86th Annual Meeting of the
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ASB 2025 R.H. Martin Plenary Speaker
Plenary March 12, 2025
Post-Plenary Reception following the plenary
Post-Plenary Reception following the plenary
The ASB 2025 Plenary Speaker will be determined soon.
About the R.H. Martin Plenary
Robert H. Martin, founder and owner of Martin Microscope Company from 1946 until his death in 2006, was an avid supporter of ASB and of the sciences in general. He supported ASB for decades as a Patron member and sponsor of the ASB Student Research Award, and, with his passing, his family established what has become the Robert H. Martin Plenary Address fund to help cover the costs of bringing in highly qualified speakers for the ASB annual meeting.
Robert H. Martin, founder and owner of Martin Microscope Company from 1946 until his death in 2006, was an avid supporter of ASB and of the sciences in general. He supported ASB for decades as a Patron member and sponsor of the ASB Student Research Award, and, with his passing, his family established what has become the Robert H. Martin Plenary Address fund to help cover the costs of bringing in highly qualified speakers for the ASB annual meeting.
Thursday Night Social
March 13, 2025
RipTydz Oceanfront Grill and Rooftop Bar!
Join us for a Beach Party Bash! Enjoy delicious food, refreshing beverages, and beachside celebrations. Wear your favorite flowered shirt and flip-flops, and get ready to dance the night away. For those who prefer a little friendly competition, we've got a cornhole tournament where you can showcase your skills. Don't miss out on the fun!
Featured Institutions
ASB partners with local universities and colleges, our Featured Institutions, so we may highlight their efforts in biological education, scholarship, and service and they can help support and host our Annual Meeting. YOUR ORGANIZATION CAN BE A FEATURED INSTITUTION!
Exhibitors at ASB 2025
Your organization could be pictured here.
WHY SHOULD YOUR ORGANIZATION BE AN EXHIBITOR WITH ASB?
This three-day event brings together approximately 800 biologists from across the southeastern United States. The meeting features a distinguished plenary speaker, special symposia, oral and poster presentations, workshops, networking and social events, and more. The Annual Meeting provides you with the exclusive opportunity to network with this large and important audience of faculty, students, researchers, conservation workers, military and government personnel, and business professionals with a common interest in biological issues. Interests are diverse, but range from genetics and molecular biology, to physiology and population biology, to community and ecosystem ecology. Your sponsorship helps ASB provide this friendly meeting space for generations of biologists.
This three-day event brings together approximately 800 biologists from across the southeastern United States. The meeting features a distinguished plenary speaker, special symposia, oral and poster presentations, workshops, networking and social events, and more. The Annual Meeting provides you with the exclusive opportunity to network with this large and important audience of faculty, students, researchers, conservation workers, military and government personnel, and business professionals with a common interest in biological issues. Interests are diverse, but range from genetics and molecular biology, to physiology and population biology, to community and ecosystem ecology. Your sponsorship helps ASB provide this friendly meeting space for generations of biologists.
Annual Meeting Venue | Housing
The 86th Annual Meeting of the Association of Southeastern Biologists will take place at the
Myrtle Beach Convention Center
2101 North Oak Street Myrtle Beach, South Carolina 29577
Myrtle Beach Convention Center
2101 North Oak Street Myrtle Beach, South Carolina 29577
Book a room at the Official ASB 2025 Hotel at the ASB Group Rate
$160.00 plus tax = $186.22 per room
(until February 12, 2025 while supplies last):
Sheraton Myrtle Beach
2101 North Oak Street Myrtle Beach, South Carolina 29577
$160.00 plus tax = $186.22 per room
(until February 12, 2025 while supplies last):
Sheraton Myrtle Beach
2101 North Oak Street Myrtle Beach, South Carolina 29577
Why stay with ASB?
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Sheraton Parking Rates:
Convention Center Parking Rates:
We offer over 2,047 parking spaces, including 25-plus parking spaces for those with disabilities, conveniently located adjacent to the main entrance. For guests of the convention center campus including the Myrtle Beach Convention Center (MBCC), the Myrtle Beach Sports Center, and the Sheraton Myrtle Beach Hotel, on-site parking fees are $5 per day for cars and $10 per day for buses. |
Overnight Parking
For a seamless process upon arriving, call our Convention Service team at 843-503-7088 for details.
Myrtle Beach Parking:
- $20.00 per day (Cash Only) for cars, pickup trucks, SUVs, and vans.
- $40.00 per day (Cash Only) for buses, RV’s, and trailers.
- The fee paid covers vehicles until midnight with a new day starting after midnight.
- Access to your vehicle is available 24-hours.
- Park at your own risk, there are no cameras in the overnight parking lot.
- Sleeping in the vehicles overnight is not allowed.
For a seamless process upon arriving, call our Convention Service team at 843-503-7088 for details.
Myrtle Beach Parking:
- Beach Accesses & Street Ends (City Wide): $3.00 per hour or $15.00 for all-day parking.
- Core Business District: $2.00 per hour. No all-day single rate applies.
- Secondary Areas: $2.00 per hour, with $10 for all-day parking available.
- Year-round, the City also offers one free parking lot on the North side of Main Street, just east of Hillside Drive.
- No matter the time of year, parking is always free before 9:00 AM and after 5:00 PM.
Transportation
To and from the airport: www.flymyrtlebeach.com/parking-transportation/transportation/
Public transportation via Coast RTA: coastrta.com/routes-and-schedules/ Don't forget ride-sharing services. |
2025 T-Shirt Design
Congratulations to Hannah Holbert a Master's Student at West Liberty University in West Virginia for creating the winning design! This design will be on t-shirts available for purchase through the registration website.
Examples of recent T-shirt designs.
Special Events
Symposia
Each symposium is a specially-arranged set of talks focused on a given theme and put together by a member-organizer. For the most part, symposia are open to everyone. Inclusive Teaching Practices Through the HHMI IE3 Program
The Howard Hughes Medical Institute rolled out the Inclusive Excellence 3 (IE3) program in 2020 with the goal of building institutional capacity for inclusion so students from all backgrounds can thrive in science. The 104 institutions receiving funds were placed in one of seven learning community clusters aimed at creating inclusive STEM learning environments. Participants in this symposium represent four learning community clusters and will share their successes and challenges in implementing inclusive teaching practices on their campuses. The symposium will conclude with a panel discussion allowing participants to ask questions of the institutional representatives. Mechanisms and Function of Social Interactions
Organizer: Philip Kohlmeier, University of Memphis
All life is social and interactions among individuals play a fundamental role in shaping development, morphology, physiology, behavior, and reproduction. These social interactions are critical regulators of fitness across a wide range of species and contexts. The interests of interacting parties can either align or diverge, creating a complex landscape that influences how these interactions have evolved and continue to evolve. This symposium will explore the diverse mechanisms underlying social interactions and the evolutionary functions they serve.
Old Growth Communities in the Southeastern US: What have we learned and how do we find them?
Organizers:
Margaret Woodbridge, USDA Forest Service Southern Research Station Neil Pederson, Harvard University Old-growth communities are facing novel threats at a time when interest in understanding, managing, restoring, and conserving these communities has spiked. Despite the interest in old growth, there are so many things we don’t understand about the continuity, characteristics, and interactions of these communities. This symposium brings together speakers whose work contributes to the understanding and conservation of old-growth plant communities across the southeastern US, including those who have worked to create and improve sampling and detection methods for identifying old-growth communities. Individual talks will highlight not just recent and ongoing research, but the lessons learned from sampling and research methods, as well as important attributes, used to identify and delineate old-growth communities. The interdisciplinary nature of the symposium (federal and state agencies, universities, non-profits) provides a valuable opportunity to discuss collaborations across disciplines as well as future research needs to inform conservation and management.
