The purpose of this proposal is to provide support for the "Frontiers in Plant Reproduction II" Conference at the State University of New York, Albany, on October 15-17, 2004. Sexual plant reproduction is a rapidly advancing area of plant biology that has immediate practical implications for feeding the human population and supporting its other basic needs. This meeting will serve as an international forum (including researchers from North America, Europe, Asia and Australia) for the review and discussion of the state of the art in the field from diverse viewpoints, including classical plant physiology, molecular biology, biophysics, genetics and genomics. Cutting edge, high-throughput approaches will be emphasized. The conference will feature platform presentations, as well as poster and discussion sessions. This meeting is deliberately structured to facilitate meaningful participation by researchers and students representing a diversity of experimental systems, approaches, career level, ethnicity and gender. First priority in providing support will be given to the participants from underrepresented groups, women and beginning investigators. Participation of the local scientific and teaching community, including universities and other research institutions, colleges, and high schools, will be encouraged. Results of this conference will be widely disseminated, and its summary published in a leading plant journal.
