Lynn Cooley, Ph.D., the C.N.H. Long Professor of Genetics, professor of cell biology and of molecular, cellular, and developmental biology, and dean of the Graduate School of Arts and Sciences, has been named vice president of the Genetics Society of America (GSA). She will serve as vice president in 2016 and president in 2017.
Joining her as new GSA board members are David Greenstein, Ph.D., of the University of Minnesota, as secretary; JoAnne Engebrecht, Ph.D., of the University of California, Davis, as director; Erika Matunis, Ph.D., of Johns Hopkins School of Medicine, as director; Eric Selker, Ph.D., of the University of Oregon, as director; and Huntington Willard, Ph.D., of the Marine Biological Laboratory and University of Chicago, as director. The new members begin their tenure on January 1, 2016, and will remain on the board through December 31, 2018.
"We are honored that these talented and committed scientists will be joining the Society leadership," said Adam P. Fagen, Ph.D., GSA's Executive Director. "It is clear that the new members will continue the strong tradition established by current and previous Board members of enhancing our service to the genetics community and raising the visibility of our field."
Cooley is a Drosophila researcher and her research involves the mechanisms controlling oocyte growth in the fruit fly Drosophila melanogaster. Cooley is eager to work with the GSA Board to promote the enormous benefits of genetic approaches to understanding biological mechanisms. She wrote in her candidacy statement that "my top priority is to work with the GSA to advocate strongly for genetics and the tremendous value of basic research. I am very interested in the potential of amplifying these messages through coordinated efforts among model system communities." Cooley has served GSA in several leadership positions over the years; she is currently completing a term as a GSA Director, is the current Editor-In-Chief of FlyBook, which just launched publication in GENETICS, and is the Associate Editor of GENETICS. She also served as 2004-2005 President of the North American Drosophila Board of Directors. She is a Fellow of the American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS), a member of the Connecticut Academy of Science and Engineering, and was a Pew Scholar in the Biomedical Sciences.