WormBoard
Contents
WormBoard Charter
Last Update: November 2020
Preamble
Since its inception the C. elegans field has relied on the voluntary efforts of community-minded individuals to develop and organize key resources and meetings. As the field enters its second half-century, continued growth necessitates a more formal structure for such efforts. The International C. elegans Board (ICB), a.k.a. WormBoard, was formed in 2015 to advocate for C. elegans research internationally and to foster the continued development of community resources.
Composition of WormBoard
The WormBoard is a representative group of working scientists and educators who use C. elegans or related nematodes as their primary model organism. WormBoard will meet in odd-numbered years at the biennial International C. elegans meeting, and if possible at one of the topic or regional meetings in even-numbered years. Additional business will be conducted by email or teleconference.
Representatives (total 15); 12 regional, including one underrepresented minority from USA, one additional underrepresented minority from any country, one postdoc and one graduate student.
Representatives will be selected by votes of the entire community and will serve for 4 years. Representation of regions is based on approximate number of active labs and will be periodically reviewed.
| Number of labs 1 | Proportion | Proposed # of representatives | Notes | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| US | 711 | 52% | 4 |
- include one underrepresented minority - include one representative from a PUI (primarily undergraduate institution) - discontinue geographic representation (East/West, etc.) |
| Canada | 78 | 6% | 1 | |
| Latin America | 17 | 1% | 1 | (created in the 2020-2021 Wormboard reorganization) |
| Europe | 322 | 23% | 2 | |
| Middle East | 26 | 2% | 1 | (created in the 2020-2021 Wormboard reorganization) |
| Asia | 196 | 14% | 2 | |
| Pacific (Aus/NZ) | 23 | 2% | 1 | (created in the 2020-2021 Wormboard reorganization) |
| SUBTOTAL | 12 | |||
| Minority | 1 | This shall be member of an underrepresented minority from whatever country the nomination comes from; the definition of underrepresented minority will change depending on the country of the nominee’s lab | ||
| PhD Student | 1 | Alternates from different geographic regions. No two trainees from same region, no trainee whose mentor sits on WormBoard | ||
| Postdoc | 1 | |||
| Total | 15 |
1 Only registered worm labs that published in last 5 yrs (2015-2020) were considered.
Terms and Election of Representatives and Officers
Worm Board will have four officers: A President, a President-elect, a Secretary, and an Officer. An election held at the end of each 2-yr cycle will chose a President-elect, who will serve as an officer the first term. Usually, the President-elect becomes President in their second term. To ensure continuity in the Board, the President will then serve one year ex officio.
A call for nominations will precede biennial elections. Self-nominations are allowed. All nominations shall be accompanied by a short statement (~200 words) in which the candidate explains their motivation to become a WormBoard member. Candidates are encouraged to highlight their background, experience and qualifications, particularly as they relate to diversity efforts. For the US representatives, nominations of faculty from HSIs (Hispanic serving institutions) and HBCUs (historically Black colleges and universities) will be specifically encouraged. If there are insufficient nominations to fill a category, the past president – in consultation with other board members – will solicit additional nominations.
Nominees must agree to be willing to serve their full term on WormBoard and must commit to attending at least two meetings per year. If unanticipated circumstances make it impossible for an elected representative to fulfill this commitment during the course of their term, WormBoard may choose to fill their slot by special election.
The final slates shall be drawn up by a committee composed of 2 board members (one current and one out-going) from two different geographical regions, plus 2 non-board community members unanimously agreed upon by the board and representing 2 different regions. Slates will ensure balanced gender and ethnic diversity of the board.
Elections will be held the first week of June in odd years starting 2021, before the International Worm meeting. • February 1: call for nominations shall be sent out by the out-going president • March 1: deadline to return nominations • March, April: slates for election to be drawn up • May 1: the slates shall be announced • June 1-7: 1-week election period open to all community members
Going forward, this cycle will allow 6 representatives to remain and 7 to be elected (or vice versa) each 2-year cycle. To ensure continuity and past commitments (e.g. succession of Maureen Barr as president in 2021), recently elected board members will remain on the board.
The 2021 election will fill slots as follows:
| # reps continue to serve | to be elected | total representatives | |
|---|---|---|---|
| US | 3 [2021 = Barr (president elect), Yanowitz, Skop (minority rep)] | 1 PUI | 4 |
| Canada | 1 [2021 = Derry] | 1 | |
| Latin America | 1 | 1 | |
| Europe | 2 [2021 = ConradtA, van den Heuvel B] | 2 | |
| Middle East | 1 | 1 | |
| Asia | 1 [2021 = Wang A] | 1B | 2 |
| Pacific (Aus/NZ) | 1 | 1 | |
| Minority | 1 | 1 | |
| PhD Student | 1 to be elected/yr | 1 | |
| Postdoc | 1 to be elected/yr | 1 | |
| 15 |
The 2023 election will fill slots as follows:
| # reps continue to serve | to be elected | total representatives | |
|---|---|---|---|
| US | PUI rep | 3 | 4 |
| Canada | 1 | 1 | |
| Latin America | 1 | 1 | |
| Europe | 1 A + 1 B | 2 | |
| Middle East | 1 | 1 | |
| Asia | 1 B | 1 A | 2 |
| Pacific (Aus/NZ) | 1 | 1 | |
| Minority | 1 | 1 | |
| PhD Student | 1 to be elected/yr | 1 | |
| Postdoc | 1 to be elected/yr | 1 | |
| 15 |
Representatives will serve a 4-year term, with the exception of the PhD student and postdoc members who will be elected annually.
