Start an ASM Student and Postdoctoral Chapter

June 18, 2018

ASM student and postdoctoral chapters are for students and postdocs interested in microbiology at their local university. Chapters host several events throughout the year, such as career panels, visits to microbiology companies, judging science fairs, etc. to promote ASM's mission of advancing the microbial sciences. Chapters:

Hold weekly or monthly meetings for students and faculty.
Collaborate with local ASM Branches or Ambassadors to develop meeting programs, organize local ASM events or create presentation opportunities for their members.
Invite local experts from the Careers in Microbial Sciences Speaker Program to speak with their chapter.
Organize professional development workshops on scientific writing or presenting and communicating your science.
Host informational seminars using materials from ASM Careers to discuss next career steps, creating a CV and the job search process.
Tour microbiology-related companies, such as local laboratories, hospitals, breweries, sewage treatment plans, wineries, etc.
Support primary and secondary science education by hosting (or judging) a science and technology fair.

Your Benefits to Starting a Chapter:

Expand your network by collaborating with students, faculty, industry, clinical laboratories and nonprofit organizations.
Develop leadership instincts.
Improve presentation skills.
Give back to your local community and support science through K-12 engagement.
Gain mentors outside of academic institutions.
Have an opportunity to write a proposal seeking financial support from ASM.
Recognition as an official part of ASM and a network of sister chapters throughout the world.

How to Start a Chapter:

Draft a constitution for your group.
Seek initial sponsorship from your university. Universities have various requirements for forming on campus groups. Consult your student affairs department to make sure you are in compliance with your institution.
Select a faculty advisor who is a current member of ASM.
Draft an action plan of activities your chapter would like to accomplish in the current calendar year.
Ask your local branch or ambassador for sponsorship. Contact the ASM Branch in your area or local ambassador to request sponsorship to become an ASM-recognized student and postdoctoral chapter. Enclose a copy of your constitution and action plan for review.
Submit an application to StudentChapters@asmusa.org with:
- Your drafted constitution.
- Letter or email of approval from your faculty advisor (who is an ASM member).
- Letter or email of support from your local ASM Branch or ASM Ambassador.
- List of names and contact information of executive board members.
ASM will review your application and contact you when your chapter is provisionally approved. Your chapter will be officially approved by the ASM Board of Directors at the next ASM Microbe meeting.

Questions? Please contact StudentChapters@asmusa.org.

Where We Work

ASM student and postdoctoral chapters are for students and postdocs interested in microbiology at their local university. Find one near you or start a chapter at your university.

International ASM Student and Postdoctoral Chapters

Armenia

Yerevan State University
Yerevan, Armenia
Faculty Advisor: Anna Poladyan
apoladyan@ysu.am; armicroasm@gmail.com

Bangladesh

University of Chittagong
Chittagong, Bangladesh
Faculty Advisor: Md. Zobaidul Alam
mzamicro@yahoo.com; asmcu2020@gmail.com

University of Dhaka
Dhaka, Bangladesh
Faculty Advisor: Sangita Ahmed
sangita@du.ac.bd

University of Rajshahi
Rajshahi, Bangladesh
Faculty Advisor: Imtiaj Hasan and Fazlul Haque
hasanimtiaj@yahoo.co.uk; drfazlul@ru.ac.bd; asmru.office@gmail.com

Brazil

Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro
Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
Faculty Advisor: Tatiana Pinto
tati.micro@gmail.com; lauramaria.andrade@yahoo.com.br; ufrjstudentchapter@gmail.com

University of São Paulo
São Paulo, Brazil
Faculty Advisor: Maria Carolina Quecine and Maria Leticia Bonatelli
mquecine@usp.br; mlbonatelli@gmail.com

Cameroon

University of Yaounde 1
Yaounde, Cameroon
Faculty Advisor: Sado Sylvian
sadosylvain@hotmail.com

Canada

University of British Colombia
Vancouver, Canada
Faculty Advisor: Agatha Jassem
Agatha.Jassem@bccdc.ca; ubcomix@gmail.com

