In 1928, Alice Evans, M.S., became the first woman elected to serve as president of ASM. At a time when women rarely held prominent leadership roles, Evans’ commitment and influence helped open doors for many other women in science. She is renowned for her groundbreaking research on bacterial contamination of milk, which showed that raw cow’s milk could transmit Brucella abortus—an insight that revolutionized public health and food safety. 

ASM’s 39th Annual Meeting highlighted the growing role of women in the field of microbiology. The planning committee for the meeting involved several leading women scientists, including Alice Evans, M.S.; Ida Bengtson, Ph.D.; Sara Branham, M.D., Ph.D.; Margaret Pittman, Ph.D.; Edythe Rose, M.A.; Evelyn Tilden, Ph.D.; and Elizabeth Verder, Ph.D. The meeting also featured 2 all-women panel presentations: “A Comparison of the Precipitation Reaction in Immune System Serum Agar Plates and the Protection of Mice with Meningococcus Antiserum” and “A Comparative Study of the Use of Varying Concentrations of Agar in the Test Medium Used to Detect Contaminations in Biologic Products.” The presentations referenced Fanny (Angelina) Hesse's 1883 groundbreaking discovery of agar as a culture medium. Hesse, a German-American, first used agar-agar in cooking and suggested it to her husband, Walther Hesse, M.D., as a stable growth medium. The idea was later adopted by Robert Koch, M.D. Although her contribution was long overlooked, ASM continued to recognize her work, as noted in a Washington Post article about the 39th meeting.

In 1943, Rebecca Lancefield, Ph.D., became the second woman to be president of ASM. This is particularly noteworthy because, by 1940, less than half of the professional scientific societies in the U.S. had ever elected a woman president. A pioneering bacteriologist, Lancefield conducted research at the Rockefeller Institute (now Rockefeller University) and is best known for developing a classification system for group A streptococcal bacteria, of which there are more than 60 types. Her election as ASM President reflected both her scientific impact and the slowly growing recognition of women leaders in professional science societies.  

At the 1970 Annual Meeting, ASM established the Committee on the Status of Women in Microbiology (SWiM) to advance equity and representation for women in microbiology. In its early years, the committee surveyed female members to assess their professional status, uncovering significant disparities between men and women in salaries, promotions, positions and other aspects of career advancement. In response, SWiM issued landmark guidelines to employers, urging institutions to abolish restrictive rules that barred spouses from working in the same department, to hire and promote more women, to ensure equal pay and to protect maternity leave without penalty.

In 1972, at SWiM’s recommendation, ASM formally endorsed the proposed United States Equal Rights Amendment, signaling its support for gender equality on a national stage. SWiM also distributed letters to presidents of local ASM Branches, urging the nomination of more women to branch offices, and to division chairmen, encouraging that more women be nominated for divisional offices and appointed to convene sessions at the ASM annual meeting. Together, these actions established a vital foundation for advancing women’s representation across the microbial sciences.

In the early 1970s, the first ASM Student Chapter started at Clemson University in South Carolina. The chapter was initiated by a large group of students on campus and supported by ASM member Ann W. Baxter, Ph.D., the ASM South Carolina Branch Councilor in 1970, to provide a space where junior scientists could actively contribute to their professional society. Baxter wrote a letter to ASM on March 31, 1970, advocating for the establishment of student chapters not just at Clemson University, but at all higher education institutions offering biology-related majors. Baxter wrote, “We feel that recognition of qualified undergraduate societies as junior affiliates of the ASM would give the students a heightened sense of seriousness and of professionalism in their activities.” Following Baxter’s letter, the student chapter members developed a formal chapter constitution and submitted a formal petition to ASM seeking recognition as a junior affiliate of the ASM. Permission to approve the student chapter was granted during ASM’s annual business meeting on May 6, 1971. This marked a shift in ASM’s outreach efforts, recognizing the importance of cultivating young scientific minds and building community at the student level.

Between 1963-1965, the ASM American Board of Microbiology (now known as the American Board of Medical Microbiology) began exploring the need for a professional code of ethics in the microbial sciences. In 1973, ASM formally adopted the first Code of Ethics for Microbiologists, making it available to all members. A decade later, in 1984, ASM established a Standing Committee on Ethical Practices to oversee the code, address ethical questions in microbiology and provide guidance on issues ranging from emerging technologies to equal opportunities for underrepresented groups. Since then, the code has continued to evolve, reflecting the changing needs of the profession. Today, ASM’s Ethics Program ensures ethical principles are embedded across the Society’s programs—from member engagement and publications to policymaking and public outreach.  

Established in 1983 by SWiM, the Alice Evans Award was created to commemorate ASM’s first woman president and honor individuals who have contributed to women’s full participation and advancement in the microbial sciences. Since its inception, the award has celebrated inspiring individuals who continue Evans’ legacy of leadership, perseverance, scientific excellence and commitment to women in STEM.

In the mid-1980s, ASM launched the Minority Student Science Careers Support Program (MSSCSP), which worked for over a decade to ensure all students had opportunities to participate in the microbial sciences. A core component of the initiative was the Visiting Scientist Program, involving a network of over 150 scientists, many from ASM, who traveled to colleges and universities nationwide to give lectures, lead workshops, meet with students and faculty and consult on research projects. The MSSCSP also offered summer research fellowships, providing undergraduates with 2 months of immersive, hands-on experience in active research labs. A unique piece of the MSSCSP was the Biological Careers Factual Exchange (BIOFAX), an online platform offering opportunities, such as scholarships, fellowships and training programs, tailored for historically excluded students in STEM.

