STAR Award presented to the American Society of Mammalogists
Every quarter the Moscow Chamber of Commerce awards the STAR Award to a group that brings tourism to the Palouse. This quarter’s Supporting Tourism and Recreation (STAR) Award goes to the American Society of Mammologists (ASM) Convention. Janet Rachlow, Professor in the Department of Fish and Wildlife Sciences at the University of Idaho, will be accepting the award for herself and Ryan Long, Assistant Professor in the Department of Fish and Wildlife Sciences, for helping to coordinate the Convention and bringing it to Moscow, Idaho.
The ASM Convention was held in Moscow from Tuesday, June 20th through Saturday, June 24th at the University of Idaho. Approximately 425 professional scientists and students attended and some brought family members with them. This year was the first time the meeting was held in Moscow. One event that was new for the Society this year was the “Mammal Crawl”, which invited mammalogists out on the town for an evening. A student social was hosted at the Prichard Art Gallery, mammal-themed films were shown at the Kenworthy Theater, and BookPeople hosted a reception. In addition, many businesses offered discounts and specials to ASM members.
The American Society of Mammalogists (ASM) was established in 1919 to promote interest in the study of mammals. The ASM is currently composed of approximately 2,500 members, many of whom are professional scientists and students. Members of the Society have always had a strong interest in the public good, and this is reflected in their involvement in providing information for public policy, resources management, conservation, and education. The Society hosts annual meetings and maintains several publications. The flagship publication is the Journal of Mammalogy.