SEB Trustee Elections 2024 are now open
TRUSTEE APPOINTMENTS
The Council of the Society for Experimental Biology would like to seek nominations for the position of Plant Section Chair.
In addition, the Council would also like to appoint two individuals into the following Trustee positions:
• Doctor Diana Santelia to be appointed into her first four-year term as the Publications Trustee
• Doctor Sheila Amici-Dargan to be re-appointed into her second four-year term as the Outreach, Education and Diversity Trustee
BACKGROUND
PLANT SECTION CHAIR
The Society is very grateful to Professor Stefan Kepinski for serving as the Plant Section Chair; he is stepping down after a successful four-year term and we are seeking nominations for his replacement. The successful applicant for this Trustee position will be appointed for a four-year term.
PUBLICATIONS TRUSTEE
The Society would like to extend enormous thanks to Professor Martin Parry who has been our Publications officer and trustee since 2012. He has done a fantastic job of bringing the Society and journals together and has been an invaluable member of Council.
Professor Parry will step down at the end of April 2024 and we are very pleased that this role will be covered in the interim period, May to July, by Dr Diana Santelia, who we hope to formally appoint into a full first 4-year term.
OUTREACH EDUCATION AND DIVERSITY (OED) TRUSTEE
We are also very grateful to Doctor Sheila Amici-Dargan who has served a very successful first 4-year term as the Outreach, Education and Diversity Trustee; we are pleased to advise that she is willing to serve a second four-year term.
GOVERNANCE REQUIREMENTS
Plant Section Chair
If you would like to nominate a SEB member to be considered for suitability and by election to the position of Plant Section Chair please see the detail on the election process, that follows.
Publications Trustee and OED Trustee
Whilst we very much hope you will support the appointment of Doctor Diana Santelia, and the re-appointment of Doctor Sheila Amici- Dargan, the Articles of Association require the Society to undertake a formal election process for these posts, including a call for nominations to the membership.
If you are content with these two nominations, there is no action to take in relation to these two posts.
If you would like to nominate an alternative member to be considered for suitability and by election to these positions then please see the detail on the election process, that follows.
SEB TRUSTEE ELECTION PROCESS 2024
About the Council:
The SEB Council serves as the Trustee Board for the Society. The SEB is both a charity and a company limited by guarantee. As a member of Council you will be a trustee of the charity and a director of the company.
Eligibility of candidates:
A candidate for election to Council must be a member of the Society in the Student, Early Career, Scientist, Full or Retired Class of membership and a natural person aged 16 years or older.
Candidates will not be eligible for election if he or she would be disqualified for any of the following reasons:
2.1 he/she is subject to a bankruptcy order or interim order or he/she has made any arrangement or composition with his creditors;
2.2 he/she is suffering from mental disorder;
2.3 he/she is disqualified from acting as a trustee under any statute or is prohibited by law from holding office;
2.4 he/she is directly or indirectly interested in any proposed or actual transaction or arrangement with the Society and fails to declare the nature and extent of his interest as required by section 177 of the Companies Act 2006.
As a Trustee you will be expected to declare all and any conflicts of interest and complete the Charity Commission for England & Wales Trustee Eligibility Declaration.
Eligibility to nominate:
All members of the Society are eligible to nominate individuals for all vacant Council positions.
Eligibility to vote
All members of the Society are eligible to vote in any elections arising in the appointment of the Trustee position advertised.
TRUSTEE ELECTION TIMELINES
|
Friday 19th April |
Announcement of vacant Trustee positions and call for nominations |
|
Monday 13th May |
Closing date for nominations |
|
Friday 17th May |
If required, the election process will begin and be open for 3 weeks. |
|
Friday 7th June |
Voting closes |
|
Thursday 13th June |
COUNCIL MEETING |
|
Friday 21st June |
Announcement of successful applicants for Trustee positions |
|
Tuesday 2nd July |
New Trustee terms begin |
The job descriptions for these posts are available at:
- Plant Section Chair
Read the full description
Role description:
The Plant Section plays a pivotal role in fostering the advancement and dissemination of research in plant biology within SEB. Of the five SEB journals, four are dedicated exclusively to plant biology. The Plant Section actively promotes the publication of high-quality research and advocates for the journals within the community. Moreover, SEB hosts numerous events annually, including an international conference, where the Plant Section actively contributes to shaping the scientific programme to encompass diverse areas of modern plant science. This work is aided by a variety of special interest groups, each focusing on different aspects of plant biology ensuring a diverse range of plant research is represented within the SEB.