Colombia

Universidad del Quindio
Quindío, Colombia
Faculty Advisor: Jorge E. Gomez-Marin
jegomez@uniquindio.edu.co;

Egypt

Mansoura University
Mansoura, Egypt
Faculty Advisor: Alaa Aboelnour Elmoursi
aalaa_abo@yahoo.com

Alexandria University
Alexandria, Egypt
Faculty Advisor: Hanan Ghozlan
hanan.ghozlan@gmail.com; asm.ausce15@gmail.com

El Salvador

Universidad Dr. Jose Matias Delgado
San Salvador, El Salvador
Faculty Advisor: Leonor Murillo de Linares
limurillol@ujmd.edu.sv; microes.studentchapter@gmail.com

Ghana

University of Energy and Natural Resources
Sunyani, Ghana
Faculty Advisor: Kenneth Bentum Otabil
Kenneth.otabil@uenr.edu.gh

India

Madurai Kamaraj University
Madurai, India
Faculty Advisor: P. Varalakshmi
pvlakshmi.biotech@mkuniversity.org; mku.asm@gmail.com

Jamaica

University of the West Indies
Mona, Jamaica
Faculty Advisor: Paul Brown and Stacy Stephenson-Clarke
paul.brown@uwimona.edu.jm; stacy.stephenson02@uwimona.edu.jm
uwi.asm@gmail.com

Malaysia

National University of Malaysia
Bangi, Selangor, Malaysia
Faculty Advisor: Kalaivani Nadarajah
vani@ukm.edu.my; asminmalaysia@gmail.com

Nepal

Pokhara University
Pokhara, Nepal
Faculty Advisor: Suresh Jaiswal
suuress@gmail.com

Nigeria

Kwara State University (KWASU)
Nigerian Association of Microbiology Students (NAMS), Kwara State University (KWASU)
Kwara, Nigeria
Faculty Advisor: Sunday Awe
Sunday.awe@kwasu.edu; kwasuasm@gmail.com

Pakistan

COMSATS University
ASM Himalaya Student Chapter
Abbottabad, Pakistan
Faculty Advisor: Rashid Nazir
rashidnazir@ciit.net.pk

Dow University of Health Sciences
Karachi, Pakistan
Faculty Advisor: Muhammad Asif Qureshi
a.qureshi@duhs.edu.pk; asm-duhs@gmail.com

Institute of Microbiology University of Agriculture
Faisalabad, Pakistan
Faculty Advisor: Dr. Mashkoor Mohsin Gilani
mashkoormohsin@uaf.edu.pk

Jinnah University for Women
Karachi, Pakistan
Faculty Advisor: Kashmala Zainab and Taqdees Malik
Kashmala.juw@gmail.com; taqdees_13@hotmail.com

University of the Punjab
Lahore, Pakistan
Faculty Advisor: Imran Sajid
imran.mmg@pu.edu.pk; punjabuniversity.asmbranch@gmail.com

University of Veterinary and Animal Sciences
Lahore, Pakistan
Faculty Advisor: Dr. Shahzad Ali
shahzad.ali@uvas.edu.pk

Paraguay

Universidad Nacional de Asunción
Asunción, Paraguay
Faculty Advisor: Juana Ortellado Canese and Rosa María Guillén Fretes
juaniorte@yahoo.com.mx; rmguillenf@gmail.com

Peru

Universidad Peruana Cayetano Heredia
Faculty Advisor: Pablo Tsukayama
pablo.tsukayama@upch.pe; asm.upch@gmail.com

Philippines

University of Santo Tomas
UST Microbiology Society
Santo Tomas, Philippines
Faculty Advisor: Reuel M. Bennett and Kim Hazel V. Arafiles
rmbennett@ust.edu.ph; kvarafiles@ust.edu.ph; ust.microsoc@gmail.com

