A Half-Century of the Phytochemical Society of North America: 1961-2011

In this chapter, the history of the Phytochemical Society of North America (PSNA) is reviewed on the occasion of its 50th anniversary. The formation of the PSNA's precursor organization is described, and its transformation to the present society, whose scope and coverage are discussed. The main body of this chapter consists of summaries of the meetings in each of the PSNA's five decades held annually at diverse sites in the USA, Canada, and Mexico, and twice in Europe jointly with the Phytochemical Society of Europe. Other joint meetings have been held with four other cognate societies. The format of the meetings is organized around a symposium topic discussed by several invited speakers, and has usually included contributed papers. The talks have been published first as individual books by the PPGNA and later by the PSNA in the annual series entitled Recent Advances in Phytochemistry ( RAP), sometimes replaced more recently by a special issue of Phytochemistry. Other publications are briefly discussed: the newsletter, meeting programs, and the website maintained this century by technically knowledgeable volunteer members. Executive functions have also been the responsibility of senior volunteer members. Membership, mostly from the USA, Canada, and Mexico, also includes many foreign phytochemists. A student membership has aimed from earliest days to encourage participation in the Society's activities by young scientists through lower membership and meeting registration fees, competitions with prizes awarded for best oral or poster presentation, assistance with travel expenses to attend meetings, and, in 2007, formation of a Young Members Committee. Awards by the Society have been Life Memberships, since 2006 the Phytochemical Pioneer Award to senior North American and foreign phytochemists, and since 1995 the Arthur Neish Young Investigators Award tied to a minisymposium by student members at many of the annual meetings. Tribute is paid to those whose efforts have been responsible for the success and survival of the Society for so many years.