Special Interest Groups
Special Interest Groups (SIGs) within SEB serve as sub-communities uniting members with shared interests in specific fields, aiming to advance research, knowledge, and learning in those areas. Currently, there are 23 active SIGs, with 8 focusing on various aspects of plant biology. Each SIG is led by a convenor, and collectively, these convenors form the SEB Scientific Section Committees. Here is a list of the current plant SIGs:
• Interaction of Plants with other Organisms Group
• Plant Transport Group
• Abiotic Stress and Climate Change Group
• Crop Molecular Genetics
• Photosynthesis and Metabolism Group
• Plant Development Group
• Plant Environmental Physiology Group
• Plant Biotechnology and Synthetic Biology Group
The SEB will reimburse expenses associated with carrying out SEB business and will provide an annual £1,000 donation to support the Section Chair’s research directly to their institution.[1]
Person Specification/ Criteria:
- The Section Chair should be a person with a reputation in some field of plant biology
- Interested in directly influencing the future activities of the Society, particularly within plant biology and the scientific community more generally.
- Capable of providing constructive input into the development of Plant Section activities, particularly at the annual conference and other SEB meetings, effectively showcasing the impact of Experimental Biology to a diverse audience.
- Have effective abilities in communication and networking.
- Evidence of good leadership and management skills
- Willingness to dedicate significant time to effectively fulfil the responsibilities of a Trustee and actively contribute to SEB's operations.
Role Specific Responsibilities:
Overarching expectations
- To provide enthusiastic and inclusive leadership to the relevant members of the Society, and to effectively coordinate input from the Plant Section
- To maintain the Section’s vigor and scientific excellence, aligning efforts with the Society's objectives.
- To work with the staff and other Section Chairs to support their work and ensure the success of the Society.
- Contribute to the future direction of the Society by actively participating in the SEB Strategic Review 2025-2030 and drive forward the resulting implementation plan.
SECTION MEETINGS
- Drive the activity of the section and motivate section members to propose ideas for activities and initiatives that advance the aims of the plant section and the broader objectives of SEB.
- Collaborate with lead SEB staff members to prepare and circulate agendas to section members prior to meetings.
- Finalise minutes of each section meeting and present them for committee approval at the subsequent meeting.
- Review actions arising from Section meetings monthly and take appropriate action as necessary.
- Present a summary of Section deliberations to Council at each meeting.
- Provide feedback on relevant Council deliberations to the section following Council meetings.
- Liaise with the Governance Officer on administrative arrangements for Section meetings.
- Solicit suitable nominations for the SEB Vice President elections, held biannually (next in 2025), with each scientific section having the opportunity to nominate candidates on a rotating basis.
- Coordinate section members in judging funding requests, such as the small conference fund, symposium fund, and section funds.
- Encourage the section to propose a diverse array of plant science-related topics for the annual conference and other SEB events.
- Coordinate voting for SEB plant award winners.
Support in the planning and execution of SEB events
- Facilitate and coordinate proposals for plant-themed sessions, symposia, and satellite events, deliberating on these proposals at the Events Committee.
- To actively promote the work of the plant section, collaborating closely with SEB communication staff to ensure effective promotion.
- Encourage nominations for plenary talks and Presidents medallist awards, with a particular emphasis on encouraging diverse nominations that reflect the wide spectrum of individuals contributing to the field of experimental biology.
- To identify opportunities for SEB engagement at external conferences and demonstration of the impact of plant biology within our events and beyond.
- Review evolving event schedules to prevent topic overlap and ensure a diverse range of themes is represented.
Scientific scrutiny and Judging:
- To act as a judge on applications for Company of Biologist travel grants administered by the SEB.