St. Lucia

Spartan Health Sciences University
Vieux Fort, St. Lucia
Faculty Advisor: Sambasivarao Yaragalla
siva2lifescience@gmail.com

Sudan

Omdurman Islamic University
Omdurman, Sudan
Faculty Advisor: Abdulazeem Abdulsalam Ibrahim
ebade72@hotmail.com; Oiubranchasm@gmail.com

United Arab Emirates

Manipal Academy of Higher Education Dubai Campus
Dubai, UAE
Faculty Advisor: Faheem Syed Mohammed and Madhumitha Kedhari
faheemsm@manipaldubai.com; madhumitha.kedharisundaram@manipaldubai.com

U.S. ASM Student and Postdoctoral Chapters

Alabama

Alabama State University
Faculty Advisor: Qiana Matthews
qmatthrews@alasu.edu

Auburn University
Faculty Advisor: Mark Liles
lilesma@auburn.edu

University of Alabama, Birmingham
Faculty Advisor: Jessica Scoffield
jscoff@uab.edu

University of Alabama, Tuscaloosa
Faculty Advisor: Asma Hatoum-Aslan
ahatoum@ua.edu; alabamaASM@gmail.com

Alaska

University of Alaska
Faculty Advisor: Brandon Briggs
bbriggs6@alaska.edu

Arizona

Grand Canyon University
Faculty Advisor: Galyna Kufryk
galyna.kufryk@gcu.edu

California

California Institute of Technology
Faculty Advisor: Jared Leadbetter
jleadbetter@caltech.edu

California State University, Chico
Faculty Advisor: Troy Cline
tdcline@csuchico.edu

California State University, Channel Islands
Faculty Advisor: Hugo Tapia
hugo.tapia@csuci.edu

California State University, Long Beach
Faculty Advisor: Jesse Dillon
Jesse.Dillon@csulb.edu; asm.csulongbeach@gmail.com

California State University, Los Angeles
Faculty Advisor: Edith Porter
eporter@calstatela.edu; csula.asm@gmail.com

California State University, Northridge
Faculty Advisor: Gilberto Flores and Rachel Mackelprang
gilberto.flores@csun.edu; rachel.mackelprang@csun.edu; csun.msa@my.csun.edu

California State University, Sacramento
The Student Association of Laboratory Scientists
Faculty Advisor: Susanne Lindgren
Lindgren@csus.edu; Csus.sals@gmail.com

Sierra College
Faculty Advisor: Harriet Wilson
microbes@mac.com

University of California, Berkeley
Microbial Biology Graduate Student Group
Faculty Advisor: Steven Lindow
icelab@berkeley.edu

University of California, Davis
Faculty Advisor: Miriam Martin
memartin@ucdavis.edu; asmatucdavis@gmail.com

University of California, Riverside
Faculty Advisor: Patrick Degnan
patrickd@ucr.edu; ucr.asm@gmail.com

Connecticut

Quinnipiac University
Faculty Advisor: Lisa Cuchara
lisa.cuchara@quinnipiac.edu; asm@quinnipiac.edu

University of Connecticut, Storrs
Faculty Advisor: Kathleen Feldman and Patricia Rossi
kathleen.feldman@uconn.edu; Patricia.Rossi@uconn.edu

University of Connecticut, Uconn Health
Faculty Advisor: David Banach
dbanach@uchc.edu

Florida

Ponte Vedra High School
Faculty Advisor: Kathryn Kehoe
kathryn.kehoe@stjohns.k12.fl.us

University of Central Florida
Faculty Advisor: Jessica Wilson
Jessica.Wilson2@ucf.edu; ucfknights.asm@gmail.com

University of Florida
ASM Gators
Faculty Advisor: Monika Oli
moli@ufl.edu; asmgators@gmail.com

Georgia

University of Georgia, Athens
Faculty Advisor: Jennifer Walker and Timothy Hoover
Jrswalk@uga.edu; trhoover@uga.edu;

Idaho

Idaho State University
Faculty Advisor: Jack Shurley
shurjack@isu.edu; microbio@isu.edu