QuillCon III: Systematics, Evolution, and Conservation of isoëtes
This symposium will feature recent developments in the study of the genus Isoëtes, touching on the first quillwort genomes, new phylogenetic, phylogenomic, and population genomic analyses, field-based discoveries, and developing conservation programs. We will feature the new generation of early-career scientists and students interested in all geographic and temporal scales of the 300 million year Isoëtalean lineage. Tree-ring Science for Ecosystem Management
Organizers:
Thomas Saladyga, Concord University Clay Tucker, University of Southern Mississippi Tree-ring science, or dendrochronology, is an important tool for understanding long-term ecosystem processes and informing management practices. This symposium brings together a group of speakers whose work explores the critical role of tree-ring data in managing and conserving diverse ecosystems across the U.S. Southeast and beyond. Speakers will highlight recent and ongoing research with a focus on how tree-ring records can inform our understanding of past climate conditions, disturbances, and ecosystem responses. The symposium will stimulate discussions on integrating tree-ring science into ecosystem management strategies as well as opportunities for collaboration across disciplines.
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Workshops
Workshops allow attendees to participate in hands-on demonstrations and energetic discussions of best practices in research and teaching. All attendees are welcome to attend workshops, but preregistration may be required. Panel Discussions ASB’s program often includes panels that provide focused discussion on a topic by a group of experts. Past panel topics included applying for grants, getting into graduate school, and increasing inclusivity in academia. All registrants are welcome to attend panels. After Graduation: Delving into Post-Baccalaureate Options and Graduate School Applications
Organizers:
ASB Committee on Human Diversity Shoshana Katzman, Agnes Scott College This workshop will introduce students and advisors to the many post-baccalaureate options that they can pursue as well as address participants’ awareness of the key elements of successful graduate school applications. The workshop will begin by introducing both students and faculty to different options available to students as final career goals once they finish their undergraduate degree. The world of post-baccalaureate certificate programs, as well as graduate masters programs, can be confusing and hard to maneuver for mentors, advisors, and students. We will discuss the different types of programs available and how students and advisors can navigate this topic to find a good fit for their future career goals.
Eavesdropping on Ecosystems: Using Acoustic Data in Biology
Organizer: John Quinn, Furman University
Acoustic data analysis is relevant to a wide range of biological disciplines. Whether studying insect phenology, biodiversity, conservation, or bird communication, the ability to interpret sound can offer new insights. The workshop will equips members with valuable and transferable skills, including data collection, processing, and analysis, which can be applied to various research areas.
Honey, I Blew-Up the Molecules: 3D Printing as a Multi-faceted and Multi-disciplinary Pedagogical Practice
Organizers:
Carmony Hartwig, Catawba College Andrew Jacobson, Catawba College Zach Trivett, Catawba College
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Field Trips
Field trips offer registrants the chance to visit a local ecosystem or laboratory guided by a local expert. Don’t miss the chance to see endemic species, a unique ecosystem, or visit a prestigious lab or collection. To allow registrants to join a field trip without missing presentations, field trips are scheduled on Wednesday and Saturday, before and after the presentation days, so make sure you arrive early or stick around to take advantage of these unique opportunities. We ask that you register with a nominal fee before attending a field trip to make sure we have an accurate headcount. Field Trip Destination: Waccamaw National Wildlife RefugE
Short Description: The Waccamaw National Wildlife Refuge encompasses almost 27,000 acres of wetland and upland forest with entrances in Georgetown and Horry County. Dr. Scott Parker (Coastal Carolina University Department of Biology) will host a guided tour on Wednesday, March 12 starting at 1:30 pm. with a return to the Convention Center around 3:30 pm. at the Gray Lake Blvd. entrance off Hwy 544. There will be a van that can accommodate up to 12 passengers available but others are welcome to drive or carpool. Maps to the entrance will be provided to those signing up. The entrance to the Waccamaw National Wildlife Refuge is about 20 minutes’ drive from the Myrtle Beach Convention Center. Timeline: 1:30pm - 3:30pm Wednesday March 12 Number of Participants: 20 (up to 12 transportation provided) Organizer: Dr. Michelle Barthet, Coastal Carolina University Field Trip Leader: Dr. Scott Parker, Coastal Carolina University Field Trip Destination: Waties IslanD
