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Appointed Committees

Awards Committee

The Awards Committee shall consist of five Fellows of the Academy from both physical and biological sciences who will serve for 3 years. The committee shall receive petitions for emeritus membership status and recommend those eligible for this membership status to the Council. The committee shall present to the Council recommendations for any member to be honored by election to the status of Fellow. The committee shall recommend to the Council recipients for special awards. The chair shall serve on the Budget Committee.

Chair: Donald Ruch (2022-2025)

Members:

  • Marcia Gillette (2023-2026)
  • Luke Jacobus (2022-2025)
  • Alice Long Heikens (2022-2025)

Biodiversity and Natural Areas Committee

The Biodiversity/Natural Areas Committee shall be composed of up to 12 specialists from the fields of botany, geology, mycology and zoology. It is the function of the committee to promote the study of natural history with an emphasis on the compilation and publication of data on the biota and natural features of Indiana. The committee shall conduct activities and advise the Council regarding the enumeration, conservation and preservation of natural areas and biota. Upon approval by the President, the chair shall populate the committee with qualified individuals. The chair, appointed by the President, shall serve as The Academy Representative on the Indiana Natural Resources Commission. The term of office for the chair shall be three years, and may be reappointed. The chair shall serve on the Budget Committee.

Chair: Glené Mynhardt (2020-2025)

Members:

  • Nate Engbrecht (2023-2026)
  • Brant Fisher (2022-2025)
  • Kamal Islam (2024-2027)
  • Marc Milne (2024-2027)
  • Scott Namestnik (2024-2027)
  • Jeremy Sheets (2024-2027)
  • Jeffrey Stallman (2023-2026)
  • Joanna Stebing – Student Member (2023-2026)
  • Andrew Stoehr (2024-2027)
  • Sergio Henriques (2024-2027)

Budget Committee (2024-2025)

The Budget Committee shall be composed of: members of the Council, Awards committee chair, Biodiversity/Natural Areas Committee chair, Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion chair, External Communications Committee chair, Foundation Committee chair, Indiana Community Grants chair, Proceedings editor, Research Grants chair, Special Publications editor, Librarian, Webmaster, and Youth Activities chair. Others may be present by invitation, but without vote. The Budget Committee shall meet after the annual meeting date but before May 15th each year to establish the operating budget and to allocate trust income for the following fiscal year. Revisions of the budget or allocations of trust income may be made by two-thirds of the Council.

Chair: Luis Palacio, President-Elect

Members:

  • Zihai Li, Research Grants Committee
  • Thomas Dolan, Academy Foundation
  • Moses Prabu, Treasurer
  • Glené Mynhardt, Biodiversity and Natural Areas Committee
  • Bruce Kingsbury, Immediate Past President
  • Erika Sorensen-Kamakian, Member-At-Large
  • Jocelyn Lewis, Librarian
  • Donald Ruch, Awards Committee
  • Erin Gerecke, Member-At-Large
  • Michelle Marincel Payne, Secretary
  • Hisako Masuda, DEI Committee
  • Wes Tobin, Webmaster

Emerging Scientist Committee

The Emerging Scientist Committee shall facilitate the Emerging Scientist Competition.

Co-Chairs:

  • Jennifer Kowalski (2023-2026)
  • Erika Sorensen-Kamakian (2023-2026)
  • Hisako Masuda (2024-2027)

Members:

  • Mawuli Nevis

External Communications Committee

The External Communications Committee shall be composed of 4 members appointed for three years, renewable: Webmaster, Social Media Manager, Immediate Past President, and chaired by the President-Elect. The purpose of the External Communications Committee is to alert members to upcoming events; to inform members as to insights, research, events, and opportunities both within and outside of Indiana, local and national science policies, and proposed policies; to strengthen member knowledge and expertise; to build excitement in the Indiana Academy of Science community; and to promote the Indiana Academy of Science as the premier Indiana organization for promoting scientific research and diffusing scientific information, encouraging communication and cooperation among scientists, and improving education in the sciences.

