The 53rd Annual Maize Genetics Conference will be held March 17 - 20, 2011 at St. Charles (IL). At this conference, members of the maize community present and discuss their most recent research results covering a wide range of topics including classical genetics, molecular genetics, and genomics. The Maize Genetics Conference provides an outstanding opportunity for undergraduate and graduate students to meet and interact with scientists in the field, to discuss their research ideas as talks or posters, and to begin to establish the scientific networks that will prove invaluable throughout their careers. The funding provided by NSF will broaden participation and help defray the costs of participation of students from the U.S. scientific community.
For the past 53 years, members of the Maize Genetics community have met annually to present and discuss their most recent research advances. A wide range of topics is represented, including cytogenetics, chromosome mechanics, molecular genetics, biochemical genetics, cytoplasmic inheritance, genetic mapping, molecular markers, transposable element behavior, applications, gene identification, gene expression, plant development, tissue culture, genetic transformation, and new genomics approaches. One of the goals of the meeting is to foster the collegiality and free exchange of information that has been an integral part of the Maize Genetics community. Participation and high-quality presentations by graduate and postdoctoral students and are strongly encouraged. The Maize Genetics Conference provides outstanding opportunities for graduate students and postdoctoral scientists to meet and interact with an international gathering of scientists in the field, to discuss their research while presenting talks or posters, and to establish scientific networks that will be valuable as they embark on their careers. The Maize Genetics Conference is unique compared to other meetings in its efforts to support attendance by all graduate student attendees. At the 53rd Annual Maize Genetics Conference in St Charles Illinois, NSF funding enabled the participation of 64 underrepresented students through subsidization of the conference meeting package.
