The Mycological Society of America |
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2022 MSA Annual Meeting Recap - Gainesville, Florida |
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On July 10-13, 2022 the Mycological Society of America once again hosted mycologists from across the country and around the world at its 90th annual meeting. This was the first “in person” meeting to be held since the COVID19 pandemic required meetings to move to an online format and felt like a welcome relief to “normal life” for many who were in attendance. The 2022 meeting was held at the University of Florida in Gainesville and was appropriately named “Mycology in the Swamp.” The event attracted approximately 300 mycologists. Despite the hot and humid conditions, we kicked off the 2022 meeting with a fungal foray (photo inset) at the University of Florida’s Ordway-Swisher Biological Station followed by an opening reception at UF’s Harn Museum of Art. MSA President Betsy Arnold welcomed the attendees and set the tone with an excellent presidential address (It’s what’s inside that counts: endophytic fungi and the beauty of diversity in mycology). In addition to a plethora of exciting contributed talks and posters, the MSA supported several symposia that covered a wide variety of topics including fungal chemistry, truffle fungi, fungi as food, fungal biology education, and the importance of citizen science for fungal conservation. After three days of excellent presentations and interactions related to fungal biology, the meeting concluded with the traditional auction and banquet. The meeting was a success and special thanks are due to Betsy Arnold, Bill Stoeffler, Cori VanGalder and Katie MacWilkinson for their hard work in putting on this wonderful event. See you next year at the 2023 MSA meeting in Arizona!
Local Organizer - Matthew Smith
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MSA Auction 2022
The 2022 MSA Auction consisted of three components; silent, online, and in-person. The Society received many generous donations of items, and because of this, was able to raise over $11,000, which will be used to fund future travel and research. Thank you to everyone who donated and purchased items!
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Please join us in congratulating the 2022 MSA Awardees! Click on the photo to read a full biography of each awardee. |
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Distinguished Mycologist Award
Dr. Joyce Longcore
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Constantine J. Alexopoulos Prize
Matt Kasson
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Gordon and Tina Wasson Award
Giuliana Furci
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William H. Weston Award
Emily Cantonwine
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William H. Weston Award
Marin Brewer
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MSA Graduate Fellowship
Rebecca Evans
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MSA Graduate Fellowship
M. Fabiola Pulido Chavez
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NAMA Award
Benjamin Lemmond
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Myron P. Backus Award
Shawnee A Kasanke
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Undergraduate Research Award
Lauren Cortez French
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MSA Ambassador Interchange Award
José Efraín Ortiz Solórzano
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Robert W. Lichtwardt Student Research Award
Brianna Santamaria
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John Rippon Graduate Research Award
Alden Dirks
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Clark T. Rogerson Research Award
Jeff Stallman
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Alexander H. & Helen V. Smith Award
Django Grootmyers
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Salomon Bartnicki-Garcia Research Award
Emily Trudeau
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Emory Simmons Research Award
Giovanni Cristian Nunes
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Forest Fungal Ecology Award
Juan David Sanchez Tello
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Postdoctoral Forest Fungal Ecology Award
Danny Haelewaters
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Hello MSA Members,
Over the years it has been an honor to serve the Mycological Society of America (MSA) in various capacities, and I am humbled to serve as the 91st President. This year I am building on the great efforts of and mentorship from Past Presidents and Officers to continue improvements for our dynamic Society.
It was wonderful to see many of you at the 2022 MSA Annual Meeting in Gainesville! It was especially significant given the previous years of online meetings and events due to the pandemic. We had 249 in-person and 56 virtual attendees; thanks to all who attended and participated! I am always so impressed and energized from seeing the creativity and research depth of our members. It was a rich line up of symposia, talks and posters, and special events. A very special thank you to the organizers who did an exemplary job! And speaking of meetings…
The 2023 MSA meeting will be in Flagstaff, Arizona, from July 30 to August 2, 2023. The theme is “Elevating Mycology” since Flagstaff sits at an elevation of about 7000 feet. Summer temperatures are mild (highs in the low 80’s) so conditions should be excellent for our annual foray, outdoor activities, and optional side trips (Grand Canyon, Sedona, and others). The meeting venue will be Little America, an all-inclusive conference center with event spaces, lodging, and meals, as well as acres of open spaces with trails, a pool, playground, and other resources. Thanks to those working to create another great meeting, including Jason Slot (Program Chair), Don Natvig (Local Arrangements), Kitty Gehring (Foray Coordinator), our mycological partners at Northern Arizona University, and our wonderful our management team The Reese Group. And speaking of gratitude…
Thank you for your contributions to MSA and mycology! MSA would not be what it is without your membership, volunteerism, and mycological contributions. If you are interested in serving on a committee, have an idea or suggestion, or otherwise would like to be involved, please contact me or one of the Council members. Working with members in various capacities such as MSA committees, publications, communications, and more can be rewarding and impactful. And speaking of members…
Please remember to renew your membership! Soon you will be receiving a reminder to update your membership, with a discount if done before 2023. Please consider the new “Gift Membership” category that will be available soon, as a means to engage a new member or pay for a student or colleague.
