Dear SMBE Members,

We are writing with three important announcements about the annual meeting, plus two calls for Award nominations and applications for this year.

1. We are pleased to announce the launch of SMBE Everywhere, a series of 8-12 virtual Global Symposia which will occur across the year starting in July 2022 through March 2023. The first virtual Global Symposium will occur on July 11-12, 2022, so please mark your calendars! 

This first symposium will feature the Graduate Student Excellence Symposium, the 2022 Faculty Awards Symposium, and the Presidential Address. On the second day of the symposium, we will be holding a Sustainability Plenary, an Inclusivity & Equity Panel Discussion, and the SMBE business meeting. Please mark your calendars, and see details below on Abstract Submission for the Graduate Student Excellence Symposium!

The full slate of one-day, themed virtual Global Symposia (GS) will be announced later this spring and will all be hosted on a single platform, with the option to attend one, some, or all of the Global Symposia throughout the year via a single registration portal.

2. We would like to make a call for submissions for additional one-day Global Symposia proposals. We have received outstanding submissions, but given the format for this year’s meeting, we are inviting submissions for proposals from organizers in Asia, South America, and Africa, specifically (for informal enquiries, contact smbe.contact@gmail.com). 

Please submit Global Symposia proposals by email to smbe.contact@gmail.com by 20 February 2022 with “Global Symposium proposal” in the subject line.

Symposium Proposal Guidelines

• Symposium organisers should provide a description of the symposium (250 words max) that will be made public if selected. The symposium organisers will also provide a description of how their proposal brings forward the SMBE’s objective of equity and diversity, as well as any additional information for the committee to make an informed review (250 words max)
• Each symposium will include 1-2 invited speakers plus a number of contributed speakers
• Individuals can only be listed as an organiser for one symposium proposal, although organisers can be listed as an invited speaker on another proposal

3. We would like to open the SMBE Everywhere Logo Competition. Entries should be submitted in a vector-based format (*.ai, *.eps, *.pdf) to smbe.contact@gmail.com by 15 March for full consideration. The email subject line should read "SMBE everywhere logo competition" and the winning entry will be notified and will receive a $500 award.

4. The SMBE Graduate Student Excellence Award provides a forum for young investigators to showcase their exemplary research at the annual meeting. We showcase the winners of this award at the Graduate Student Excellence Symposium, which will be part of SMBE Everywhere symposia in 2022. More details for the symposium will follow in the coming months.

Eligibility: Current graduate students and postdoctoral researchers who are members of the Society and who received their primary doctoral-level degree no earlier than July 2021 are eligible. Eligibility extensions can be granted for any career disruption or delay; such an extension should be requested in a cover letter. Approximately eight winners will be selected every year to cover the broad spectrum of research covered by SMBE.

How to apply: You must email a scientific abstract (not to exceed 300 words for body of abstract), title of proposed presentation, and your Curriculum Vitae to smbe@allenpress.com.

The deadline for applications for this award is 15 April 2022.

5. SMBE seeks nominations for Faculty Awards for Early-Career Excellence, Mid-Career Excellence, Lifetime Contribution, and Community Service. Please consider nominating those of your colleagues you believe deserve to be rewarded for their extraordinary achievements and dedication to the field. Updated descriptions of the awards follow; please read them carefully. 

Nominations require a nomination letter, which should clearly indicate the award under consideration and also serve as a recommendation letter; a separate one-page summary of the nominee’s qualifications for the award; a CV of the nominee; and an additional letter of recommendation. Self-nomination is not allowed. The nominator need not be an SMBE member, but the nominee must be a member of SMBE to be considered for the award.

SMBE Early-Career Excellence Award

This annual award is intended for outstanding members of the SMBE community who are in the early stages of an independent research career (3-7 years post-Ph.D). The primary signal of research excellence is a trajectory of innovative, creative research that is moving the field of Molecular Biology and Evolution forward.  The ideal candidate will be one whose career embodies the values of the society, for example in mentoring, outreach, and teaching. The prize includes recognition at the annual SMBE banquet, a cash prize of $2000 and a travel award to attend the annual meeting. 

SMBE Mid-Career Excellence Award

This annual award is intended for outstanding members of the SMBE community who are in the midst of their research careers (8-15 years post-Ph.D.). The primary criterion is a record of truly outstanding research that has contributed broadly to the field of Molecular Biology and Evolution. The ideal candidate will be one whose career embodies the values of the society, for example in mentoring, outreach, and teaching. The prize includes recognition at the annual SMBE banquet, a cash prize of $2000 and a travel award to attend the annual meeting. 

SMBE Lifetime Contribution Award

This annual award is intended for outstanding senior members of the SMBE community (25 years post-Ph.D.).  The primary criterion is a record of truly outstanding research that has contributed broadly to the field of Molecular Biology and Evolution. The ideal candidate will be one whose career embodies the values of the society, for example in mentoring, outreach, and teaching. The prize includes recognition at the annual SMBE banquet, a cash prize of $2000 and a travel award to attend the annual meeting. 

SMBE Community Service Award

This special award will be awarded to members of SMBE who have provided exceptional service to SMBE and the broader scientific community. The term "service" applies broadly to include specific service to the community (such as to the SMBE journals, the Council or annual meetings) and also service that includes scientific outreach and education. The prize includes an award of $2000 as well as reimbursement to attend the annual meeting.

The materials should be compiled into a single PDF file, and should be emailed to smbe@allenpress.com by or before 15 April 2022.

For more information on each award and the specific application details please see the links below:

• Early-Career Excellence Award
• Mid-Career Excellence Award
• Lifetime Contribution Award
• Community Service Award

Sincerely,

Stephen Wright and Sarah Schaack, SMBE Everywhere Organizers

Harmit Malik, Past President (for the Awards)

James McInerney, President