Illinois

Chicago State University
Faculty Advisor: Nadeem Fazal
nfazal@csu.edu; asm@csu.edu

University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign
Faculty Advisor: Brenda Wilson
wilson7@illinois.edu

Indiana

Ball State University
Faculty Advisor: John McKillip
jlmckillip@bsu.edu

Purdue University, Fort Wayne
Faculty Advisor: Tanya Soule
soulet@pfw.edu; asm@pfw.edu

Iowa

Iowa State University
Microbiology Graduate Student Organization, Iowa State
Faculty Advisor: Nancy Boury and Nicholas Peters
nan1@iastate.edu; ntpeters@iastate.edu

University of Iowa
Faculty Advisor: Mary Weber
mary-weber@uiowa.edu

Kansas

University of Kansas
ASM Jayhawk
Faculty Advisor: Lynn E. Hancock and P. Scott Hefty
lynnh@ku.edu; pshefty@ku.edu

Kentucky

University of Kentucky
Faculty Advisor: Erin Garcia
erin.garcia@uky.edu

Louisiana

Northwestern State University
Faculty Advisor: Christopher N. Lyles and Trenton Kaine O'Neal
lylesc@nsula.edu; onealt@nsula.edu

Maine

University of Maine
Maine Society of Microbiology
Faculty Advisor: Robert Wheeler
robert.wheeler1@maine.edu

Maryland

Uniformed Services University
Faculty Advisor: D. Scott Merrell
douglas.merrell@usuhs.edu

University of Maryland at College Park
Faculty Advisor: Vincent T. Lee
vtlee@umd.edu; umdmicrobio@gmail.com

Massachusetts

University of Massachusetts - Amherst
Faculty Advisor: Kristen Deangelis
deangelis@microbio.umass.edu

Michigan

Grand Valley State University
Faculty Advisor: Aaron Baxter
baxteraa@gvsu.edu

Michigan State University
Faculty Advisor: Jeannine Scott
scottj21@msu.edu; micclub@msu.edu

Minnesota

St. Cloud State University
Faculty Advisor: Ryan Fink and Louise Mills
Rcfink@stcloudstate.edu; lmillis@stcloudstate.edu

University of Minnesota
Faculty Advisor: Christian Mohr
mohrx005@umn.edu

Mississippi

Mississippi State University
Faculty Advisor: Justin Thornton
thornton@biology.msstate.edu; msuasm@yahoo.com

Saint Louis University
Faculty Advisor: John Tavis
john.tavis@health.slu.edu

Missouri

University of Missouri- Columbia
Faculty Advisor: Pamela Brown and Michael Calcutt
brownpb@missouri.edu; calcuttm@missouri.edu; mizzouasm@gmail.com

Nevada

University of Nevada, Las Vegas
Faculty Advisor: Eduardo Robleto
eduardo.robleto@unlv.edu; unlv.asm@gmail.com

University of Nevada, Reno
Faculty Advisor: Deanna Colton
dcolton@med.unr.edu; unvreno.asm@gmail.com; unr.asm19@gmail.com

New Jersey

Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey
Faculty Advisor: Max Haggblom
haggblom@rutgers.edu

New York

Binghamton University
Faculty Advisor: Caitlin Light
clight@binghamton.edu; microbiology@binghamtonsa.org

Dominican College of Blauvelt
Faculty Advisor: Bernadette Connors and Regina Alvarez
bernadette.connors@dc.edu; regina.alvarez@dc.edu

Hobart & William Smith Colleges
Faculty Advisor: Patricia Mowery
mowery@hws.edu; hobartandwilliamasm@gmail.com

University at Albany, School of Public Health
Eastern New York ASM Student Chapter
Faculty Advisor: Kathleen McDonough and William Wolfgang
kathleen.mcdonough@health.ny.gov; william.wolfgang@health.ny.gov; Enyscasm@gmail.com