In the next President’s Corner, I will outline some of the endeavors we are working on this year. I am grateful to be serving as your President; please feel free to reach out any time.
Respectfully submitted,
Julia Kerrigan
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Executive Vice President's Report |
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Greetings, MSA members!
We recently wrapped up an outstanding Annual Meeting in Gainesville, Florida, with 249 in-person and 56 virtual attendees, 5 symposia, 115 posters, and over 85 talks. If you have not done so already, mark your calendars for the 2023 MSA Annual Meeting, Elevating Mycology, to be held in Flagstaff, Arizona, July 30-August 3. We hope to see you there.
Recent Council Business: The MSA Council voted to approve three email polls since my last column: MSA Poll 2022-04: Selection of the Annual Meeting location, MSA Poll 2021-05: Motion to waive annual membership dues for students serving on MSA committees, and MSA Poll 2022-06: Ranked list of candidates for the 2023 Karling Annual Lecture. One motion, to return the Endowment Committee to a standing committee, was approved by Council at the MSA Council meeting in Gainesville, Florida. Minutes for the MSA Council meeting and the MSA Business meeting, held in Gainesville, Florida, are available on our website at https://msafungi.org/msa-meeting-minutes-and-reports/.
2023 Membership Renewal: Email notices to renew your membership for 2023 will be sent in November! Committed MSA members are encouraged to select an auto-renewal or multiyear membership option to reduce unintended lapses in membership, and to guarantee the $10 early renewal discount. Most membership options are eligible for a $10 discount when you renew before January 1. See the 2023 fee schedule below.
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New Members: I would like to extend a warm welcome to the following new members who joined MSA shortly before or after the 2022 Annual Meeting. Their membership will be formally approved at the 2023 Annual Business Meeting in Flagstaff, Arizona.
Italy: Stefano Toninelli
Saudi Arabia: Nawaf Alshammari
United States: Gregory Traub, Bridget Barker, Pierce Lynch, Leonardo Buoncristiani, Karen Poet, Troy Perez, Daniel Newman, Deborah Kleinman, Eduardo Campana, Andrew Johnson, Isabelle Stiver, Ikaika Loque
Help us add names to the New Members list by recommending or gifting MSA membership to amateur and professional colleagues interested in fungi, especially students and postdoctoral associates. A Gift Membership option will soon be available on our website! Members of our Society include pathologists, geneticists, systematists, ecologists, and those who just want to know more about the fascinating world of fungi. Joining MSA is easy at https://msafungi.org/join-or-renew/. Please feel free to contact me (egcantonwine@valdosta.edu) or our MSA Membership Coordinator, Cori VanGalder, (msafungi@reesgroupinc.com), if you have questions about memberships.
MSA Directory Update: Have you moved lately? Do you have a new email address? Now is a perfect time to check your information in the MSA directory! Accurate information ensures that the MSA can continue to bring you timely information about awards, elections, meetings, and news. To review your information, visit (https://msafungi.org/membership/) or select the "Member Login" link found within the membership menu option at msafungi.org. If you need assistance, contact our MSA Membership Coordinator, Cori VanGalder (msafungi@reesgroupinc.com).
Please feel free to contact me if you are interested in getting more involved with the Society or have any questions about the Society or MSA business.
Respectfully submitted,
MSA Executive Vice President
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Robert Dean Koehn (1932-2022)
Mycologist, Mentor, and Teacher
Robert Dean “Bob” Koehn passed away in Austin, Texas, on July 7, 2022, at the age of 90. Bob graduated from Bethel College in Kansas and then went on to complete a Ph.D. from the University of Texas at Austin under the direction of Constantine J. Alexopoulos. His Ph.D. thesis was on the laboratory culture and ascocarp development of the coprophilous fungus Podosordaria leporina (Koehn 1971). Prior to his retirement, Bob was a professor for 35 years at Southwest Texas State University (now Texas State University) in San Marcos, Texas, where he shared his love of mycology with many students.
