{"id":16126,"date":"2020-01-07T16:13:12","date_gmt":"2020-01-07T21:13:12","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/esa.org\/esablog\/?p=16126"},"modified":"2020-01-07T16:13:12","modified_gmt":"2020-01-07T21:13:12","slug":"a-brief-look-back-at-esa-in-2019","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/esa.org\/esablog\/2020\/01\/07\/a-brief-look-back-at-esa-in-2019\/","title":{"rendered":"A Brief Look Back at ESA in 2019"},"content":{"rendered":"

An update from Executive Director Catherine O\u2019Riordan<\/strong><\/p>\n

\"Cathy<\/a><\/p>\n

Happy New Year!\u00a0\u00a0<\/span>As ESA members and staff begin\u00a0<\/span>a new year in 2020<\/span>,\u00a0<\/span>I would like to<\/span>\u00a0take a few minutes to reflect on a few of our accomplishments in 2019.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

The ESA Governing Board led an effort to draft a new strategic plan<\/a> that will guide our efforts through 2022.\u00a0 In addition, they have begun a review of ESA governance that has resulted in\u00a0<\/span>changes to modernize ESA Bylaws.\u00a0 These changes will help ESA to function as a modern scientific society to achieve our mission \u2013\u00a0<\/span>to advance the science and practice of ecology and support ecologists throughout their careers.\u00a0<\/span>\u00a0<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Our expanded membership office\u00a0<\/span>has prioritized<\/span>\u00a0improved customer service, better implementation of our existing communication tools, and building more value into ESA membership.<\/span>\u00a0 The office launched\u00a0<\/span>a new\u00a0<\/span>a\u00a0<\/span>webinar series last year, focusing on practical skills (like using NEON data, story maps, data visualization, and publishing) as well as ESA\u2019s programs, like certification and\u00a0<\/span>internship opportunities<\/span>.\u202f To date, nearly 1,000 people have participated in these virtual sessions, and the schedule for 2020 is filling up with additional offerings in career exploration, science communication, practical workplace skills and more.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

New efforts to support section and chapter activities have been well-received. Monthly conference calls with the chairs have seen steady attendance, either live or by recording; these meetings provide chairs an opportunity to hear about ongoing work at headquarters and news from the Governing\u00a0<\/span>Board<\/span>,<\/span>\u00a0and<\/span>\u00a0<\/span>provides a discussion forum.\u00a0 The<\/span>\u00a0ECOLOG-L listserv, which ESA officially\u00a0<\/span>transferred<\/span>\u00a0<\/span>to<\/span>\u00a0its own servers early in 2019, has continued to grow in terms of both subscribers and activity.\u00a0<\/span>ESA staff<\/span>\u00a0also keep members updated\u00a0<\/span>about<\/span>\u00a0their benefits and status by using the ECO platform, improved email strategies and the redesigned website.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

The ESA Annual Meeting in Louisville<\/span>,<\/span>\u00a0Kentucky<\/span>,<\/span>\u00a0drew\u00a0<\/span>almost 2,800<\/span>\u00a0participants.\u00a0\u00a0<\/span>Plenary talks given by\u00a0<\/span>Karen Warkentin, Katharine\u00a0<\/span>Suding<\/span>, and Robin Wall Kimmer<\/span>\u00a0were\u00a0<\/span>all focused on the conference\u00a0<\/span>theme:\u00a0\u00a0<\/span>Bridging Communities and Ecosystems: Inclusion as an\u00a0<\/span>E<\/span>cological Imperativ<\/span>e<\/span>.<\/span>\u00a0These talks are available for viewing on the\u00a0<\/span>meeting website.<\/span><\/a>\u00a0<\/span>\u00a0<\/span>For the 1<\/span>st<\/span>\u00a0time<\/span>,<\/span>\u00a0travel support\u00a0<\/span>was offered<\/span>\u00a0to<\/span>\u00a0<\/span>those<\/span>\u00a0<\/span>impacted<\/span>\u00a0by state\u00a0<\/span>travel<\/span>\u00a0bans or those who lacked\u00a0<\/span>institutional<\/span>\u00a0support<\/span>\u00a0to attend the conference<\/span>\u00a0<\/span>by using funds from the Opportunity Fund<\/span>.\u00a0<\/span>Ecology celebrated its 100<\/span>th<\/span>\u00a0birthday at the conference<\/span>,<\/span>\u00a0along with thanking outgoing\u00a0<\/span>Eco<\/span><\/i>logy<\/span><\/i>\u00a0<\/span>Editor in Chief Don Strong for his\u00a0<\/span>years of\u00a0<\/span>service<\/span>.<\/span>\u00a0We also offered\u00a0a\u00a0<\/span>\u00a0robust\u00a0<\/span>Career Central opportunity with sessions ranging from interview techniques to data tools, plus\u00a0<\/span>a \u201cspeed dating\u201d pitch session with ESA\u2019s editors<\/span>\u00a0<\/span>in<\/span>\u00a0<\/span>chief.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

