The SSE AIC Committee promotes an inclusive environment to enhance the field of evolutionary biology and foster the career of its developing scientists.
An inclusive SSE will foster innovation, creativity, and access for all professional levels.
Evolutionary biology as a discipline studies diversity. The SSE AIC Committee’s goals are: 1) to celebrate and foster the inclusion of all social, racial, and economic groups in the Society and 2) to promote the advancement of the study of evolutionary biology by fostering the recruitment and retention of individuals of all identity groups. Our guiding principles are:
Recruitment: Improving the inclusion of all scientists in the field of evolutionary biology, including individuals from groups not currently represented in our membership.
Retention: Devising and implementing strategies for the retention of all scientists in our society.
Mentorship: Showing by example by pairing early-career scholars with mid-career and advanced career scientists.
Professional development: Supporting scientific and policy leaders through educational opportunities.
Informed decision making: Using data collection on the demographics of our membership to guide decisions that directly or indirectly connect to our values and guiding principles.
The Society for the Study of Evolution (SSE) is dedicated to promoting a broader understanding of evolutionary biology and its related subfields. We encourage the professional development of our members and support increasing participation and access. At the scientific core of evolutionary biology is a value for and appreciation of biological diversity. Accordingly, we welcome, support, and celebrate all of our members. We are sensitive to the ways that diversity changes and grows in modern society and acknowledge that diversity principles change through time. As a professional society we promote inclusion and representation at all levels, and we strive to increase participation of all individuals. We encourage an inclusive, supportive, and impartial workspace free from discrimination, bigotry, sexual harassment, or violence of any kind. Finally, we facilitate the effective communication of evolutionary principles to the public to foster a broader understanding of evolutionary biology, biological diversity, and their role in society.
Statement Against Racism and Racial Injustice
Tri-Society Statement Against AAPI Racism
Learn more about the AIC Committee's founding, actions, and goals here.
aic [at] evolutionsociety.org
See the Committees page for a full list of committee members.
Best Practices - Posters and Oral Presentations
Learn more about the AIC Committee's events and programming here.
To apply for assistance with membership fees, please contact communications@evolutionsociety.org.
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Martha Burford Reiskind (Co-Chair 2025-2026) Martha’s research focuses on understanding the interaction of genes and environment in shaping the evolutionary trajectory of species. She studies invasive species of fish and mosquitoes and native fish, frogs, turtles, and butterflies. Specirically, she studies the rapid evolution of vectors of disease and animals of conservation concern. She addresses how abiotic and biotic interactions influence genetic changes in the genome, such as how human behaviors may influence insecticide reisistance in disease vectors such as Aedes mosquitoes. Martha is the Co-Chair for the AIC committee and has focused on synergystic activities with the Tri-Society such as the Solidarity Workshop and Storytelling. |
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Jordan Lewis (Co-Chair 2026-2027) I am a professor at the University of South Carolina - Columbia. My lab investigates fundamental questions concerning adaptive evolution, the evolution of hosts and parasites, the persistence (and spread) of monitoring relevant microbes in the environment, and issues related to bioethics and science and society. |
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Heather Bronwyn Bleakley (Executive Vice President) I'm a behavioral ecologist and evolutionary geneticist interested in understanding the underlying genetic architecture and physiology of interacting phenotypes, such as cooperative anti-predator behavior in Trinidadian guppies. I teach at a primarily undergraduate institution and am active in faculty development for inclusive teaching and mentoring, and use undergraduate research experiences to support student retention and success and STEM workforce development. |
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Carol Boggs is Past-President of SSE, a faculty member at the University of South Carolina, and a Principle Investigator at the Rocky Mountain Biological Lab. Her research focuses on effects of environmental stressors on insect life histories and population dynamics. |
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Nancy Chen I am an Assistant Professor in the Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology at the University of California, Los Angeles. Research in my lab focuses on understanding how natural populations evolve over short timescales by integrating genomics with extensive pedigree data from long-term demographic studies of birds and mammals. |
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Jay Goldberg Jay Goldberg is a presidential scholar at Arizona State University. He studies the genetic basis of co-evolution between native plants and insects in the Sonoran Desert. |
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Sangeet Lamichhaney My lab studies how evolutionary processes generate and maintain adaptive responses to environmental change. Using multi-omics approaches, our work examines molecular mechanisms associated with short-term acclimation and long-term genetic adaptation in wild birds and invasive species. |
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Jill Love I am a recent PhD from Tulane University with a research focus on phenotypic plasticity, local adaptation, and genomics. I’m a true plant lover with a soft spot for Mimulus species. I previously served on SSE’s GSAC committee and am a proud voice of the LGBTQ+ community! |
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Kelly Zamudio Kelly Zamudio is an evolutionary biologist and Professor in the Department of Integrative Biology at UT Austin. She has served on council and as a Past President of SSE. |
