ABLE President's Report

Carol Budd, ABLE President
St. Lawrence University
cbudd@stlawu.edu

Camaraderie

To start my report, on behalf of the entire ABLE membership, let me thank Roberta Williams, UNLV, for the momentous effort needed to pull the June annual conference together this year. Her co-worker for the planning and preparation was absent the last weeks of preparation. Knowing the degree of persistence and internal fortitude needed to accomplish an annual meeting under normal conditions, I applaud Roberta's efforts. Having hosted two previous annual ABLE conferences obviously provided the requisite experience for her “trifecta” this year. Many thanks to Roberta. We now look forward to the 2004 ABLE conference at Bowling Green State University hosted by Charlene Waggoner from June 8-12. Consider contributing a major or mini-workshop utilizing your newest innovations in laboratory education. The call for workshops is out, so visit our website for application forms. Additionally, the forms for Lab Teaching Initiative Grants for development and implementation of lab initiatives are available at the site. There are ample opportunities to let others know what you are doing in your lab setting. Share the wealth.

An additional big hug goes to my predecessor, Maggie Haag, current past-president. I could not have asked for a better role model for introducing me to the workings of ABLE. Maggie assured me that the membership never deserted her and provided the network of support needed to make a viable organization even more effective. I have hopes for the continuance of the spirit that makes ABLE so valuable to my professional career. Additionally, I cannot think of a higher professional accolade than to be honored by my colleagues in undergraduate biology laboratory education as their president for the next two years. I pledge my best efforts.

Partnerships

Having attended the Bioscience Education Network (BEN) orientation for new and prospective members and the subsequent Advisory Board meeting as representative for ABLE in May, I was thrilled that our organization was so highly regarded by other member groups such as AAAS, APS, ASBMB, ASM, ESA, SMETE and SOT. I invite any of our members who have not already logged in to http://www.biosciednet.org to do so and peruse the biological collections so freely shared by BEN member organizations. Our board decided in June to release Proceedings Volumes 1-19 for cataloguing to the BEN portal. This will tremendously augment the laboratory exercises available to BEN users online. Sarah Deel, Carleton University, has volunteered her efforts to assist in the cataloguing of resources for the BEN initiative. Bill Glider, University of Nebraska, has volunteered to develop a plan of action so that ABLE complies with the peer review criteria required for participation in BEN. To date, 74 of our laboratory exercises are referenced through the portal. See if you can find some. In October, Maggie Haag, Charlie Drewes and I will be attending the NABT annual conference in Portland, Oregon. Stop by booth 402 if you will be at the conference to say hello and/or assist in the ABLE membership effort. Our new brochure will be available for the first time publicly at this event. You can also find it at the ABLE website. The brochure is a .pdf file and can easily be printed on 8.5 x 14 paper for conveniently distributing at your professional meetings. Feel free to pass it along.

Participation

I want to convey my sincere gratitude to the following members of our board for their dedication and participation. This list is not all inclusive of the efforts required to mobilize ABLE, but provides members easy access to convey their intentions to join the ranks. Please step forward. You will have a great time and provide colleagues a great service.

Association for Biology Laboratory Education
Board of Directors and Committee Chairs
July 1, 2003 to June 30, 2004

My continuing praise for the work you do so well and the success of you and your students this semester;

Carol A. Budd