Officers (President, Secretary, Treasurer) will be elected by WormBoard from among representatives at the first meeting after the election, and will serve for a 2-year term. To ensure continuity in the Board, the President will serve one additional year on the board ex officio.
PhD student and postdoc representatives will be (self-)nominated and will submit – like all board members that stand for election – a statement as to why they want to be on the board. After 2021, the annual call for nominations will be from the PhD student and postdoc representatives. Current WormBoard members will elect these representatives prior to the IWM so that they can attend the first Wormboard meeting of the new cycle. PhD student and postdoc representatives will serve for a single year.
Ex officio members
The following individuals or their representatives will serve on the Board as non-voting, ex officio members, and may also serve as voting officers or regional representatives, if elected:
- Liaison with the Genetics Society of America (a GSA board member, if available).
- PI of the WormBase consortium
- Director of the CGC
- C. elegans nomenclature coordinator
- WormBook editor
- PIs of the gene knockout consortium projects
- One PI of nematode genome projects
- Current and most recent International Worm Meeting organizers
WormBoard's discussion of community issues benefits from input from the entire community. The regional representatives are responsible for canvassing C. elegans researchers from their regions on major issues. Advice from ex officio members will also be solicited on all Board issues. The Officers and the Representatives, as the elected officials of the Board, constitute its voting body.
Responsibilities of WormBoard
1. To advocate for C. elegans research and represent the interests of the worldwide C. elegans scientific community.
2. To gather input, discuss, and articulate strategic goals for the C. elegans community, including a report at regular intervals.
3. To support international cooperation and communication among C. elegans researchers.
4. To act as a liaison with other communities and scientific societies with related interests.
5. To ensure a successful International C. elegans Meeting. The Board will approve the venue and appoint the Scientific Organizers. The Board will also support the Topic and Regional meetings in alternating years, as well as other community activities.
6. To promote the relevance of C. elegans research to human health, both in fundamental discovery and in biomedical or disease modeling.
7. To promote C. elegans investigators for honors, awards, and prizes
8. To promote public outreach, educational initiatives, programs, or forums, and to support the use of C. elegans in biology education.
9. To promote the generation, maintenance, and advancement of infrastructure projects valuable to the international C. elegans community, including: the WormBase consortium, WormBook, the Caenorhabditis Genetics Center, the C. elegans gene knockout consortia, WormAtlas, and nematode genome sequencing projects.
10. In the event that any unspent funds are available, to the Board will develop plans to administer them for the benefit of the C. elegans research community.
Prepared by E. Jane Hubbard (NYU) November 25, 2020
WormBoard Members June 2023-
| Representative | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 |
|---|---|---|---|
| USA A | [TBD] | -- | Jordan Ward (President elect) |
| USA B | Ryan Baugh | -- | -- |
| USA C | Amy Walker | -- | -- |
| USA D | Dave Katz | -- | -- |
| CANADA | Julie Claycomb | -- | -- |
| EUROPE A | [TBD] | -- | Ana Carvalho |
| EUROPE B | [TBD] | -- | -- |
| ASIA A | Seung-Jae Lee | -- | -- |
| ASIA B | -- | -- | Shuichi Onami |
| LATIN AMERICA | -- | -- | Andrea Calixto |
| MIDDLE EAST | -- | -- | Meital Oren-Suissa |
| AUSTRAILIA/PACIFIC | -- | -- | Steven Zuryn |
| MINORITY | -- | -- | Heather Bennett |
| POSTDOC | Faria Athar | -- | -- |
| STUDENT | Ethan Ewe | [TBD] | -- |
WormBoard Members June 2021-2023
| Representative | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 |
|---|---|---|---|
