announced
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BSA Public Policy Award
The Public Policy Award was established in 2012 to support the development of of tomorrow's leaders and a better understanding of this critical area.
Katherine T. Charton, University of Wisconsin-Madison
Lauren M. Orton, Sauk Valley Community College
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SPECIAL AWARDS
Outgoing BSA President
Vivian Negron-Ortiz
Outgoing BSA Director-at-Large for Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion
Chelsea Specht
Outgoing BSA Student Representative to the Board
Ioana Anghel
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Donald R. Kaplan Dissertation Award in Comparative Morphology This award was created to promote research in plant comparative morphology, the Kaplan family has established an endowed fund, administered through the Botanical Society of America, to support the Ph.D. research of graduate students in this area.
Haylee Nedblake, University of Kansas, For the Proposal: Evolution of bee-exclusionary corolla width differences in Penstemon
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Graduate Student Dissertation Award in Phylogenetic Comparative Plant Biology This award supports the Ph.D. research of graduate students in the area of comparative plant biology, broadly speaking, from genome to whole organism. To learn more about this award click here.
Zachary Muscavitch, University of Connecticut, For the Proposal: The Evolutionary Dynamics of Fog Lichen Symbionts: Going Global
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The BSA Graduate Student Research Award including the J. S. Karling Award The BSA Graduate Student Research Awards support graduate student research and are made on the basis of research proposals and letters of recommendations. Withing the award group is the Karling Graduate Student Research Award. This award was instituted by the Society in 1997 with funds derived through a generous gift from the estate of the eminent mycologist, John Sidney Karling (1897-1994), and supports and promotes graduate student research in the botanical sciences.
The J. S. Karling Graduate Student Research Award
To be announced
The BSA Graduate Student Research Awards
To be announced
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The BSA Undergraduate Student Research Awards The BSA Undergraduate Student Research Awards support undergraduate student research and are made on the basis of research proposals and letters of recommendation.
Melanie Beaudin, Carleton University, For the Proposal: Genetic diversity and population structure of a disjunct Opuntia fragilis population
Max Gray, University of British Columbia, For the Proposal: Testing the pervasiveness of MITE-induced apomixis in Asteraceae
Kaitlin Henry, Bucknell University, For the Proposal: Chemical analysis of extrafloral nectar in western Australian Solanum tudununggae (Solanaceae) to explore possible ant-plant relationships
Jonathan Le, University of California, Irvine, For the Proposal: Mapping nutrient localization throughout Drosera capensis digestion using MALDI-MSI
Samuel Monger, Auburn University in Montgomery, For the Proposal: Identification of kudzu-associated soil microbes - a first step towards developing more successful restoration techniques
Zach Smith, University of Wisconsin-Madison, For the Proposal: Morphological and physiological adaptation in an ancient plant lineage
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The BSA PLANTS Grant Recipients The PLANTS (Preparing Leaders and Nurturing Tomorrow’s Scientists: Increasing the diversity of plant scientists) program recognizes outstanding undergraduates from diverse backgrounds and provides travel grant.
To be announced
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The BSA Young Botanist Awards The purpose of these awards is to offer individual recognition to outstanding graduating seniors in the plant sciences and to encourage their participation in the Botanical Society of America.
Fae Bramblepelt, The University of Alabama, Advisor: Michael McKain
Gurleen Chana, University of Guelph, Advisor: Christina Caruso
Sam Fuss, Connecticut College, Advisor: Rachel Spicer
Erin Grady, Cal Poly, San Luis Obispo, Advisor: Natalie Love
Wolfgang Graff, Miami University, Advisor: Richard Moore
William Gregor, Miami University, Advisor: Richard Moore
Hanna Hickey, University of Guelph, Advisor: Christina Caruso
Ellie Hollo, Connecticut College, Advisor: Rachel Spicer
Megan Keyser, Miami University, Advisor: Richard Moore
Henry Lagasse, Trinity College, Advisor: Nikisha Patel
Claire Marino, Bucknell University, Advisor: Chris Martine and Tanisha Williams
Taylor Michael, Pittsburg State University, Advisor: Neil Snow
Aadia Moseley-McCloud, Howard University, Advisor: Janelle Burke
Celina Patiño, Weber State University, Advisor: James Cohen
Sam Pelletier, Connecticut College, Advisor: Rachel Spicer
Dominique Pham, University of Richmond, Advisor: Carrie Wu
Sierra Sattler, South Dakota State University, Advisor: Maribeth Latvis
Rachel Savage, South Dakota State University, Advisor: Maribeth Latvis
Madeline Wickers, Bucknell University, Advisor: Chris Martine and Tanisha Williams
Matthew Yamamoto, Connecticut College, Advisor: Rachel Spicer
Noah Yawn, Auburn University, Advisor: Robert Boyd
Diamanda Zizis, Bucknell University, Advisor: Chris Martine and Tanisha Williams
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The BSA Student and PostDoc Travel Awards Winners were selected by lottery
Sevyn Brothers
Claudenice Dalastra
Melissa A. Lehrer
Isabela Lima Borges
Carlos Maya-Lastra
Mason McNair
Erika R. Moore-Pollard
Megan Nibbelink
Zach Smith
Tengxiang Wang
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Vernon I. Cheadle Student Travel Awards (BSA in association with the Developmental and Structural Section)
This award was named in honor of the memory and work of Dr. Vernon I. Cheadle.