- To manage a transparent application process for the SEB’s Annual Awards
- To act as a judge and/or select relevant section representatives to judge the Section’s Young Scientist Award competition at the annual conference.
- To act as a judge for Section’s Irene Manton poster prize, selecting relevant finalists during the Annual Conference poster session.
- Scrutinise submissions and act as a judge on applications for plant biology events supported by specific SEB funds including satellite meetings fund, symposia fund, the small conference fund, and the plant section funds.
Active engagement and communication
- Identify new avenues of science falling within the Section’s remit and work towards making the SEB’s scientific offering more inclusive.
- Contribute to the Society’s growing Outreach, Education and Diversity (OED) portfolio by appointing and working with an OED representative who sits on the plant section. This individual will facilitate the plant section's involvement in OED initiatives, including the awards nomination task force and OED working group.
- Identify scientific projects that readily demonstrate the impact of the science; to allow the Society to promote the impact to wider Society and increase the reach of the Society.
- Actively involve members in the work of the Section.
- Review and advise the SEB Council on potential partnerships with other scientific or relevant bodies, regularly assessing and endorsing support for both existing and new partners.
- To promote and actively support the Society’s journals.
General Trustee responsibilities:
As a member of Council (that serves as the Board), your role is to collectively guide the strategic direction of the Society with the other members of Council. The incumbent will be interested in directly influencing the future activities of the Society.
As a trustee, the Plant Section Chair will be required to act in SEB’s best interests, by contributing to governance, e.g. monitoring the financial solvency of the charity, reviewing risks, and shaping the future direction of the Society.
Time commitment:
The successful applicant would need to be available to attend the following meetings:
- Council Meetings (2-3 hours, 4 per year and occasionally additional meetings)
- Joint Section Committee Meetings (2 hours, twice a year)
- Chairing Plant Section Meetings (2-3 hours, twice a year)
- Events Committee Meetings (1-2 hours, every 2 months roughly)
Training and support
SEB will offer periodic training covering trustee responsibilities, including financial and legal duties, as well as soft skills and EDI training. A comprehensive trustee information pack will be provided, outlining key responsibilities, deadlines, calendar dates, and useful contacts within the SEB executive team.
Appointment and term:
Start Date:
• To abide by the governing Articles of Association of the Society, all trustee appointments need to be ratified by the membership: this will happen in July 2024 and the term date will commence thereafter.
Term length: 4 years
[1] [1] This £1K honorarium is in keeping with the Charity Act 2011.
- Publications Trustee
Read the full description
Role description:
The SEB Publications Officer is tasked with overseeing the strategic development of the Society’s journals. The Publications Officer is a Trustee of the Society and as such is a member of the Council, the governing body.
The SEB currently owns, or co-owns, five academic journals: Conservation Physiology, The Journal of Experimental Botany, The Plant Journal, Plant Biotechnology Journal, and Plant Direct. The Society is also exploring the potential to launch new journals. The Publications Officer will work closely with the SEB’s Publications Manager to effectively manage and develop the Society’s publications portfolio. The Publications Officer will chair Publications Management Committee meetings and report any significant developments to the SEB Council.
The Publications Officer will benefit from extensive expert support from the SEB’s Publications Manager and administrative support from SEB staff. The SEB will reimburse expenses associated with carrying out SEB business and will provide an annual £1,000 donation to support the Publications Officer’s research directly to their institution.[1]
Role Specific Responsibilities:
- Chair the SEB’s Publications Management Committee (PMC). The Publications Officer will work with the SEB’s Publications Manager to prepare an agenda and papers for PMC meetings, held at least twice a year (in March and November, with interim meetings held as needed). All aspects of journal management will be discussed in PMC meetings, including:
- the transition of the Society’s hybrid journals to gold open access.
- the financial situation of the journals.
- the service provided by the journals’ publishers.
- Editor-in-Chief recruitment.
- improving links between the Society and its journals.
- renewal of publishing contracts.
- discussion of Article Processing Charge (APC) and subscription pricing adjustments.