The National Park Leaders program was launc<\/span>h<\/span>ed through ESA\u2019s education office.\u00a0\u00a0<\/span>This\u00a0<\/span>program provides internship opportunities for upper<\/span>\u2013<\/span>level undergraduate and graduate students in units of the National Park Systems.\u00a0\u00a0<\/span>Projects<\/span><\/a>\u202fencompass natural and cultural resource conservation, park infrastructure, policy development, interpretation and education, and addressing management challenges arising from global drivers of environmental change.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Through support from ESA, Wiley and generous donors, the Public Affairs\u00a0<\/span>O<\/span>ffice\u00a0<\/span>awarded\u00a0<\/span>10 students\u00a0<\/span>the opportunity to come to Washington and learn about science policy through the\u00a0<\/span>Graduate Student Policy Awards<\/span>.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

ESA journals continue to publish highly cited content.\u00a0\u00a0<\/span>The\u00a0<\/span>Impact Factor for\u00a0<\/span>Frontiers\u00a0<\/span><\/i>in Ecology and\u00a0<\/span><\/i>the\u00a0<\/span><\/i>Environment<\/span><\/i>\u00a0increased to over 10.\u00a0 Kath<\/span>ryn<\/span>\u00a0Cottingham<\/span>,\u00a0<\/span>p<\/span>rofessor<\/span>\u00a0<\/span>of biological sciences at Dartmouth College,\u00a0<\/span>has now transitioned into the role of new Editor in Chief for\u00a0<\/span>Ecology<\/span><\/i>.\u00a0 She has begun her term and is revamping the Ecology editorial board to support her<\/span>\u00a0visio.<\/span>\u00a0All\u00a0<\/span>ESA<\/span>\u00a0journals now offer the gold O<\/span>pen Access<\/span>\u00a0option (<\/span>Frontiers, Ecology,\u00a0<\/span><\/i>Ecological\u00a0<\/span><\/i>Applications,\u00a0<\/span><\/i>Ecological\u00a0<\/span><\/i>Monographs<\/span><\/i>); the\u00a0<\/span>ESA B<\/span><\/i>ulletin<\/span><\/i>\u00a0and\u00a0<\/span>Ecosphere<\/span><\/i>\u00a0remain fully open access.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

The\u00a0<\/span>Sustaining Biological Infrastructure Training Initiative<\/span><\/a>\u00a0continues to provide directors of labs, collections, field stations, and digital data resources with the fundraising, communication, and strategic planning skills they need to ensure their project\u2019s success.\u00a0<\/span>This year we<\/span>\u00a0held two\u00a0<\/span>Strategies for Success<\/span><\/i>\u00a0courses and unveiled<\/span>\u00a0a new 2-day business planning course.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

ESA released\u00a0<\/span>Issue in Ecology No. 21<\/span><\/a>\u00a0on Impacts to Wildlife of Wind Energy Siting and Operation in the United States<\/span>.<\/span>\u00a0The Issue combines the expertise of 13 scientists from academia, industry, state and federal government, and conservation organizations. It summarizes what we know about the potential risks to wildlife associated with wind energy, current tactics to reduce these risks, and gaps in knowledge that call for further research.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

ESA\u2019s\u00a0<\/span>Panel on Vegetation Classification<\/span><\/a>\u00a0works to ensure the scientific rigor of the US National Vegetation Classification (USNVC).<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/b>The USNVC helps land managers collaborate<\/span>,\u00a0<\/span>manage<\/span>,<\/span>\u00a0and identify vegetation trends on landscape, regional, and national scales.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/b>Panel members presented two webinars\u00a0<\/span>this year<\/span>:\u00a0<\/span>A<\/span>n<\/span>\u00a0Introduction to the USNVC (available\u00a0<\/span>here<\/span><\/a>)<\/span>, and Using Concepts and Products of the USNVC to Address Agency-Wide Business Needs (available\u00a0<\/span>here<\/span><\/a>).<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

These are just a few\u00a0<\/span>of the many accomplishments we, as a community, achieved in 2019<\/span>.\u00a0\u00a0<\/span>I encourage you to get involved in\u00a0<\/span>and continue to support\u00a0<\/span>ESA programs<\/span>\u2013\u00a0<\/span>ESA is your society<\/span>.\u00a0 Together, we can achieve even more in 2020!<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

An update from Executive Director Catherine O\u2019Riordan Happy New Year!\u00a0\u00a0As ESA members and staff begin\u00a0a new year in 2020,\u00a0I would like to\u00a0take a few minutes to reflect on a few of our accomplishments in 2019.\u00a0 The ESA Governing Board led an effort to draft a new strategic plan that will guide our efforts through 2022.\u00a0 In addition, they have begun…<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":9,"featured_media":15295,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[87],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-16126","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-news-events"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/esa.org\/esablog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/16126","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/esa.org\/esablog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/esa.org\/esablog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/esa.org\/esablog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/9"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/esa.org\/esablog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=16126"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/esa.org\/esablog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/16126\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/esa.org\/esablog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/15295"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/esa.org\/esablog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=16126"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/esa.org\/esablog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=16126"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/esa.org\/esablog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=16126"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}