| USA A | [TBD] | -- | Maureen Barr (President elect) |
| USA B | [TBD] | -- | Ahna Skop (Minority USA rep) |
| USA C | [TBD] | -- | Judith Yanowitz |
| USA D | Elected 2021 | -- | [PUI rep] Jordan Ward |
| CANADA | [TBD] | -- | Brent Derry |
| EUROPE A | [TBD] | -- | Barbara Conradt |
| EUROPE B | [TBD] | -- | Sander van den Heuvel |
| ASIA A | [TBD] | -- | Xiaochen Wang |
| ASIA B | Elected 2021 | -- | Shuichi Onami |
| LATIN AMERICA | Elected 2021 | -- | Andrea Calixto |
| MIDDLE EAST | Elected 2021 | -- | Meital Oren-Suissa |
| AUSTRAILIA/PACIFIC | Elected 2021 | -- | Steven Zuryn |
| MINORITY | Elected 2021 | -- | Heather Bennett |
| POSTDOC | [TBD] | [TBD] | Jonathan Hibshman |
| STUDENT | [TBD] | [TBD] | Paola Figueroa-Delgado |
Ex-officio non-voting members
| GSA Liaison | Swathi Arur | Anne Villeneuve |
|---|---|---|
| WormBase PI | Paul Sternberg | Paul Sternberg |
| CGC Director | Ann Rougvie | Ann Rougvie |
| Nomenclature coordinator | Tim Schedl | Tim Schedl |
| WormBook EIC | Iva Greenwald | Iva Greenwald |
| Knockout Consortium PI | Don Moerman | Don Moerman |
| Knockout Consortium PI | Shohei Mitani | Shohei Mitani |
| Nematode Genome PI | Erik Anderson | Mark Blaxter |
| IWM Current Organizer | TBD (2023) | Julie Ahringer |
| IWM Current Organizer | TBD (2023) | Michael Koelle |
| IWM Past Organizer | Barbara Conradt (2021) | Andrew Chisholm |
| IWM Past Organizer | Piali Sengupta (2021) | Marie-Anne Felix |
WormBoard Members June 2021-
| Role | Name | Represented Region | Joined | Expected Term |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| President | Maureen Barr (Rutgers University) | USA A | 2021 | TBD |
| President-elect | Judith Yanowitz (University of Pittsburgh) | USA C | 2021 | TBD |
| Secretary | Meital Oren-Suissa (Weizmann Institute of Science) | MIDDLE EAST | Elected 2021 | |
| Treasurer | Ahna Skop (University of Wisconsin) | USA B (Minority USA rep) | TBD | |
| Treasurer-elect | Shuichi Onami (Riken, Japan) | ASIA B | Elected 2021 | |
| PUI Rep | Jordan Ward | USA D | 2021 | |
| Member | Brent Derry | CANADA | ||
| Member | Barbara Conradt | EUROPE A | ||
| Member | Sander van den Heuvel | EUROPE B | ||
| Member | Xiaochen Wang | ASIA A | ||
| Member | Andrea Calixto | LATIN AMERICA | Elected 2021 | |
| Member | Steven Zuryn | AUSTRALIA/PACIFIC | Elected 2021 | |
| Minority Representative | Heather Bennett | -- | Elected 2021 | |
| Postdoc Representative | Jonathan Hibshman | -- | TBD | |
| Student Representative | Paola Figueroa-Delgado | -- | TBD |
2015-2021 WormBoard Representatives
| Role | 2021 | 2020 | 2019 | 2018 | 2017 | 2016 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| President | Jane Hubbard | Andrew Chisholm | ||||
| President-Elect | Maureen Barr | Anne Hart | ||||
| Secretary | Oliver Hobert | Oliver Hobert | ||||
| Officer/Treasurer | Ahna Skop | Julie Ahringer | ||||
| US/East | Judith Yanowitz | Jane Hubbard | ||||
| US/Central/South | David Greenstein | David Greenstein | ||||
| US/West | Miriam Goodman | Miriam Goodman | ||||
| US/PUI | Te-Wen Lo | Te-Wen Lo | ||||
| Canada and Americas | Brent Derry | Brent Derry | ||||
| Europe-A | Barbara Conradt | Ralf Sommer | ||||
| Europe-B | Sander van den Heuvel | Peter Meister | ||||
| Asia-A | Xiaochen Wang | Hong Zhang | ||||
| Asia-B | Asako Sugimoto | Asako Sugimoto | ||||
| Ex-officio non-voting members | ||||||
| GSA Liaison | Swathi Arur | Anne Villeneuve | ||||
| WormBase PI | Paul Sternberg | Paul Sternberg | ||||
| CGC Director | Ann Rougvie | Ann Rougvie | ||||
| Nomenclature coordinator | Tim Schedl | Tim Schedl | ||||
| WormBook EIC | Iva Greenwald | Iva Greenwald | ||||
| Knockout Consortium PI | Don Moerman | Don Moerman | ||||
| Knockout Consortium PI | Shohei Mitani | Shohei Mitani | ||||
| Nematode Genome PI | Erik Anderson | Mark Blaxter | ||||
| IWM Current Organizer | Barbara Conradt (2021) | Julie Ahringer | ||||
| IWM Current Organizer | Piali Sengupta (2021) | Michael Koelle | ||||
| IWM Past Organizer | Julie Ahringer (2019) | Andrew Chisholm | ||||
| IWM Past Organizer | Michael Koelle (2019) | Marie-Anne Felix | ||||
