AN AIBS COUNCIL PRESENTATIONDECEMBER 2012

B I O LO GY I N T H E 21 S T CENTURY

1 . T I M E FA M I N E

1 . T I M E FA M I N E2 . R E T U R N O N I N V E S T M E N T

1 . T I M E FA M I N E2 . R E T U R N O N I N V E S T M E N T3 . I N C R E A S E D C O M P E T I T I O N

1 . T I M E FA M I N E2 . R E T U R N O N I N V E S T M E N T3 . I N C R E A S E D C O M P E T I T I O N4 . G E N E R AT I O N A L VA LU E S

1 . T I M E FA M I N E2 . R E T U R N O N I N V E S T M E N T3 . I N C R E A S E D C O M P E T I T I O N4 . G E N E R AT I O N A L VA L U E S5 . S P E C I A L I Z AT I O N

1 . T I M E FA M I N E2 . R E T U R N O N I N V E S T M E N T3 . I N C R E A S E D C O M P E T I T I O N4 . G E N E R A T I O N A L V A L U E S5 . S P E C I A L I Z A T I O N6 . T E C H N O L O G Y

Biology is a vast network of hundreds of organizations and hundreds of thousands of individuals that associate in loosely connected subcommunities through “scholarly societies”.

T H E B I O L O G Y C O M M U N I T Y

B I O L O G Y S C H O L A R L Y S O C I E T I E S / P R O F E S S I O N A L A S S O C I A T I O N S

“to promote, coordinate, integrate and spread scientific knowledge in its highest expressions in the frame of cultural unity and universality.”

MARKET FAILURE

S C H O L A R LY S O C I E T I E S T O D AY

T H E F I R S T F E W

• American Psychiatric Association (1844)• American Medical Association (1847)• New York Academy of Medicine (1847)• American Association for the

Advancement of Science (1848)• American Pharmacists Association

(1852)• American Dental Association (1859)

A T T H E T U R N O F T H E 2 0 T H C E N T U R Y

• Entomological Society of America (1889)

• Botanical Society of America (1893)• Society for Integrative and

Comparative Biology (1902) • American Genetic Association (1903)• American Society for Cell Biology

(1906)

I N C R E A S I N G S P E C I A L I Z AT I O N

1850-1859

1860-1869

1870-1879

1880-1889

1890-1899

1900-1909

1910-1919

1920-1929

1930-1939

1940-1949

1950-1959

1960-1969

1970-1979

1980-1989

1990-1999

2000-2009

2010-2013

0

5

10

15

20

25

30

35

Num

ber o

f new

soci

eties

Decade

A T T H E T U R N O F T H E 2 1 S T C E N T U R Y

• Society for Muscle Biology, Inc (2003)• Society for Free Radical Biology and Medicine (2004)• The Robert A. Good Immunology Society (2005)• Chinese American Bio Pharmaceutical Society

(2006) • International Society for Zinc Biology (2008)• Midsouth Computational Biology and Bioinformatics

Society (2010) • Virginia Herpetological Society (2010)• Society for the Advancement of Biology Education

Research (2010)

T O T A L N U M B E R O F S C H O L A R L Y S O C I E T I E S I N B I O L O G Y

1850-1859

1860-1869

1870-1879

1880-1889

1890-1899

1900-1909

1910-1919

1920-1929

1930-1939

1940-1949

1950-1959

1960-1969

1970-1979

1980-1989

1990-1999

2000-2009

2010-2013

0

50

100

150

200

250

Series1

Data source: AIBS database on organizations in the biology community. Not yet published.

I N T E R N A L C H A L L E N G E S T O B I O L O G Y: O R G A N I Z A T I O N S A N D S O C I E T I E S

Member Responses

MembershipFundingJournal PublicationMisc Others

Non member Responses

MembershipFundingJournal PublicationMisc Others

This data based on 110 respondent organizations to the 2010 AIBS survey of biological organizations. Full results available in BioScience.

B I O L O G Y S C H O L A R LY O R G A N I Z A T I O N S

This data based on 110 respondent organizations to the 2010 AIBS survey of biological organizations. Full results available in BioScience.

