LATEST NEWS

Dear SSE Community,

I am writing to you from my home just 10 km from the site in Minneapolis where police killed George Floyd, the latest in a long series of atrocities against Black Americans. This and other tragic events are set against a backdrop of anxiety, fear, and grief owing to the global Covid-19 pandemic, which has disproportionately affected Black people, Indigenous people, Latinx people, and others in already marginalized groups. The Society for the Study of Evolution mourns these losses and condemns racism, harassment, and discrimination in any form.

To our members in the Black community, we extend our heartfelt sympathy and abiding support at this especially difficult time. To this community, and to all biologists of color: we hear you, and we see you. We will listen to and amplify your voices. We are striving to learn how to do better, and we will continue to work toward inclusion and equity in all of our activities. 

SSE’s mission is to promote the study of evolutionary biology. The scientific core of evolutionary biology is valuing and appreciating biological diversity. Likewise, we welcome, support, and celebrate the diversity of our members. Like many fields of science, the field of evolutionary biology has lacked diversity, with Black people and people of African descent being particularly underrepresented (Graves 2019). Centuries of inequity and racism, suffered severely by Black communities, have resulted in barriers to participation in STEM that we must all work to break down. We promote equity, inclusion, accessibility, and diversity at all levels, and we encourage participation by individuals of all identities. 

We also acknowledge that concepts central to evolutionary biology, especially heredity and natural selection, have historically been misused to justify egregious manifestations of racism, and that even today, co-options of evolutionary biology are being used to support racist ideologies. As evolutionary biologists, we must confront this disinformation.

We encourage the SSE community to recognize, amplify, and celebrate the contributions that Black scientists have made, and continue to make, to the field of biology despite myriad barriers. This week, we have an excellent opportunity to do this. A group of Black biologists, collected under ;@BlackAFInStem on Twitter, started the Black Birders Week initiative, which is highlighting Black birders and naturalists. We wholeheartedly support these efforts and encourage you to follow the conversations and contributors this week on Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram at #BlackBirdersWeek and #BlackInNature, and to be on the lookout for similar future initiatives.

In the wake of last week’s painful events, I encourage all of us to examine acutely how privilege manifests in our daily lives and our work, to take steps to mitigate the resulting harm, to examine our own tendencies to stereotype, to call out racist or exclusionary statements, and to consider ways to act and provide support. 

In solidarity,



Ruth Shaw
President, Society for the Study of Evolution

Dear SSE Community,

First, I hope you are able to stay safe and well.

Our stated mission as a scientific society is to promote the study of evolutionary biology. In the coming months, we will continue to strive toward that goal as we are able, but it will likely look different from  what we’re used to. We have started a Resources Page with links to online teaching resources, seminar series, and tips for conducting research from home. (Submit a resource here.) We are also in the process of considering options for virtual events this summer, with the goal of supporting our early career researchers as well as possible. 

Lastly, I want to acknowledge that though we are experiencing a global phenomenon, we all face unique challenges and experiences. Please remember to be kind to one another -- including yourself! We especially encourage those who, in the coming years, will be evaluating individuals for new faculty hires or promotions, or for postdoc positions, or as prospective grad students to avoid weighting heavily the amount or quality of work that appears to have been accomplished during this difficult time. Now more than ever is a time of extenuating circumstances, when matters far out of our control are making drastic, unforeseen changes in our lives and work.

Thanks for reading, and for being part of this community. 


Ruth Shaw
President, Society for the Study of Evolution

Only 10 days left to apply for SSE funding for your international symposium, workshop, or short course! This year the International Committee awards can be used for virtual events too. Submit your application by June 1! 

We are pleased to announce a new series, Evolution Highlights. Each month, this series will highlight some of the interesting and varied papers published within the last few years in Evolution. This month, we highlight "How mountains shape biodiversity: The role of the Andes in biogeography, diversification, and reproductive biology in South America’s most species-rich lizard radiation (Squamata: Liolaemidae)." Highlight by Damien Esquerré. 

We are pleased to announce a new series, Evolution Highlights. Each month, this series will highlight some of the interesting and varied papers published within the last few years in Evolution. This month, we highlight "Differential introgression of a female competitive trait in a hybrid zone between role-reversed species." Highlight by Sara Lipshutz. 

In the New Faculty Profiles, we invite highlighted faculty to discuss their research, describe how SSE has impacted their career, and share any tips or stories they may have for other researchers. This month we highlight Dr. Clare Scott Chialvo.