Short Description: The Anne Tilghman Boyce Coastal Reserve includes over 1,500 acres of wilderness in the northeast corner of South Carolina including part of Waties Island, the last undeveloped barrier island in South Carolina, and the adjoining uplands of Little River Neck. The reserve was donated to the Coastal Education Foundation, part of Coastal Carolina University (CCU), by Anne Tilghman Boyce in 1995. Waties Island is maintained and utilized by CCU as a field site for marine science and ecological studies. Dr. Lauren Stefaniak (Marine Science) and Dr. Kevin Godwin (Biology) of CCU will host a guided tour of this beautiful coastal reserve highlighting organisms of ecological interest from the marine and wetland environment. Please bring your own lunch. Timeline: 9:00am - 12:00pm Saturday March 15 Number of Participants: 40 (transportation provided) Organizer: Dr. Michelle Barthet, Coastal Carolina University Field Trip Leader: Lauren Stefaniak, Coastal Carolina University; Kevin Godwin, Coastal Carolina University Field Trip Destination: A small borrow pit area near Lake WaccamaW
Join us in a chance to collect diverse early Pleistocene fossils, which provide clues to past and future climate change. This field trip will visit a small excavation in Columbus County, NC. These fossils include diverse marine invertebrates with a few freshwater to brackish species and very rare fossil land snails. The location requires a very short walk from the vehicles to the excavated piles from the lower Waccamaw Formation. The final closure of the Isthmus of Panama about 2.5 million years ago blocked flow of water from the Caribbean through to the eastern Pacific. Diverted northward, this created a stronger Gulf Stream, which created excellent conditions for a diverse subtropical fauna in southeastern North Carolina and northeastern South Carolina. A combination of sea level change and local tectonic adjustment led to changing environments from coastal freshwater to roughly 60 m depth mid-shelf marine settings. Over 800 species of mollusks have been found at this site, and over 1200 species from the Waccamaw Formation in the course of our research. Micromollusks are especially diverse. Corals, bryozoans, barnacles, and pieces of sand dollars are common, as are traces of boring by sponges, barnacles, bivalves, sipunculids, and other animals. However, the stronger Gulf Stream brought more warm water further north, where more evaporation led to higher precipitation at high latitudes. Year to year accumulation of snow built up into glaciers which pushed south across the continent, leading to sea level drops and cold temperatures, dooming many of the more specialized species. We will depart from the meeting hotel at 8:30 AM on Saturday March 15. The site is approximately an hour north. We will return by 1 PM. The site can be muddy; beware of fire ants and sandspurs. Bring a water bottle. We will have bags for collecting and digging tools if needed. Guides to common finds will be provided. Carpooling is encouraged; there will be ample room for parking on a well-maintained dirt road. The site is near Lake Waccamaw and Green Swamp, if anyone wants to make a side trip. Timeline: 8:30am - 1:00pm Saturday March 15 Number of Participants: 20 (up to 12 transportation provided) Organizer: Dr. David Campbell, Gardner-Webb University Field Trip Leaders: Dr. David Campbell, Gardner-Webb University; Timothy Campbell, Gardner-Webb University Field Trip Destination: Quillworting the lowcountry
Short Description: Field Trip Associated with Quillcon III Symposium. Symposium and field trip sponsored in part by the Southern Appalachian Botanical Society and lead by SC Heritage Trust Botanists Keith Bradley and Eric Unberg. Join Quillcon III (Biology of Isoetes) symposium participants on a fieldtrip of the lowcountry SC to observe and learn about quillworts (Isoetes) and other aquatic and wetland plants. Attendees will be able to buy a meal on site or nearby and should bring cash, credit, venmo, etc. Timeline: 8:00am - 3:00pm Saturday March 15 Number of Participants: 20 (transportation not provided) Organizer: Dr. Jay Bolin, Catawba College Field Trip Leader: Keith Bradley, South Carolina Natural Heritage |
SA-SE/SABS Student Reception
This event is cosponsored by the Southeastern Section of the Botanical Society of America and the Southern Appalachian Botanical Society. All students who are interested in the Plant Sciences are welcome to meet with peers and professionals at this fun mixer.