- Sit on the SEB Council. The Publications Officer will report any significant developments to journal management and development to the SEB Council during Council meetings (held in March/April and November/December). Advise Council on all matters to do with publishing and make recommendations on the overall strategic and commercial direction that the Society should follow in relation to its publications.
- Attend Management meetings for the individual journals in the SEB’s portfolio. These are held twice a year (March/April and October/November).
- Ensure the Society’s ethos and strategy is reflected in the development of the journals.
- Monitor the performance of the SEB publications portfolio in terms of impact, academic standing, and financial out-turn.
- Ensure the Society’s policy on diversity, equality and inclusivity is reflected in journal policies and the journal editorial boards.
- Identify opportunities to expand the SEB’s portfolio of journals.
- Ensure journal Editors-in-Chief are suitably supported by the Society to carry out their roles.
General Trustee responsibilities:
As a member of Council (that serves as the Board), your role is to collectively guide the strategic direction of the Society with the other members of Council. The incumbent will be interested in directly influencing the future activities of the Society.
As a trustee, the Publications Officer will be required to act in SEB’s best interests by contributing to governance, e.g. monitoring the financial solvency of the charity, reviewing risks, and shaping the future direction of the Society.
Time commitment:
The successful applicant would need to be available to attend the following meetings:
- Council Meetings: 2-3 hours, 4 per year and occasionally additional meetings
- Publications Management Committee Meetings: 2 hours, twice per year
- Journal meetings: Each journal holds two management meetings a year (2-3 hours, normally virtual, some in person in either London or Oxford) plus occasional attendance at Editorial Board meetings.
Training and support
SEB will offer periodic training covering trustee responsibilities, including financial and legal duties, as well as soft skills and EDI training. A comprehensive trustee information pack will be provided, outlining key responsibilities, deadlines, calendar dates, and useful contacts within the SEB executive team.
Appointment and term:
Start Date:
• To abide by the governing Articles of Association of the Society, Trustee appointments need to be ratified by the membership in July 2024, the Trustee term starts thereafter.
Term length: 4 years
[1] This £1K honorarium is in keeping with the Charity Act 2011.
- Chair the SEB’s Publications Management Committee (PMC). The Publications Officer will work with the SEB’s Publications Manager to prepare an agenda and papers for PMC meetings, held at least twice a year (in March and November, with interim meetings held as needed). All aspects of journal management will be discussed in PMC meetings, including:
- Outreach, Education and Diversity Trustee
Read the full description
Role description:
SEB's commitment to embedding diversity in all activities and advancing Outreach and Education programmes has been central to the 2020-2025 strategic plan. Building on this progress, we are seeking a Trustee to champion Outreach, Education, and Diversity at board level. Supported by the OED manager and outreach officer, this individual will not only continue our vital work but also drive it forward with renewed vigour.
They will actively contribute to formulating the 2025-2030 strategy, bringing fresh insights to ensure outreach, education, and diversity remains at the forefront of our agenda. Delivering these activities are fundamental to reaching the Society’s charitable objectives. Demonstrating the impact of Experimental Biology to the next generation of scientists and the public is fundamental to our charitable objectives. We are dedicated to embedding best practices in inclusion and diversity across all activities, ensuring SEB remains a leader in this field.
The OED Trustee will benefit from extensive expert support from the SEB’s OED Manager and administrative support from SEB staff. The SEB will reimburse expenses associated with carrying out SEB business and will provide an annual £1,000 donation to support the Publications Officer’s research directly to their institution.[1]
Person Specification/ Criteria
- Demonstrated track record and dedication in delivering scientific education and outreach projects, along with a commitment to promoting equality, diversity, and inclusion in science.
- Possess a wide-ranging interest in science beyond the confines of academic research, demonstrating a creative approach to managing projects and the ability to think innovatively.
- Be interested in directly influencing the future activities of the Society, particularly in expanding our reach through education and outreach initiatives and advocating for diversity and inclusion across all areas of our work.
- Capable of providing constructive input into the development of Outreach and Education programmes, including leading the OED member working group, SEB activities at scientific conferences, and plans to engage the public and demonstrate the impact of Experimental Biology to society.
- Have effective abilities on communication and networking.