In the New Faculty Profiles, we invite highlighted faculty to discuss their research, describe how SSE has impacted their career, and share any tips or stories they may have for other researchers. This month we highlight Dr. Michael Landis.

Congratulations to the 2020 Dobzhansky Prize Winner, Dr. Jacqueline Sztepanacz! Dr. Sztepanacz is an Assistant Professor in the Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology at the University of Toronto and an Invited Fellow at the Centre for Advanced Studies at the Norwegian Academy of Science and Letters. The Dobzhansky Prize recognizes the accomplishments and future promise of an outstanding young evolutionary biologist. The prize is accompanied by a check for U.S. $5000, and the recipient is invited to speak at the annual Evolution meeting.

The 2021 annual meeting of the Society for the Study of Evolution (SSE) is planned for June 25–29, 2021 at the Albuquerque Convention Center in NM USA. The SSE Council invites proposals for one sponsored symposium at the meeting. Sub-fields or taxonomic groups that have been underrepresented in past symposia will be considered preferentially. Previous sponsored symposia are listed on the SSE website along with detailed instructions for preparing proposals.

In addition to novelty, we seek a symposium topic that will help SSE celebrate its 75^th birthday in 2021!

Congratulations to Dr. Dorota Paczesniak, recipient of the 2020 Fisher Prize for her paper, “Parasite resistance predicts fitness better than fecundity in a natural population of the freshwater snail Potamopyrgus antipodarum.” The R. A. Fisher Prize is awarded annually by the Society for the Study of Evolution for an outstanding Ph.D. dissertation paper published in an issue of the journal Evolution during a given calendar year. The award comes with a $1000 honorarium.

In light of the uncertainties around event planning for the next few months, the Society for the Study of Evolution (SSE) International Committee has extended the deadline for two of their grants:

Co-sponsorship of symposia organized by non-US evolution societies
The goal of this award is to foster communication between scientists from different countries by stimulating scientific dialogue through co-sponsored symposia. Evolution societies with limited financial resources will have the opportunity to invite speakers who are SSE members to their meeting. This will provide growth opportunities for both societies, since it will not only benefit the hosting society but also create opportunities for new collaborations for the invited speakers.

NEW DEADLINE: JUNE 1, 2020

Evolution International Events Award
These events are aimed at furthering the purpose of SSE by fostering international collaborations amongst evolution oriented societies and scientists. Eligible events would include specialized symposia, workshops and short courses in any aspect of evolutionary biology. The events could be hosted either in the US or abroad and preference should be given to events that specifically include participants from countries other than the USA.

NEW DEADLINE: JUNE 1, 2020

The deadline to submit a nomination for the SSE Lifetime Achievement Award has been extended to April 26. SSE values the contributions of diverse researchers and encourages nominators to consider all potential mentors and colleagues. Self-nominations are welcome. 

The SSE Graduate Student Advisory Council (GSAC) is in search of two additional student members to serve in the 2020 cohort! 

The GSAC represents student and postdoc interests to the SSE Council and facilitates interaction among students and postdocs, and between students, postdocs, and mentors. Our goal is to be a source of information for students to use during their graduate school career and as they make career transitions. GSAC members must be graduate students at the time of application, and at least one year into their PhD program. Applicants should be organized, possess leadership skills, and be interested in working with SSE members to contribute to the Society. 

Applications are due April 22, 2020.

In response to many requests via social media, the Evolution Meeting organizers are taking pre-orders for shirts for Evolution 2020, "The Meeting That Never Happened." Shirts are available in two styles and will be sold until April 23. All profits will go to the meeting account shared by SSE, ASN, and SSB. Get yours today!

The annual meeting is run on a break-even basis whereby registration fees and sponsorship income cover the expenses associated with the conference. Even in the best-case scenario, there will be financial consequences to the societies of cancelling the 2020 meeting. If you would like to make a donation to help defray cancellation costs for the three societies, you can now do so through SSE. All funds will go to the conference accounts. 

Dear SSE Colleagues,

As the COVID-19 pandemic has been unfolding across the globe, we evolutionary biologists, along with the rest of the world's population, find ourselves embedded in this staggering biological phenomenon that is causing severe disruption of our personal and professional lives. I write to convey my keen hope that you are all keeping well and helping those around you by complying with CDC recommendations for changing our behavior. Beyond this, I hope you yourselves can maintain good spirits and support those in your circles. I am sorely disappointed that we won't be meeting in June as friends and fellow students of evolution, but I will continue to appreciate our mutually supportive community of evolutionists.

