Partial support for IBBS18 with theme: Microbes, Man and the Environment: Societal Challenges and the Role of Microorganisms in the Anthropocene; September 7-10, 2020; Bozeman, MT

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This grant will help support the International Biodeterioration and Biodegradation Society (IBBS) triennial symposium and conference at Montana State University, September 7-10,2020. The goal of the conference is to bridge the artificial gaps between basic and applied research under the theme of "Microbes, Man and the Environment: Societal Challenges and the Role of Microorganisms in the Anthropocene." IBBS is a fifty year old non-profit organization that promotes interaction between industry, academic and government researchers concerned with the positive and negative effects of living organisms on materials and processes. The conference will be preceded by a 1-day workshop for early-career scientists, entitled, "Preparing for Your First Job in a Science Department—from Application to Interview to Negotiation". The workshop will include practical advice on selecting the right institution, developing an instructional philosophy and implementing active learning in STEM classes.Microbial metabolism underpins the science associated with the biodeterioration and biodegradation of materials. Conference sessions will include : i) impact of environmental change on biodeterioration; ii) biodeterioration and multi-kingdom biofilms; iii) microbial deterioration of fuels and fuel-system components; iv) metabolomic profiling of biodeterioraton and biodegredation processes; v) environmental fate of perfluorinated compounds; vi) plastic biotransformations in ecosystems. Accordingly, the IBBS conference is relevant to the biogeochemical cycling of materials and elemental budgets, the role of species in ecosystem functioning, climate-ecosystem feedbacks, and the impact of climate and global environmental change on ecosystems.This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria.