20th North American Conference on Symbiotic Nitrogen Fixation to be held in Milwaukee, WI July 9-13, 2007

这笔赠款将使研究生和博士后研究员，特别是来自代表人数不足的群体的研究生和博士后，能够参加2007年7月9日至13日在威斯康星州密尔沃基马凯特大学校园举行的第20届北美共生固氮会议。过去四十年来，这些会议大约每两年举行一次。最初被称为根瘤菌会议，目前的会议是科学家展示与根瘤菌、藻类、弗兰克氏菌和动物固氮共生有关的结果的论坛，这些共生在营养关系中非常重要，特别是在自然生态系统中。这些共生关系是理解其他互惠关系的重要模式。这些会议试图将成本保持在尽可能低的水平，以鼓励学生参与。会议的主题从最基础的到非常实用的，其中一节是尖端分子生物学，另一节是尖端生态学，第三节是最新的农业方法。会议的规模通常是140-200名科学家，这意味着跨越这些“边界”的参与者实际上是互动的。将建立一个描述这次会议的网站(www.marquete.edu/nasnfc)。共生固氮在农业上具有重要意义，提供比化石燃料氮素更低的成本和更低的环境影响来限制氮素。在化石燃料价格不断上涨的今天，生物固氮与农业更加相关。这些会议的目标是通过合作促进理解和产生新的知识。关注青年科学家的参与尤其重要，为未来的进步和发现建立科学基础。

This grant will enable graduate students and postdoctoral associates, especially from underrepresented groups, to attend and participate in the 20th North American Conference on Symbiotic Nitrogen Fixation, July 9-13, 2007, on the campus of Marquette University, Milwaukee, WI. These conferences have been held for the past forty years on an approximately two-year cycle. Originally called the Rhizobium Conference, the current meetings are a forum for scientists to present results relating to rhizobial, algal, Frankia and animal nitrogen-fixing symbioses, which are important in nutrient relationships, especially in natural ecosystems. These symbioses are important models for understanding other mutualistic relationships. These meetings attempt to keep costs as low as possible to encourage student participation. Subject matter at the conference ranges from the most basic to very applied, with cutting edge molecular biology in one session, cutting edge ecology in another and the latest in farm methods in a third. The size of the meeting, usually 140-200 scientists, means that participants across these "boundaries" actually interact. A web site to describe the meeting will be established (www.marquete.edu/NASNFC). Symbiotic nitrogen fixation has great agricultural importance providing limiting nitrogen at lower cost than fossil fuel-derived nitrogen and with lower environmental impact. With today's rising cost of fossil fuel, biological nitrogen fixation is even more relevant to agriculture. The goal of these meetings is to foster understanding and to generate new knowledge through collaboration. The focus on the involvement of young scientists is particularly important, building the scientific base for future advancement and discovery.