W H AT S O C I E T I E S D O

Programs that connect biology to society (n=105)

Career Resources for students (n=105)

Professional recognition/ awards (n=106)

Annual Meetings (n=102)

Journal (n=105)

Public Policy Programs (n=107)

Undergraduate education initiatives (n=105)

Diversity programs (n=100)

Career Resources for professionals (n=104)

Media such as video and podcasts (n=104)

K-12 education initiatives (n=105)

Online professional development opportunities/ Webinars (n=102)

0% 20% 40% 60% 80% 100% 120%

21%

18%

27%

61%

70%

20%

12%

16%

13%

3%

19%

5%

47%

58%

60%

29%

18%

43%

48%

47%

42%

47%

34%

24%

28%

17%

5%

1%

1%

22%

25%

17%

25%

30%

20%

35%

5%

7%

8%

9%

11%

15%

15%

20%

20%

20%

27%

36%

Cornerstone Program Have or Collaborate on Interested in pursuing Not interested in pursuing

This data based on 110 respondent organizations to the 2010 AIBS survey of biological organizations. Full results available in BioScience.

External forces put pressure on the field and its professionals at the personal, institutional, disciplinary, and field levels.

P R E S S U R E S O N C O M M U N I T Y

0

10

20

30

40

50

60

70

80

CIVI DB MembershipBioScience SPARSEducation UndergradGrad PostdocEarly MidLate RetiredNot employed University4-Year College 2 Year Collegeinstitute K-12 SchoolConsultant Federal GovernmentState Government IndustryPrivate Research National LabNonprofit Field StationMuseum OtherAgriculture BotanyEcology Environmental BioEvolutionary Bio GeneticsBiomedical Research Cell BiologyMolecular Bio Science EducationUniversity:Biomedical Research Series40

External Challenges to BiologyThis data compiled from organization and individual professional survey. Results available online and in BioScience.

Internal Forces among subcommunities also greatly affect the individuals and organizations – and thus the success of the research enterprise.

I N T E R N A L F O R C E S

D R I V E R S O F S O C I E T Y M E M B E R S H I P

0

50

100

150

200

250

Series1

Agriculture Anatomy Astrobiology Biochemistry Bioengineering Bioinformatics Biomathematics Biology Biomechanics Biomedical Research Biophysics Biotechnology Botany Cell biology Conservation biology Cryobiology Developmental biology Ecology Entomology Environmental biology Epidemiology Ethology Evolution/Evolutionary biology Genetics Herpetology Histology History of Science Icthyology Integrative biology Mammalogy Marine biology Microbiology Molecular biology Mycology Neurobiology Oceanography Ornithology Paleontology Parasitology Pathobiology Pharmacology Philosophy/ethics Phycology Physiology Phytopathology Population Ecology Population Genetics Public Policy Science Education Systematics/Taxonomy Virology Zoology Other

5.34

O N E S U P E R S I G N I F I C A N T M A N I F E S T A T I O N O F T H A T C H A N G E

M O T I VAT I O N T O J O I N A S O C I E T Y

Undergrad

(n=1

13)

Graduate

Studen

ts (n=4

45)

Postdocto

ral Sc

holars (

n=207)

Early

Career

(n=745)

Midcareer

(n=1

478)

Late C

areer

(n=1016)

Retired

(n=2

60)0.0

0.5

1.0

1.5

2.0

2.5

3.0

3.5

To receive a paper copy of a society’s scientific journal

To gain access to a society’s scientific journals online

Career stage

Ratio

Ratio: Join a society to do this/ I can do this on my own.

To receive a paper copy of a society’s scientific journal

To gain access to a society’s scientific journals online

Career stage

Ratio

P E R S O N A L B E N E F I T S

0.0

0.5

1.0

1.5

2.0

2.5

3.0

3.5

4.0

To receive discounted prices on products and services

Career stage

Ratio

M E M B E R S H I P – S H R I N K I N G ? ?

So societies membership counts are

shrinking……………

Right?

G R O W I N G O R S H R I N K I N G ? 5 Y E A R T R E N D

Of 74 organizations:

G R O W I N G / S H R I N K I N G ? 1 0 Y E A R T R E N D

Of 63 organizations:

G R E A T E S T G R O W T H O V E R T E N Y E A R S

• International Society for Computational Biology (12.5x larger)

• Association of Molecular Pathology (3.3)

• Dragonfly Society of the Americas (2.6)

• Society for Vascular Medicine (2.2)• American Society for Blood and

Marrow Transplantation (2.0)

G R E AT E S T G R O W T H C O N T …

• Botanical Society of America (1.5)• Society for Neuroscience (1.5)• National Shellfisheries Association

(1.4) • American Society of Hematology

(1.4) • Crop Science Society of America (1.4)

T O M E E T P E O P L E

Undergrad

(n=1

13)

Graduate

Studen

ts (n=4

45)

Postdocto

ral Sc

holars (

n=207)

Early

Career

(n=745)

Midcaree

r (n=1

478)

Late C

areer

(n=1016)

Retired

(n=2

60)0.0

1.0

2.0

3.0

4.0

5.0

6.0

7.0

8.0

9.0

To attend the scientific meetings/annual meetings

To meet others with common interests (face to face).