North Carolina

North Carolina State University
Faculty Advisor: Mike Taveirne and Alice Lee
michael_taveirne@ncsu.edu; amlee3@ncsu.edu; microbiologyclub@ncsu.edu

North Dakota

North Dakota State University
Faculty Advisor: Peter Bergholz and Danielle Condry
peter.bergholz@ndsu.edu; danielle.condry@ndsu.edu

Ohio

Bowling Green University
Faculty Advisor: Hans Wildschutte
hansw@bgsu.edu

Lorain County Community College
Faculty Advisor: Harry Kestler and Kathy Durham
hkestler@lorainccc.edu; kdurham@lorainccc.edu

Miami University
Faculty Advisor: Alan F. Strautman
strautaf@miamioh.edu

Ohio Wesleyan
Faculty Advisor: Laura Tuhela-Reuning
lmtuhela@owu.edu

Otterbein University
Faculty Advisor: Jennifer Bennett
jbennett@otterbein.edu

Oklahoma

Oklahoma State University
Faculty Advisor: Matthew Cabeen and Karen Wozniak
matthew.cabeen@okstate.edu; karen.woozniak@okstate.edu

Oregon

Oregon State University
Faculty Advisor: Linda Bruslind
bruslindl@oregonstate.edu; oregonstatemsa@gmail.com

Pennsylvania

Drexel University College of Medicine
Eastern Pennsylvania Branch Student Chapter
Faculty Advisor: Sunny Shin
sunshin@pennmedicine.upenn.edu; epaasm.students@gmail.com

Duquesne University
Faculty Advisor: Wook Kim
kimw1@duq.edu

Juniata College
Faculty Advisor: Regina Lamendella
lamendella@juniata.edu

Pennsylvania State University
Faculty Advisor: Paul Babitzke
pxb28@psu.edu

University of the Sciences in Philadelphia
Faculty Advisor: Jason Heindl
j.heindl@usciences.edu

West Chester University
Faculty Advisor: John M. Pisciotta
jpisciotta@wcupa.edu; Wcumicrosocial@gmail.com

Puerto Rico

Universidad Ana G. Mendez
UNE PR - Mic-Chapter
Faculty Advisor: Sandra Barroso Lorenzo
barrosos1@uagm.edu; unemicchap2014@gmail.com

Universidad Ana G. Méndez-Gurabo (formerly Universidad del Turabo, Gurabo)
PRIMER (Puerto Rico Institute for Microbial Ecology Research)
Faculty Advisor: Jose R. Perez-Jimenez
jperezjm@uagm.edu

University of Puerto Rico, Arecibo
Student Chapter of Microbiology of Arecibo (CEMA)
Faculty Advisor: Jose Arbelo-Garcia
jose.arbelo@upr.edu; cema.arecibo@upr.edu

University of Puerto Rico, Cayey
Profesionales del Laboratorio Clínico (TMED)
Faculty Advisor: Maribel Irizarry-Badea and José Efrain López-Berrios
maribel.irizarry@upr.edu; jose.berrios8@upr.edu

University of Puerto Rico, Humacao
Capitulo de Estudiantes de Microbiologia (CEM)
Faculty Advisor: Sanda Rodríguez
sandra.rodriguez4@upr.edu; cemicro.uprh@upr.edu

University of Puerto Rico, Mayaguez
Industrial Microbiology Students Society (SEMI)
Faculty Advisor: Luis Rios Hernandez and Maria M. Vargas-Rodríguez
luis.rios5@upr.edu; mariam.vargas@upr.edu; semi.upr@gmail.com

University of Puerto Rico, Medical Sciences Campus at San Juan
Faculty Advisor: Edna Aquino -Pinero
edna.aquino@upr.edu; microbiologia.rcm@gmail.com

University of Puerto Rico, Rio Piedras
Faculty Advisor: Miguel Urdaneta
Miguel.urdaneta1@upr.edu; micro.uprrp@gmail.com

