Networking Made Simple: The New MAC Database

Networking with people of color and planning research collaborations are great ways to advance and encourage minorities in plant biology. Now it is easier than ever to do these things, through a new database created by the ASPB Minority Affairs Committee (MAC). ASPB has a strong commitment to diversity, and this new database of plant biologists who are also people of color has been launched to support this commitment.

The database has been designed to meet two goals. First, it will provide networking opportunities for ethnic minorities working in plant science, including students, postdocs, researchers, and faculty and industry scientists. From this networking will come opportunities for mentoring and collaboration.
The second goal of the database is to make it easy for ASPB members to identify people of color with whom they may want to collaborate. Plant biologists working at smaller institutions, or in job positions that do not allow time for substantial research during the academic year, can often benefit from interaction with established laboratories. This is a benefit recognized by federal granting agencies that, as part of their grants to laboratories, often include funding for scientists to visit and work in those research labs during the summer. In the past, however, members often had difficulty identifying potential collaborators to participate in their grant and research activities. The MAC database is intended to solve that problem.

How Can I Participate in the Database?

Participation is easy and voluntary. You can sign up at http://www.aspb.org/committees/minorityaffairs/plantscimin.cfm, where you will be asked to fill in your contact information and area of research interest. Partici-pation is not limited to ASPB members. MAC does, however, have free one-year, first-time memberships for minority researchers and would like to especially encourage those teaching plant biology at minority-serving institutions and community colleges to become members. The application for free membership can be accessed at //secure_forms/msimbr.cfm?minority=yes.
The database is a free service provided by ASPB and is part of its larger program, developed through MAC, to increase the number of underrepresented minorities doing science and particularly the numbers of those working in the plant biology area. To learn more about MAC activities, including a special symposium and speakers at the 2004 Plant Biology annual meeting and the 2004 Travel Awards program, please visit our web page regularly at http://www.aspb.org/ committees/minorityaffairs/.