Current Committee Members

  • Rachel Jabaily (2027), Chair and At-Large Director - Education
  • Rebecca (Arby) Barone, Graduate Student Representative (2025)
  • Emily Rollinson (2025)
  • Sonali Saha (2025)
  • Molly Edwards (2026)
  • Vanessa Koelling (2027)
  • Ed McAssey (2027)
  • Austin Melancon (2026), Undergrad Student Representative
  • Catrina Adams, BSA Education Director, ex officio
  • Phil Gibson, Editor, PlantED, ex officio

Education Committee

About the Committee

Chaired by the Director-at-large for Education, the Education Committee focuses on all matters relating to teaching, training, and professional education in the plant sciences, including informal, K-12, undergraduate, and graduate biology education. A highly successful BSA program to have come from the work of this committee is PlantingScience. Other recent initiatives have been to enhance educational outreach resources on the BSA website and co-sponsorship of the Life Discovery: Doing Science education conference.


Students

This committee will have one graduate and one undergraduate student as part of its composition. The student representatives will be full voting members and will be expected to provide a student or early-career researcher’s perspective on how best to improve the education efforts of the BSA.


Member Commitment

Committee membership is open to all BSA membership categories: emeritus, retired, professional, affiliate, postdoc, student, developing nation. Committees strive for both institutional/organizational and geographic diversity. Committee members are expected to participate and be engaged in committee activities and have a genuine interest in the mission of the committee.


Time Commitment

At least three meetings per year, with one meeting normally taking place during the Botany conference. Members serve three-year terms, except for student members whose terms are for two years.

Interested in Applying?

Those interested in being considered for committee service should complete a short application (200 words or less) that includes a statement of interest highlighting your expertise, experience, and interest in serving on this particular committee. Applications are accepted December 1 – February 1 and will be reviewed by the Committee on Committees. Committee appointments are typically made in May to begin in July. Questions about committee membership? Send an email to bsa-manager@botany.org.

To apply to be on this committee, click here and sign in with your BotanyID and password. Only committees that have openings will appear on the BSA Committee Application website. Once you open an application, you should see the blue button "Create New Committee Application." If you do not see the blue button, or need other assistance, email bsa-manager@botany.org.


Click here to return to the main Committee and Committee Officers page.