ASB Members Meeting
The ASB Members meeting is the annual opportunity for members to meet in-person with ASB leadership. During the meeting, we discuss the state of the association and the treasurer’s report, decide on resolutions for the year, review proposed changes to the bylaws/constitution, and make other important decisions. All members are asked to attend the business meeting.
Breakfasts and Luncheons
Sometimes a group will meet in a smaller space to discuss a topic of interest and to share a meal. Boxed meals may be provided by the group or for an individual fee. You may need to register to attend and certain breakfasts and luncheons are only for members of the group.
Thursday Night Social
The Thursday Night Social is the party of the year! Join the ASB members and leadership as we let loose at a unique local venue with food, music, and fun! Be sure to register for this event, because you won’t want to miss it! Tickets are required for this event.
Friday Night Awards Banquet
The Friday Night Social is a formal dinner at which we honor those receiving awards. It also serves as the official closing of the meeting. Get ready to dress up and celebrate the excellent achievements of our members. Registration is required for this event.
Silent Auction
The silent auction is an important fundraiser for the Enrichment Fund which provides support to help members attend the meeting. Please bring items you think might be of interest to attendees of our meeting. Items do not have to be related to the biological sciences, but this is a guaranteed shared interest among attendees. The items will be displayed in the Exhibit Hall during the meeting where anyone can place a bid. Bids close Friday afternoon, then the highest bidder pays for the item at the ASB booth and takes it home. Plan ahead and set aside items for the auction throughout the year, but don’t forget to bring them to the meeting!
This event is cosponsored by the Southeastern Section of the Botanical Society of America and the Southern Appalachian Botanical Society. All students who are interested in the Plant Sciences are welcome to meet with peers and professionals at this fun mixer.
ASB Members Meeting
The ASB Members meeting is the annual opportunity for members to meet in-person with ASB leadership. During the meeting, we discuss the state of the association and the treasurer’s report, decide on resolutions for the year, review proposed changes to the bylaws/constitution, and make other important decisions. All members are asked to attend the business meeting.
Breakfasts and Luncheons
Sometimes a group will meet in a smaller space to discuss a topic of interest and to share a meal. Boxed meals may be provided by the group or for an individual fee. You may need to register to attend and certain breakfasts and luncheons are only for members of the group.
Thursday Night Social
The Thursday Night Social is the party of the year! Join the ASB members and leadership as we let loose at a unique local venue with food, music, and fun! Be sure to register for this event, because you won’t want to miss it! Tickets are required for this event.
Friday Night Awards Banquet
The Friday Night Social is a formal dinner at which we honor those receiving awards. It also serves as the official closing of the meeting. Get ready to dress up and celebrate the excellent achievements of our members. Registration is required for this event.
Silent Auction
The silent auction is an important fundraiser for the Enrichment Fund which provides support to help members attend the meeting. Please bring items you think might be of interest to attendees of our meeting. Items do not have to be related to the biological sciences, but this is a guaranteed shared interest among attendees. The items will be displayed in the Exhibit Hall during the meeting where anyone can place a bid. Bids close Friday afternoon, then the highest bidder pays for the item at the ASB booth and takes it home. Plan ahead and set aside items for the auction throughout the year, but don’t forget to bring them to the meeting!
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CALL FOR ABSTRACTS
ASB will accept abstracts for oral presentations, lightning talks, poster presentations, and Tribeta presentations
between October 1st, 2024 and 5PM EST January 8th, 2025.
between October 1st, 2024 and 5PM EST January 8th, 2025.
PRESENTATION GUIDELINES
Oral and Poster Presentations are presented on Thursday and Friday of the meeting. Posters can also be submitted as an ePoster that will be viewable by attendees online throughout the meeting. Abstracts should be no longer than 300 words.