Ruth Shaw
President, Society for the Study of Evolution

In the New Faculty Profiles, we invite highlighted faculty to discuss their research, describe how SSE has impacted their career, and share any tips or stories they may have for other researchers. This month we highlight Dr. Susana Wadgymar.

In the New Faculty Profiles, we invite highlighted faculty to discuss their research, describe how SSE has impacted their career, and share any tips or stories they may have for other researchers. This month we highlight Dr. Nicholas Kooyers.

The councils of SSB, ASN, and SSE have made the difficult decision to cancel the 2020 Evolution meeting in Cleveland. Our highest priority is the health and well-being of our communities. Full refunds will be issued to all attendees and sponsors who have registered thus far. We are continuing to plan for Evolution 2021 in Albuquerque, New Mexico. Please pay attention to best practices during these stressful times, and stay healthy.

The Society for the Study of Evolution is pleased to announce the 2021 Lifetime Achievement Award for evolutionary biologists. The award recognizes individuals who have made substantial contributions to the study of evolution, who have demonstrated outstanding mentorship of trainees, and/or who have provided noteworthy service to the evolution community.  The awardee will be chosen this summer and will be presented at the 2021 Evolution meeting in Albuquerque, NM. Nominations are due April 1, 2020. 

SSE, the American Society of Naturalists (ASN), and the Society of Systematic Biologists (SSB) are pleased to announce the recipients of the inaugural Inclusiveness, Diversity, Equity, and Access (IDEA) Award, Dr. Scott Edwards and Dr. Richard Kliman. Dr. Edwards and Dr. Kliman were selected for their steadfast commitment to increasing diversity, equity, and inclusion of underrepresented minorities in evolutionary biology. In 2001, they started the Undergraduate Diversity at Evolution (UDE) program, which still provides funding and mentorship for students to attend the annual Evolution meeting. Since its inception, nearly 250 US and international undergraduates have had the opportunity to participate. Thank you to Dr. Edwards and Dr. Kliman for your commitment and contributions to the community!

An important note from our meeting organizers:

At this point, the Evolution meeting is going ahead as planned. Registration remains open and we note that attendees can cancel their meeting registration for a full refund (less a nominal $10 fee) up to June 1. We are monitoring the situation as the health and safety of our attendees remains our top priority, and while we will do our best to avoid it, we will cancel if deemed appropriate. We are currently assessing our agreements with the conference center and other parties and will be consulting with the governing councils of SSE, ASN, and SSB. We hope to establish a more firm timetable for decisions in the next 10 days or so. Updates will be posted on the meeting website as soon as they are available.

The SSE Graduate Student Advisory Council (GSAC) is in search of two additional student members to serve in the 2020 cohort! The GSAC represents student and postdoc interests to the SSE Council and facilitates interaction among students and postdocs, and between students, postdocs, and mentors. Our goal is to be a source of information for students to use during their graduate school career and as they make career transitions. Applications are due April 15. Learn more about GSAC and how to apply here.

The Society for the Study of Evolution (SSE) Education Committee is pleased to announce the 2020 T. H. Huxley award, named in honor of Darwin's very public supporter, which recognizes and promotes the development of high quality evolution education resources. If you have an interesting project or educational activity to share, consider applying for this award. Graduate students and postdoctoral fellows are encouraged to apply. 

This award provides funding for an SSE member to present evolution education resources at the National Association of Biology Teachers (http://nabt.org/) annual conference. This year’s NABT conference will be held Nov. 5-8, 2020 in Baltimore, MD. 

Applications are due March 22. Learn more and apply here.

The SSE Gould Prize Committee is pleased to announce Dr. Leslie J. Rissler of the National Science Foundation as the 2020 recipient of the Stephen Jay Gould Prize. Dr. Rissler was selected for her contributions and commitment to the public understanding of evolutionary biology, including founding the Evolutionary Working Group at the University of Alabama, which organized an Evolutionary Studies Minor for undergraduates and the Alabama Lectures on Life’s Evolution (ALLELE) seminar series for the public. Dr. Rissler also served as the Science Advisor and Executive Co-Producer of the Alabama Public Television program “Speaking Evolution.” As the Gould Prize awardee, Dr. Rissler will present the public outreach lecture at this year’s Evolution meeting in Cleveland, OH, USA in June. Learn more about the Gould Prize here.