MSA committees perform important functions for the Society and often times include student representatives. Serving on a MSA committee is a great way to contribute to the Socity, gain new skills, and meet others in the mycological commuinty. Student representatives are recruited at the beginning of each academic term and typically serve one year. Please fill out this form if you are interested in being considered for the position of student representative when the time comes to appoint a new one. The following committees have a position for a student representative:
Diversiy, Equity, and Inclusion
Purpose: The primary purpose of this standing committee shall be to promote research and education regarding diversity and inclusion in mycology, especially within the Mycological Society of America (MSA).
Education
Purpose: To generate interest in, encourage, and enhance the quality of teaching in the scientific discipline of mycology.
Electronic Communication and Webpage Management
Purpose: To coordinate electronic communication within the Society, including maintaining the Society website in association with the Society’s association management provider, currently The Rees Group (TRG), and disseminating information through the Society’s social media accounts (Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram).
Endowment
Purpose: To maintain the Mycological Society of America Endowment for the purpose of providing funds for special projects, awards, and programs designed to advance the field of mycology. The funded projects will be exceptions to the normal operating activities of the Society.
Karling Annual Lecture
Purpose: The John Karling Annual Lecture is MSA’s most prestigious invited address. Selected by a committee of MSA members, the Karling lecturer is an internationally-recognized fungal researcher who is not an MSA member or frequent attender. Therefore, the Karling lecture brings speakers and ideas on topics of broad interest that MSA members might otherwise not have the opportunity to see.
Membership
The Membership Committee was added by the MSA during the Annual Council Meeting in 2006 and approved by the MSA membership by ballot in 2007. The Membership Committee has also assumed the duties of the Sustaining Membership Committee.
Purpose: To encourage communication between the business and academic mycological research communities and the Mycological Society of America.
Nominations
Purpose: To provide the Vice-President the name of one nominee for each officer and council member position to be filled in the next election. The first nominee for each position comes from the nominations committee, and the second nominee for each position comes from direct nomination from MSA membership. The Nominations Committee should communicate with the Vice-President to ensure that diversity and gender balance are represented in the nominations of officers.
Program
Purpose: To develop the program for the Society annual meeting, the scheduling and operation of which will be developed in collaboration with the Local Organizer(s) and Foray Coordinator(s). The Program Committee should consider diversity and gender balance at the Society annual meetings, including among symposium organizers and speakers..