Chair: Luis Palacio, President-Elect (2024-2025)

Members:

  • Bruce Kingsbury, Immediate Past President (2024-2025)
  • Luke Jacobus (2023-2026)
  • Colin Toppings, Social Media Coordinator (2024-2026)
  • Wes Tobin, Webmaster (2024-2027)

Community Grants Committee

Since 1885, the Indiana Academy of Science has supported the scientific research and science education of our state’s scientists and science students. It is one of the oldest scientific professional membership organizations in the United States, the only multidisciplinary scientific organization in the state of Indiana, and is dedicated to promoting scientific research, diffusing scientific information, improving education in the sciences, and encouraging communication and cooperation among scientists.

For many years, the Academy has been committed to offering science education projects and programs through Indiana community partners. These partnerships have allowed us to touch the lives of many. The Academy is very proud to continue this tradition and has now formalized our Indiana Community Grants Initiative. Through a careful review process, the leadership of the Academy will work together to award science education community grants to Indiana Academy of Science senior scientists each year. These grants will help provide funding for science education projects and programming by other organizations with similar goals as the Academy, and further the importance of Indiana science.

Chair: TBD

Members:

  • Jssica Haeft
  • Luke Jacobus
  • JD Mendez

Proceedings Editorial Board (2024-2025)

The Proceedings Editorial Board shall be composed of members selected by the Proceedings Editor. The term of each board member shall be three years, concurrent with the term of office of the Editor. Board members may be reappointed for additional terms. Editorial Board members will be selected for their knowledge of particular fields of science so that the total board may constitute a broad spectrum of scientific expertise. The function of the Editorial Board shall be to assist and advise the Editor in editing and publishing the Proceedings of the Indiana Academy of Science.

Chair: Horia Petrache (Editor, 2024-2027)

Members:

  • Caitlyn Placek, Anthropology
  • Benjamin Spears, Botany
  • Shaad Ahmad, Cell Biology
  • David Bwambok, Chemistry
  • Samuel Ivande, Conservation, Sustainability, and Land Management
  • Victoria Leffel, Earth Science
  • Jeremy Sheets, Ecology
  • Irene Reizman, Engineering
  • Katherine Barrett, Environmental Science
  • Ed Brizendine, Mathematics
  • Hisako Masuda, Microbiology & Molecular Biology
  • Wes Tobin, Physics & Astronomy
  • Wyatt Williams, Plant Systematics & Biodiversity
  • Jane Kenney-Hunt, Science Education
  • Christopher Wirth, Zoology & Entomology

Membership Committee

The Membership Committee shall be composed of up to 12 members representative of the Academy sections and chaired by the Executive Director to assist with recruitment, retention, and data collection of members. This committee will also assist with efforts to enhance diversity and representation among Academy membership.

Chair: Marcia Gillette

Members:

  • Dennis Brown
  • Jennifer Kowalski
  • Mary Margaret Moffett

Nominations and Elections Committee

The Nominations/Elections Committee shall be composed of the Executive Director and two past officers. No current officer may serve on the Nominations/Elections Committee. The Council shall be the responsible for making the two appointments. The committee shall be responsible for managing the nomination and election process for elected Academy positions.

Chair: TBD

Members:

  • Michael Finkler (2024-2025)
  • Eric (VJ) Rubenstein (2024-2025)
  • Sarah Mordan-McCombs (2024-2026)

Science and Society Committee

The Science and Society Committee shall be composed of a maximum of four members: the Executive Director, who shall serve as chair, and a maximum of three members appointed by the President. The committee shall advise the Council and organize special events (i.e., symposia, lectures) that are consistent with the object of the Academy. The committee is authorized to utilize various media for promotion and to solicit financial support for such approved programs. The Academy will support the programs through appropriation by the Budget Committee. The Science and Society Committee also shall promote and manage a speaker’s bureau.

Co-Chairs:

  • Erin McClelland (2023-2026)
  • Lindee Mason (2023-2026)

Members:

  • Nhan Huynh (2022-2024)

Youth Activities Committee

The Youth Activities Committee shall be composed of seven members representing different schools. The duties of the committee shall be to: oversee the Science Talent Search Competition; help administer secondary school research grants; manage the Junior Academy; and advise the Council on issues relating to secondary science education. The committee chair shall serve on the Budget Committee.

Chair: Azeem Ahmad (2022-2025)

Members:

  • Trevor Bradtke (2022-2025)
  • Kyle Jane (2022-2025)
  • Tracey Hayden (2022-2025)
  • Sandra Brown (2022-2025)
  • Hongtao Li (2022-2025)

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