Professional Organizations: Biology
The following organizations, associations and societies are focused on some aspect of biological science. The sites have been marked to indicate whether they have significant original material (***) or many well organized links (**) in addition to information about their particular organization. We are currently working on lists of professional organizations that focus on teaching, health, and on the use of technology in the classroom as well as other scientific disciplines. Please let us know if you know of a professional organization that belongs on any of these lists.
- American Association for the Advancement of Science*** is dedicated to the advancement of scientific and technological excellence across all disciplines, and to the public's understanding of science and technology.
- American
Bryological & Lichenological Society is devoted to the scientific study of all aspects of the biology of bryophytes and lichen-forming fungi.
- American Fern Society *** is a group of professionals and amateurs from around the world who grow and study ferns. You can learn how to grow a particular fern, exchange some spores, learn fern biology and share knowledge with experts, all at this site.
- American Fisheries Society promotes scientific research and enlightened management of resources for optimum use and enjoyment by the public. It also encourages a comprehensive education for fisheries scientists and continuing on-the-job training.
- American Institute of Biological Sciences is dedicated to advancing biological
research and education for the welfare of society. AIBS membership includes more than 5,000 biologists and 200 professional societies and scientific organizations. Of special note to educators is the AIBS education website, ActionBioscience.org.
- American Museum of Natural
History*** Visit past and present museum exhibits from the comfort of your home.
- American
Ornithologists'
Union, the oldest and largest organization in the New World devoted to the scientific study of birds, is a professional organization. However,its membership also includes many amateurs dedicated to the advancement of ornithological science.
- American Public Gardens Association (APGA) is the professional association for public gardens in North America, supporting the public horticulture community in its mission to study, display, and conserve plants.
- American Phytopathological Society*** site features an in depth look at a different plant pathogens including photos, an extensive overview and full technical reports each month. Previous reports are archived.
- American Society for
Gravitational & Space Biology
-
American Society for Microbiology*** represents 25 disciplines of microbiological specialization plus a division for microbiology educators. The News Room part of their site features current and archived reports on new research from ASM journals.
- American Society of
Parasitologists is a group of scientists from industry, government, and academia interested in the study and teaching of Parasitology. ASP members have contributed not only to the development of parasitology as a discipline, but also to primary research in systematics, medicine, molecular biology, immunology, physiology, ecology, and biochemistry.
- American Society for
Photobiology promotes original research in photobiology; facilitates the integration of different disciplines in the study of photobiology; promotes the dissemination of knowledge of photobiology; and provides information on the photobiological aspects of national and international problems
- American Society of Agronomy posts Daily Briefings which highlight current news items related to agronomy, crop science or soil science.
- American Society of Limnology &
Oceanography has members working in both fresh and salt water.
- American Society of Mammalogists is developing state by state lists of mammals.
- American Society of
Naturalists*** works for the conceptual unification of the biological sciences by advancing and disseminating knowledge of organic evolution and other broad biological principles. Their journal, The American Naturalist is online as well as in print.
- American Society of Plant Biologists (formerly, the American Society of Plant Physiologists) publishes Plant Physiology and The Plant Cell. Their web site provides links to current news relating to the world of plants.
- American Society of Plant Taxonomists promotes research and teaching in the taxonomy, systematics, and phylogeny of vascular and nonvascular plants.
- American Type Culture
Collection acquires, authenticates, preserves, develops, and distributes biological materials, information, technology, intellectual property, and standards for the advancement, validation, and application of scientific knowledge.
- Animal
Behavior Society promotes and encourages the biological study of animal behavior in the broadest sense, including studies at all levels of
organization using both descriptive and experimental methods under natural and controlled conditions.
- Association for Tropical Biology and Conservation promotes research and fosters the exchange of ideas among biologists working in tropical environments.
- Association of College
& University Biology Educators*** are making the past 22 years of their journalBioscene available online.
- Association of
Ecosystem Research Centers** provides a search of the web pages of 39 U.S. research programs in universities and private, state and federal laboratories that conduct research, provide training and analyze policy at the ecosystem level of environmental science and natural resources management.
- Beyond Bio 101*** describes the changes taking place in how American college students learn biology--a story of tremendous importance not only to scientists and students but also to a society facing difficult choices about health care, the environment, and other issues involving biology.