South Carolina

Clemson University
Faculty Advisor: Harry D. Kurtz
hkurtz@clemson.edu

University of South Carolina School of Medicine Greenville
Faculty Advisor: Steven Fiester
fiester@greenvillemed.sc.edu

University of South Carolina Upstate and Furman University
Upstate of SC Chapter of ASM
Faculty Advisor: Ginny Webb and Min-Ken Liao
Will4283@uscupstate.edu; Min-Ken.Liao@furman.edu

South Dakota

South Dakota School of Mines and Technology
ASM-SD Bioindustry Accelerator and Innovation Hub
Faculty Advisor: Rajesh Sani and Kelsey Gilcrease
Rajesh.Sani@sdsmt.edu; Kelsey.Gilcrease@sdsmt.edu

South Dakota State University
Faculty Advisor: Jessica Mediger
Jessica.Mediger@sdstate.edu

Tennessee

Vanderbilt University
Faculty Advisor: Ann Tate
a.tate@vanderbilt.edu

East Tennessee State University
Faculty Advisor: Sean Fox and Dara Young
foxsj@mail.etsu.edu; youngdc@etsu.edu

University of Tennessee, Knoxville
Faculty Advisor: Gary LeCleir
glecleir@utk.edu

Texas

Baylor College of Medicine, University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston
Faculty Advisor: Heidi Kaplan
heidi.b.kaplan@uth.tmc.edu; asmattmc@gmail.com

St. Edward’s University
Faculty Advisor: Patricia Baynham and Claire Edwards
patricib@stedwards.edu; medward9@stedwards.edu

Texas Tech University
Faculty Advisor: Catherine Wakeman
catherine.wakeman@ttu.edu

Texas Woman's University
Faculty Advisor: Laura Hanson
lhanson@twu.edu; asm.twu@gmail.com

University of Dallas
Faculty Advisor: William Cody
wcody@udallas.edu

University of North Texas
UNT Society for Microbiology
Faculty Advisor: Lee Hughes
lee.hughes@unt.edu

University of Texas at Austin
Faculty Advisor: Suzanne Barth and Eric Cambronne
ssbarth@austin.utexas.edu; eric.cambronne@austin.utexas.edu

University of Texas at El Paso
Faculty Advisor: Rosa Maldonado
ramaldonado@utep.edu; utepasm@gmail.com

University of Texas at San Antonio
Faculty Advisor: Janakiram Seshu and Soo Chan Lee
j.seshu@utsa.edu; Soochan.Lee@utsa.edu; Asmatutsa@gmail.com

Utah

Brigham Young University
Faculty Advisor: Robert Black
robert_black@byu.edu

Utah Valley University
Faculty Advisor: Michaela Gazdik Stofer
gazdikmi@uvu.edu

Weber State University
Faculty Advisor: Katrina Twing
katrinatwing@weber.edu

Virginia

Shenandoah Valley Chapter (BRCC/EMU/JMU)
Faculty Advisor: Kristopher Schmidt
Kristopher.schmidt@emu.edu

Virginia Commonwealth University
Faculty Advisor: Daniel Miller
daniel.miller@vcuhealth.org

Virginia Tech
Faculty Advisor: Ann Stevens
ams@vt.edu

Washington

University of Washington
Microphiles
Faculty Advisor: Mark Chandler
msc@uw.edu; microph@uw.edu

West Virginia

West Virginia University
Faculty Advisor: Meenal Elliott
melliott@hsc.wvu.edu; Wvuasm@gmail.com

Wisconsin

University of Wisconsin, La Crosse
Faculty Advisor: Bonnie Jo Bratina and Marisa Barbknecht
bbratina@uwlax.edu; mbarbknecht@uwlax.edu

University of Wisconsin, Madison
Faculty Advisor: Garret Suen
gsuen@wisc.edu

University of Wisconsin, Milwaukee
Faculty Advisor: Ryan Newton and Sandra McLellan
newtonr@uwm.edu; mclellan@uwm.edu