American Society of Naturalists

Although I have switched across study organisms and research foci, I retain my interest in broader ecological and evolutionary questions. Being part of the American Society of Naturalists makes this easier, since the large diversity of research conducted and published by ASN members means that I can find colleagues interested in many of my research ideas in one place.

 ♦ Harvard University, Postdoctoral Associate

 ♦ ASN Member since 2007

ASN represents to me a true integration between theory and experimentation and ecology and evolutionary biology. These integrative themes match with my own ideas about the best way to make progress in biology as a whole. It's great to have a society of colleagues that share these convictions.

 ♦ University of Connecticut, Assistant Professor

 ♦ ASN Member since 2006

I became a scientist because of the questions! The world is constantly changing, and there will always be new questions to address. Additionally, it is wonderful to be in a field that encourages me to pursue creative ideas, travel to interesting places and meet inspiring people.

 ♦ Oregon State University, Graduate Student

 ♦ ASN Member since 2007

For me being a member of ASN means being part of a group of people focused in learning the organizing principles shaping the biological evolution. In this sense, I believe ASN is a unique opportunity for information interchange among researchers all around the world.

 ♦ Universidade de São Paulo, Assistant Professor

 ♦ ASN member since 2008

I grew up in Germany, and as far as I can think back, my goal was always to become an ecologist, although I didn't know back then that this is what it was called. I've been an ASN member since I started my PhD. To me the goals of the society represent the mix I strive for in my academic life: using a firm knowledge of natural history to guide experiments and theoretical models to elucidate the factors that drive the ecological and evolutionary dynamics of natural systems.

 ♦ Rice University

 ♦ ASN Member since 2004

Because I am both an evolutionary biologist and a behavioral ecologist at heart, I think of the American Naturalist as "my" journal and society because it is one of the few places where theory, data, evolution, ecology and behavior all come together so naturally.

 ♦ Yale University, Associate Professor

 ♦ ASN Member since 1995

I grew up in Auburn, Nebraska which is a town of about 3,400 people. I spent my youth playing music, swimming, showing horses in 4-H, and working in a veterinary clinic. Joe Travis was my Ph.D. advisor. He was also the editor of the journal while I was in his lab. I saw first-hand Joe's efforts to keep the journal "meaty". During our weekly Travis lab reading group, people would frequently ask, "Are they selling the steak or are they selling the sizzle?" Selling the steak with the sizzle was acceptable, but selling the sizzle without the steak was completely unacceptable. The American Naturalist is a very "meaty" journal that sits at the confluence of ecology and evolution. It's for the big kids who can tackle complex topics, and it's my favorite journal.

 ♦ University of Illinois 

 ♦ ASN Member since 2005