Arthur Leung, University of Toronto, Advisor: Rowan Sage, For the Presentation: Ultrastructural modifications facilitated the initial steps in the evolution of C4 photosynthesis in Tribulus (Zygophyllaceae)
Oluwatobi Adekunle Oso, Yale University, Advisor: Professor Erika Edwards, For the Presentation: Origin and Distribution of Leaf Teeth in Temperate Woody Angiosperm Flora.
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Triarch "Botanical Images" Student Travel Awards This award provides acknowledgement and travel support to BSA meetings for outstanding student work coupling digital images (botanical) with scientific explanations/descriptions designed for the general public.
To be announced
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Awards for Students - Given by the Sections
Student Presentation and Poster Awards
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A. J. Sharp Award (ABLS/Bryological and Lichenological Section)
This award is given for the best student paper presented in the Bryological and Lichenological sessions.
To be announced
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Ecological Section Student Presentation Award
To be announced
Ecological Section Poster Awards
To be announced
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Developmental & Structural Poster Award
Best Student Poster
To be announced
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Genetics Section Student Presentation Award
To be announced
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Isabel Cookson Award (Paleobotanical Section) Established in 1976, the Isabel Cookson Award recognizes the best student paper presented in the Paleobotanical Section
To be announced
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Li-COR Prize (Physiological Section)
Each year, the Physiological Section presents the Li-COR prize to acknowledge the best presentation made by any student, regardless of subdiscipline, at the annual meeting. The Li-COR prize is presented annually at the BSA Banquet.
Best Student Oral Presentations
To be announced
Best Student Poster
To be announced
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Katherine Esau Award (Developmental and Structural Section) This award was established in 1985 with a gift from Dr. Esau and is augmented by ongoing contributions from Section members. It is given to the graduate student who presents the outstanding paper in developmental and structural botany at the annual meeting.
To be announced
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Maynard Moseley Award (Developmental & Structural and Paleobotanical Sections) The Maynard F. Moseley Award was established in 1995 to honor a career of dedicated teaching, scholarship, and service to the furtherance of the botanical sciences. Dr. Moseley, known to his students as “Dr. Mo”, died Jan. 16, 2003 in Santa Barbara, CA, where he had been a professor since 1949. He was widely recognized for his enthusiasm for and dedication to teaching and his students, as well as for his research using floral and wood anatomy to understand the systematics and evolution of angiosperm taxa, especially waterlilies. (PSB, Spring, 2003). The award is given to the best student paper, presented in either the Paleobotanical or Developmental and Structural sessions, that advances our understanding of plant structure in an evolutionary context.
To be announced
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Physiological Section Student Presentation and Poster Awards
Best Student Oral Presentation
To be announced
Best Student Poster
To be announced
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Southeastern Section Student Presentation Awards The following winners were selected from the Association of Southeastern Biologists meeting that took place at the end of March, 2023.
Southeastern Section Paper Presentation Award Ben Brewer, Appalachian State University
Southeastern Section Poster Presentation Award Elizabeth Companion, University of North Carolina Asheville
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Phytochemical Section Presentation Awards
Best Presentation:
To be announced
Best Presentation Honorable Mention:
To be announced
Best Poster:
To be announced
Best Poster Honorable Mention:
To be announced
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Developmental & Structural Section Student Travel Awards
Yesenia Madrigal B., Universidad de Antioquia (Colombia), Advisor: Natalia Pabón-Mora, For the Presentation: Assessment of the flowering genetic regulatory network in tropical orchids with different lifeforms.
Deannah Neupert, Miami University, Advisor: Richard Moore, For the Presentation: The alteration to vegetative growth and gene expression supports the use of a novel aerial bulbil in Mimulus gemmiparus for reproduction.
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Bryological and Lichenological Section Student Travel Awards
To be announced
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Ecological Section Student Travel Awards
Annie E. Meeder, California Polytechnic University, Advisor: Dr. Jenn Yost, For the Presentation: Post-eradication transitions and dynamics of Santa Cruz Island vegetation communities.
Charlotte Miranda, San Jose State University, Advisor: Benjamin Carter, For the Presentation: Soil Generalist Erysimum capitatum Shows Differential Adaptation to Serpentine Soil of Origin Across a California Latitudinal Gradient
Shan Wong, Texas Tech University, Advisor: Jyotsna Sharma, For the Presentation: Disjunct populations of a hemi-epiphytic orchid (Vanilla trigonocarpa) show segregation of mycorrhizal niches.
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Economic Botany Section Student Travel Awards
To be announced
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Physiological Section Student Travel Awards
To be announced
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Genetics Section Student Travel Awards
Samantha Drewry, University of Memphis, Advisor: Jennifer Mandel, For the Presentation: Conservation genetics in the endangered whorled sunflower Helianthus verticillatus (Asteraceae).
Elizabeth Uzezi Okinedo, University of Massachusetts Boston, Advisor: Brook Moyers, For the Presentation: Pleiotropy and adaptation in the silverleaf sunflower, Helianthus argophyllus.
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Primarily Undergraduate Institutions (PUI) Section Student Travel Awards
To be announced
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Phytochemical Section Student Travel Awards
To be announced
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Pteridological Section & American Fern Society Student Travel Awards
Lacey E. Benson, San Jose State University, Advisor: Dr. Susan Lambrecht, For the Presentation: A morphometric analysis of western sword fern (Polystichum munitum) pinnae and pinnae scales across the coast redwood forest ecological gradient.
You-Wun Hwang, National Tsing Hua University, Advisor: Li-Yaung Kuo, For the Presentation: Frond dimorphism in Tectaria ferns: trends of their foliar characteristics and spore investment.
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