- Biological Sciences Curriculum
Study has developed inquiry-based science curricula for elementary, middle-school levels, high school and undergraduate college students.
- BioQUEST Curriculum Consortium*** project supports an extended network of educators interested in the reform of undergraduate biology.
- BiologyBrowser,*** produced by BIOSIS, is a free web site offering resources for the life sciences information community.
- Botanical Society of America exists to promote research and teaching in all fields of plant biology, to facilitate cooperation among plant biologists and other scientists worldwide, and to disseminate knowledge of plants, algae and fungi. American Journal of Botany is online.
- Center for Biology Education*** is a national coalition of professional societies in the biological sciences that have joined together in an effort to improve undergraduate education in the life sciences. Links to professional societies in higher education and science education, undergraduate biology education initiatives and curriculum recommendations applicable to undergraduate education.
- Cell Stress Society International promotes the clinical and industrial applications of basic research in the field of cellular stress response.
- Cooper Ornithological Society supports natural history collections, their human resources, the institutions that house them, and related research for the benefit of science and society.
- Council of Science Editors** aims to improve communication in the life sciences by educating authors, editors, and publishers; by providing means of cooperation among persons interested in publishing in the life sciences; and by promoting effective communication practices in primary and secondary publishing in any form. Site contains a list of links related to science writing and publishing, helpful to anyone writing about science.
- Ecological Society of
America works to stimulate sound ecological research; clarify and communicate the science of ecology; promote the responsible application of ecological knowledge to public issues.
- Entomological Society of America*** serves the professional and scientific needs of entomologists and people in related disciplines. Their Education Resources include information about careers, education, and scholarships related to entomology and links to interviews with entomologists.
- Evolution and the Nature of Science*** site contains lessons and other resources developed by ENSI Institutes.
- Estuarine Research Federation*** promotes research in estuarine and coastal waters, promotes communication between members of affiliated societies, conducts meetings and is available as a source of advice in matters concerning estuaries and the coastal zone. Full text of recent issues of Estuaries is available online.
- International Association for
Landscape Ecology links workers in landscape ecology to promote the interdisciplinary research and communication among scientists, planners, and other professionals concerned with landscape ecology. The US-IALE, is the United States Regional affiliate.
- International Society for Computational Biology*** is focused on application and development of computational methods to study macromolecular structure/function relationships. They are also involved in the development of web-based tools for protein sequence and structure analysis, tools for computing electrostatic interactions in proteins, and the use of technology in biology education.
- International
Society for Ecological Economics is dedicated to advancing understanding of the relationships among ecological, social, and economic systems for the mutual well-being of nature and people.
- International
Society for Ecological Modelling*** promotes the international exchange of ideas, scientific results, and general knowledge in the area of the application of systems analysis and simulation in ecology and natural resource management. ECOMOD is available online in pdf format.
- International Society for Ecosystem Health focuses on the relationship between changing environments and human health; methods of ecosystem health management at various scales; and the analysis of intent and effectiveness of policies and programs designed to promote the health and integrity of the earth's ecosystems.
- Mycological
Society of America*** dedicated to advancing the study of fungi of all kinds including mushrooms, truffles, yeasts, plant pathogens, and medically important fungi. Mycologia is available on the web; Inoculum is available via their gopher server.
- National Association of Biology
Teachers advocates the teaching and learning of the biological sciences
based on the nature and methods of science and the best practices of education.
- National Biological Information Infrastructure (NBII)** is an electronic gateway to biological data and information maintained by federal, state, and local government agencies; private sector organizations; and other partners around the nation and the world.
- National Center for Science Education works to increase public understanding of evolution and science "as a way of knowing," and to defend the teaching of evolution against sectarian attack. NCSE is a clearinghouse for information and advice regarding the teaching of evolution in the science classroom.
- National Museum
of Natural History,*** Smithsonian Collections, has online searchable collections databases of specimens,illustrations, anthropological collections and more. The also have reference databases and comprehensive lists of literature references.
- Natural Science Collections Alliance supports and enhances natural history collections, their human resources, and the institutions that house them, for the benefit of science and society.