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MSA Inoculum Educator Spotlight October 2022
Subject: Emily Cantonwine
Interviewed by a member of the MSA Education Committee
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Photo credit: Ashlee McCaskill. |
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Polypores and Similar Fungi of Eastern and Central North America (The Corrie Herring Hooks Series)
Author: Bessette, A. E., Smith, D. G., and A. R. Bessette
Submitted by: Neil Dollinger
This is a color-illustrated guide for identifying the polypores of eastern and central North America. It is the first large work of its kind since the monograph of North American Polypores was published by Gilbertson and Ryvarden in 1986–1987. In earlier polypore books, photographs were often eschewed in favor of technical text and scientific illustrations. This book is written in mostly non-technical language and contains more than 300 color photographs of polypores and similar fungi in their natural settings.
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Poroid Fungi of Africa
Author: Ryvarden, L., C. Decock, D. Mossebo and A. Masuka
Submitted by: Neil Dollinger
This book is a manual for identifying the poroid fungi of Africa. It is a general overview of African polypore-flora, which includes keys and descriptions for 490 species. Of those 490 species, 179 are known only in Africa.
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Newly Published and Upcoming Books to Watch For
Submitted by: Amy Rossman
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Office Hours for Directorate of Biology from NSF
The MSA Student and Postdoctoral Section would like to share the upcoming office hours that the different divisions of the Directorate of Biology from NSF have available in November and December. See the attached document for full details.
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Nanopore ITS Barcoding: 10x More Throughput for 10x Less Cost
By: Stephen Russell
The Hoosier Mushroom Society has been working with Sanger sequencing since 2015 in order to achieve a reasonably comprehensive understanding of all of the macrofungi that exist within the state. To date, the effort has produced over 10,000 specimens with ITS barcodes, representing well over 2,200 unique species. In recent months, however, we have transitioned away from Sanger and have been working exclusively with Oxford Nanopore Technologies (ONT) MinION and Flongle devices for all our DNA barcoding efforts.
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North Spore Scholarship
This $2,500 scholarship is awarded to pay for tuition, books, computers, accommodation, and any other educational expenses. This is open to your students interested in enrolling or existing students of mycology, a postgraduate student in mycology, or another related study.
In order to participate in the scholarship contest, applicants must meet the following criteria:
- Must be 18 years old or older;
- Must be a legal resident of the United States or a holder of a valid student visa;
- Must be currently enrolled in or accepted to a full-time program in an accredited US university or college;
- Must be a student of mycology, a postgraduate student in mycology, or another related study;
- Must provide a 300-word essay on or before the deadline of December 20, 2022.
The intent behind organizing the scholarship is to bring deserving and thoughtful young talents to the spotlight by nurturing their creativity and perseverance in creating a greener environment.
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Mushroom Farming Opportunity - Newport Oregon
Newport experiment farm has space available for startup/small-scale mushroom farming operation. Click the button below to see the flyer.
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Remember to enable emails from msafungi@reesgroupinc.com for continued MSA updates.
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It's time to renew your membership for 2023! Access your MSA membership profile here!
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Digital issues of Mycologia are now accessed on the MSA website, not at Taylor and Francis. You will need your log in information. See web page for troubleshooting steps.
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Thank you to all who have donated to MSA funds since our last publication of Inoculum!
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MSA continues to be immensely appreciative of all of the generous donors that allow the Society to continue to fund research and travel through various endowment funds. If you're interested in supporting any of these funds, there are multiple ways you can donate!
- Use MSA's secure donation portal (you will be redirected to Wild Apricot, the payment processing platform for MSA)
- Donate while renewing your membership
- Call the MSA Membership Coordinator with your donation information at (608) 441-1060 ext. 162
- Mail a check, paid to the order of The Mycological Society of America to:
The Mycological Society of America
2424 American Lane
Madison, WI 53704
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We Want to See Your Fungal Photos! |
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Your fungal photo could be featured as the header for the next issue of Inoculum!
MSA is calling for your photos! Chosen photos will appear in future issues of Inoculum. Submit your photos along with your name and any text you'd like to accompany the image (optional) using the button below!
The Inoculum header photo for October 2022 was taken in 2022 by Tyler Hacking during the first Utah fungi festival's mushroom foray at a research site in Payson Canyon, Utah.
-Morchella americana
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The Mycological Society of America | (608) 441-1060 | 2424 American Ln. Madison, WI, 53704 | MSAfungi.org
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