Abstracts submitted to the annual meeting of the Association of Southeastern Biologists are reviewed for completeness and appropriateness by an editing board consisting of members of the program committee and the editor of the bulletin of ASB, Southeastern Biology. Abstracts submitted for awards are further reviewed for eligibility by judges aligned with those organizations. Editors and judges are professional biologists. Abstracts are published in Southeastern Biology, the official bulletin of ASB.
Beta Beta Beta submissions are reviewed by the leaders of Beta Beta Beta districts I and II. Further information for these submissions is provided by Beta Beta Beta.
See images from previous meetings at the bottom of this page. |
PRESENTATION TYPES
Oral PResentations
Poster PResentations
Posters offer an effective way to communicate preliminary data and or novel ideas/hypotheses that can stimulate discussion with interested viewers. Presenters will bring a printed poster to be displayed all day (either Thursday or Friday). The presenter(s) must be present during their assigned hour-long poster session on one of those days. Posters should fit within a 46" (Width) x 44" (Height) space. Presenters may also submit a digital poster to allow attendees to view the poster throughout the week via the meeting app. All award seekers are required to submit their posters digitally for judging. Instructions for digital poster uploads will be sent with acceptance letters. All other poster presenters have the option to submit their posters digitally. Posters will be available for the registrants on the meeting’s app during the week of the event. We strongly encourage digital submissions to allow attendees increased accessibility, which should provide schedule flexibility and expedited in-person poster visits to minimize crowding during the sessions.
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lightning talks
A less formal format to share new ideas and hypotheses, discuss novel experimental approaches, or present truly preliminary results. No more than 5 heart-pounding minutes and 3 PowerPoint slides to leave your mark, engage, and connect with others. Only a title and a brief abstract to explain your idea is required. Limited time slots available, so act fast. Slots will be filled on a first-come basis and others will be added to a waiting list. This session will take place in the Exhibit Hall.
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Tribeta Presentations
Beta Beta Beta (TriBeta) is a biological honor society for students and researchers submitting to Tribeta must be active members of a Tribeta chapter. Tribeta Districts I and II meet conjointly with ASB annually and Tribeta talks and posters will be presented on Friday concurrently with ASB sessions. Tribeta students must register for the ASB meeting.
All Tribeta presentations are judged for Tribeta Awards. |
Learn more about presentations and events of the meeting in our Guide to ASB's Annual Meeting
Registration
Registration Open!
During the registration process, you will be able to
Group Bookings:
The registration system supports group bookings. If you have six or more attendees, Shannon Gordon, ASB’s Event Planner, is ready to help. Reach out to her at [email protected].
- Become a member or renew your membership
- Buy tickets to the Plenary Reception, Thursday Night Social, and Friday Awards Banquet
- Register for luncheons hosted by our committees and affiliates
- Sign up for workshops and field trips
- Purchase meeting T-shirts
- Register a guest (guests may only attend social events)
- Make a donation to ASB
Group Bookings:
The registration system supports group bookings. If you have six or more attendees, Shannon Gordon, ASB’s Event Planner, is ready to help. Reach out to her at [email protected].
2025 Registration prices are currently under review
Membership Status |
Early Registration Rate |
Registration Rate after 12 February 2025 |
ASB Emeritus Member |
$160 |
$210 |
ASB Life Member |
$325 |
$400 |
ASB Professional Member |
$325 |
$400 |
ASB Student Member |
$160 |
$210 |
Professional Non-Member |
$400 |
$470 |
Student Non-Member |
$210 |
$265 |
ADDITIONAL REGISTRATION EVENTS
Ticketed Events |
Date |
Location |
Ticket Price |
Thursday Night Social | Professional |
Thursday, 13 March |
RipTydz - Beach Party |
$50 |
Thursday Night Social | Student |
Thursday, 13 March |
RipTydz - Beach Party |
$40 |
Friday Night Banquet |
Friday, 14 March |
Myrtle Beach Convention Center Ballroom DE |
$40 |
SPONSOR ASB and help us provide a friendly meeting space for generations of biologists
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