- Nature Conservancy*** has as its mission to preserve plants, animals and natural communities that represent the diversity of life on Earth by protecting the lands and waters they need to survive. Conservancy publications including those on Conservation Science are available online.
- New York Botanical Garden*** searchable databases include living specimens, herbarium specimen catalogs and botanical literature of this and other botanical institutions.
- North American Benthological
Society promote better understanding of the biotic communities of lake and stream bottoms and their role in aquatic ecosystems. Site answers "What is Benthos?"
- Organization for Tropical
Studies*** Extensive online datasets include text, collections and numeric data.
- Organization of Biological Field
Stations** web site provides links to OBFS member stations where descriptions of courses offered, summer internships, teacher education, and other projects are described.
- PLANTS Database*** is a single source of standardized information about plants. This database focuses on vascular plants, mosses, liverworts, hornworts, and lichens of the U.S. and its territories.
- Poultry Science Association*** web site includes its journal Poultry Science along with meeting information.
- Phycological Society of
America promotes phycology, the study of algae, and fosters phycological research and education.
- Radiation Research Society** facilitates cooperative research among the disciplines of physics, chemistry, biology and medicine in the study of the properties and effects of radiation. Many links related to radiation research and radiation biology.
- Society for Conservation
Biology is an international professional organization dedicated to promoting the scientific study of the phenomena that affect the maintenance, loss, and restoration of biological diversity. This web site has message board and archives of Conservation Biology ListServ.
- Society for Ecological Restoration is an organization for people researching, practicing or interested in Ecological Restoration.
- Society for Economic Botany fosters and encourages scientific research, education, and related activities on the past, present, and future uses of plants, and the relationship between plants and people.
- Society for Industrial Microbiology is a dedicated to the advancement of microbiological sciences, specifically as applied to industrial materials, processes, products and their associated problems.
- Society for Integrative & Comparative
Biology facilitates the integration of the many fields of specialization in the broad field of biology.
- Society for In Vitro
Biology focuses on biological research, development, and applications of significance to science and society as it relates to in vitro biology of cells, tissues and organs from both plant and animals (including humans)
- Society for Mathematical Biology provides a forum for discussion of research in biology, mathematical-biology, and mathematics applied to or motivated by biology.
- Society of Protozoologists** web site has links related to protozoans.
- Society for the Study of
Evolution promotes of the study of organic evolution and the integration of the various fields of science concerned with evolution.
- Society for Wetland Scientists promotes the understanding and study of wetlands. Site contains links of wetlands interests including some designed for use in classrooms.
- Society of Environmental Toxicology & Chemistry focuses on multidisciplinary approaches to the study of environmental issues and the management and conservation of natural resources to solve environmental problems.
- Society of Nematologists is a mixture of basic and applied researchers and graduate students from various disciplines within agriculture and the biological sciences.
- Society
of Systematic Biologists works to advance the science of systematic biology in all its aspects of theory, principles, methodology, and practice, for both living and fossil organisms, with emphasis on areas of common interest to all taxonomists regardless of individual specialization.
- Society of Toxicology
The Society of Toxicology is an organization of scientists from academic institutions, government, and industry representing the great variety of scientists who practice toxicology. The Society promotes the acquisition and utilization of knowledge in toxicology, aids in the protection of public health, and facilitates disciplines.
- Soil Science Society of America** focuses on soil as it relates to crop production, environmental quality, ecosystem sustainability, bioremediation, waste management and recycling, and wise land use.
- Species 2000*** has the objective of enumerating all known species of plants, animals, fungi and microbes on Earth as the baseline dataset for studies of global biodiversity. Users worldwide will be able to verify the scientific name, status and classification of any known species via the Species Locator, which provides access to species checklist data drawn from an array of participating databases.
- U.S.
Federation for Culture Collections (USFCC) is a society whose purpose is to further the science and practice of culture maintenance and systematic microbiology.
- Weed Science Society of
America*** maintains a virtual herbarium of common weeds and harmful plants, information on herbicides (Dead Weed Movies, chemical info, regulations, and manufacturers) and a database of noxious weeds, plant names and herbicide resistance.
- World Health Organization*** posts disease statistics and other information about the status of health in nations around the world.
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Last Updated: January 2007
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