- Have good leadership and management skills.
- Willingness to dedicate significant time to effectively fulfil the responsibilities of a Trustee and actively contribute to SEB's operations.
Role Specific Responsibilities:
Overarching Expectations
- Alongside the President, act as a board level champion for outreach, education and diversity across the Society.
- Provide enthusiastic and inclusive leadership, working with the OED Manager to advance the OED programme and lead the OED member working group.
- Uphold scientific excellence and vigour in outreach and education events and materials, aligning efforts with the Society's objectives.
- To work with the staff and Scientific Section Chairs to support their work and ensure the success of the Society.
- Contribute to the future direction of the Society by actively participating in the SEB Strategic Review 2025-2030 and drive forward the resulting implementation plan.
Support in the planning and execution of SEB events
- Facilitate and coordinate proposals for OED-themed sessions, symposia, and satellite events, deliberating on these proposals at the Events Committee.
- Actively champion OED initiatives within the Society, collaborating closely with SEB communication staff to ensure effective promotion.
- Encourage diverse nominations for plenary talks and Presidents' Medallist awards, reflecting the breadth of individuals contributing to the field of experimental biology.
- Identify opportunities for SEB engagement, impact demonstration, and OED initiatives within our events and beyond.
- Review evolving event schedules to prevent topic overlap and ensure a diverse range of themes is represented.
Scientific scrutiny and Judging
- To act as a judge on applications for Outreach grant, Diversity Grant, and Educational Research grant administered by the SEB.
- To act as a judge for OED Irene Manton poster prize, selecting relevant finalists during the Annual Conference poster sessions.
- Scrutinise submissions and act as a judge on applications for OED events supported by specific SEB funds including satellite meetings fund, symposia fund, the small conference fund, and the OED annual budget.
Active engagement and communication
- Identify new opportunities to foster inclusivity within SEB and advocate for OED both within the Society and across the broader realms of experimental biology, academia, and bioscience education.
- Contribute to the expansion of the Society's Outreach, Education, and Diversity (OED) portfolio by overseeing the OED working group and providing input into OED initiatives, including the awards nomination task force.
- Actively involve members in the OED working group and other OED activities of the Society.
- Review and advise the SEB Council on potential partnerships with other scientific or relevant bodies, regularly assessing and endorsing support for both existing and new partners.
- To promote and actively support the Society’s journals.
General Trustee responsibilities:
As a member of Council (that serves as the Board), your role is to collectively guide the strategic direction of the Society with the other members of Council. The incumbent will be interested in directly influencing the future activities of the Society.
As a trustee, the OED Trustee will be required to act in SEB’s best interests, by contributing to governance, e.g. monitoring the financial solvency of the charity, reviewing risks, and shaping the future direction of the Society.
Time commitment:
The successful applicant would need to be available to attend the following meetings:
- Council Meetings (2-3 hours, 4 per year and occasionally additional meetings)
- Events Committee Meetings (1-2 hours, every 2 months roughly)
- Joint Section Committee Meetings (2 hours, twice a year)
- Chairing OED Working Group Meetings (1 hour, every 2-3 months)
- Award Nomination Task Force Meetings (1 hour, every 2-3 months)
Training and support
SEB will offer periodic training covering trustee responsibilities, including financial and legal duties, as well as soft skills and EDI training. A comprehensive trustee information pack will be provided, outlining key responsibilities, deadlines, calendar dates, and useful contacts within the SEB executive team.
Appointment and term:
Start Date:
• To abide by the governing Articles of Association of the Society, Trustee appointments need to be ratified by the membership in July 2024, the Trustee term starts thereafter.
Term length: 4 years
[1] [1] This £1K honorarium is in keeping with the Charity Act 2011.
If you would like to nominate yourself or someone you know please complete the Trustee application form attached.
The deadline for nominations is Monday 13th May 2024.
If only one eligible nomination is received for the position, then that candidate will be offered for formal election to the Council unopposed.
An election process will be instigated if more than one nomination is received for any of the positions.
If you have any queries, please don’t hesitate to contact us on [email protected].
Best regards,
The SEB Team