To participate in online networks

Career stage

Ratio

P R O F E S S I O N A L R E S P O N S I B I L I T Y

Undergrad

(n=1

13)

Graduate

Studen

ts (n=4

45)

Postdocto

ral Sc

holars (

n=207)

Early

Career

(n=745)

Midcaree

r (n=1

478)

Late C

areer

(n=1016)

Retired

(n=2

60)0.0

0.5

1.0

1.5

2.0

2.5

3.0

3.5

4.0

4.5

5.0

5.5

6.0

To be a part of my professional community

To support the policy agendas of my profession

To serve a leadership role in my pro-fession

Career stage

Ratio

W H AT M E M B E R S L I K E

X Axis Key1: Undergrad2: Graduate 3: Postdoc 4:Early 5:Mid 6:Late 7:Retired

Undergrad

(n=1

13)

Graduate

Studen

ts (n=4

45)

Postdocto

ral Sc

holars (

n=207)

Early C

areer

(n=745)

Midcaree

r (n=1

478)

Late C

areer

(n=1016)

Retired

(n=2

60)0

20

40

60

80

100

120

140

160

180

Nothing

Specific traits of individual societies

Benefits (travel, reduced fees, etc.)

Support for students and young scientists

Public education and outreach

Career advancement opportunities

Societies' work in public policy

Funding opportunities

Networking/Collaborations

Professional development opportunities

Resources/information

Career stage

Perc

anta

ge o

f res

pond

ents

W H A T M E M B E R S W A N T T O S E E D O N E B E T T E R / M O R E O F

1 23 4

5 6 7

0%

10%

20%

30%

40%

50%

60%

70%

80%

90%

100%

Change things the society has no control overNothing/UnknownChange how the society is run/managedWhat the society does in service to profession and field (public policy, formal and informal educa-tion, collaboration in community)What the society does for and with its members for their direct benefit (core services like meet -ings, career advancement, journal, etc)

O R G A N I Z AT I O N A L C A PA C I T Y

What members want:Improve networking

for/among members (in person!)

Improve

meetings/conferences

Career Assistance/professional development

What societies need to be vibrant?

To be relevant to their membership

M E M B E R S H I P I N S O C I E T I E S

Undergrad

(n=1

13)

Graduate

Studen

ts (n=4

45)

Postdocto

ral Sc

holars (

n=207)

Early

Career

(n=745)

Midcaree

r (n=1

478)

Late C

areer

(n=1016)

Retired

(n=2

60)0

10

20

30

40

50

60

70

80

Zero1–34–89–1212+

Career stage

Perc

enta

ge o

f res

pond

ents

Figure 12. Professional organization memberships as a function of career stage.

F O C U S O N S H O RT T E R M N E E D S

Undergrad

(n=1

13)

Graduate

Studen

ts (n=4

45)

Postdocto

ral Sc

holars (n

=207)

Early

Career

(n=745)

Midcareer

(n=1

478)

Late C

areer

(n=1016)

Retired

(n=2

60)0

10

20

30

40

50

60

70

80

90

Learning or developing skillsParticipating in professional communityBeing a leader in professional communityParticipating in outreach/informal educationNetworking and meeting othersCommunicating my research in new contextsImproving work–life balanceOther

Career stage

Perc

enta

ge o

f res

pond

ents

S T R AT E G I E S F O R S U C C E S S :

Focus on strength

– Convening—face to face– Conversation– Community– Curating—how do we provide

information for members before they even know they need it?

S T R AT E G I E S F O R S U C C E S S :

Concentrate resources

– Collaboration

S T R AT E G I E S F O R S U C C E S S :

Purposeful abandonment

– Legacy programs– Programs where you are not excelling– Things that aren’t working

S C I E N T I F I C S O C I E T Y L E A D E R S H I P

• Embody & exemplify values– Knowledge, justice, sustainability

• Create & communicate goals – Goals put values to work in the world

• Innovate– ITER, LHC, NEON, NCEAS, Rio + 20

• Collaborate, build trust and legitimacy • Organize, engage, “universality” of science

• Excellence & solidarity– Distinction motivate and divides

M A R K E T S E G M E N T A T I O N / F O C U S