MSSCSP thrived through the late 1990s, leaving a lasting legacy through the scientists it supported, the institutions it connected and the vision it carried—that science is for everyone. The MSSCSP emphasized the importance of mentorship and professional development, themes that persisted through subsequent ASM programs, such as the Minority Predoctoral Fellowship Program. 

Alice Huang, Ph.D., became the first Asian American ASM President and the first Asian American in the U.S. to lead a life sciences organization. Huang joined the Society in 1967 and was awarded ASM’s Eli Lilly Award in Immunology and Microbiology in 1977 and the Alice C. Evans Award in 2001 for her contributions to the promotion of women and minorities in science. Huang is a renowned virologist whose work on the structure, replication and regulation of vesicular stomatitis virus (VSV) introduced VSV as a model experimental system. Her discovery and first purification of defective interfering viral particles offer a new perspective on disease understanding and a potential method for reducing viral virulence. Additionally, her demonstration of phenotypic mixing between DNA and RNA viruses suggests possible extension of host range during mixed infections. This technique has become a widely-used laboratory tool for directing viruses and their genetic material to specific cells.

In 1998, ASM established the William A. Hinton Award for Advancement of a Diverse Community of Microbiologists, which recognizes outstanding contributions and service toward fostering the research training of microbiologists with diverse perspectives and experiences. It is given in memory of William A. Hinton, M.D., a physician-research scientist and one of the first Black scientists to join ASM. He developed the Hinton test for syphilis, which became the standard procedure to detect syphilis due to its ease of use, cost-effectiveness and accuracy compared to earlier tests.

The Minority Predoctoral Fellowship Program, established in 1980 and renamed in 1996 to honor Robert D. Watkins, supported students from historically excluded groups in pursuing advanced microbiology research. The fellowship provided access to state-of-the-art laboratory equipment, hands-on research experience and opportunities to present at ASM’s annual meeting. Over its 35-year history (1980–2015), 111 students completed graduate research through the program. Its success inspired other leading universities to launch similar research programs.

In 2000, ASM received the Presidential Award for Excellence in Science, Mathematics and Engineering Mentoring, presented by President Bill Clinton, in recognition of the Watkins Fellowship’s impact on advancing inclusion in STEM. Though the program’s third iteration, the ASM Research Capstone Program, ended in 2020, ASM continues to build on Watkins’ legacy through the Future Leaders Mentorship Fellowship, which provides mentorship, training and professional development opportunities for hundreds of early-career microbiologists around the world each year.

Apply to Be an FLMF Fellow

ASM launched the Global Outreach Program in 2001 to provide free membership and full online journal access to scientists based in low- and middle-income countries. The ASM International Committee Chair at the time, Stephen A. Lerner, M.D., described it as “an expression of ASM’s commitment to foster the work of microbiologists in all regions of the world, and especially in developing countries.” The program’s success in growing ASM’s international membership prompted the expansion of ASM’s Ambassador Program in 2013. Through the establishment of ASM Country Ambassadors and ASM International Young Ambassadors, the program empowers scientists to advance microbial science in their communities, build institutional partnerships and foster global collaboration. The program provides professional development and networking opportunities, connecting scientists across career stages and countries.

By 2025, the ambassador network spanned 112 countries and 33 U.S. states, with ambassador projects ranging from public health workshops and hygiene trainings to career fairs and networking events. The Global Outreach Program also continues to grow, reflecting the breadth of ASM’s international community.   

In 2005, ASM began a collaborative approach to strengthen laboratory and health systems capacity, particularly in low- and middle-income countries. Working with funders, such as the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), and local partners, such as the Ministries of Health and National Reference Laboratories, these initiatives aim to equip laboratories in resource-limited settings to detect emerging pathogens, enhance diagnostic quality assurance and advance antimicrobial detection and response. Initial efforts focused on Namibia, Zambia, Zimbabwe and Kenya, and ASM subject matter experts supported training and skills development for laboratory professionals. Since then, these initiatives have grown through ASM’s Global and Public Health Programs (GPHP), which has operated in 29 countries. From 2020-2023, GPHP has trained thousands of professionals across 633 laboratories.

Clifford Houston, Ph.D., became the first Black president of ASM in 2007. Before that, under his leadership, the ASM Education Board received an award from the National Institutes of Health (NIH) to manage the ABRCMS conference, which focuses on academic excellence and career and workforce development for scientists of all career stages, including community college, undergraduate and postbaccalaureate students. Over time, attendance has steadily increased, with nearly 7,000 participants in 2025. ABRCMS has become the premier conference for supporting all communities in STEM, including those historically excluded from these fields. As a result of this effort and dedication to graduate education, Houston received the Presidential Award for Excellence in Science, Mathematics, and Engineering Mentoring in 2000.

In June 2018, ASM Chief Executive Officer Stefano Bertuzzi, Ph.D., called for a renewed focus on diversity and inclusion, emphasizing its importance for scientific excellence and ASM’s role in progressing the microbial sciences. To advance this charge, Bertuzzi and the ASM Board of Directors (BoD) established an ad hoc taskforce that worked collaboratively from 2018-2020. Their work led to the establishment of the Inclusive Diversity With Equity, Access and Accountability (IDEAA) Committee of the Board—now known as the Progress, Impact, Access & Accountability (PIAA) Committee of the Board—and ultimately informed the publication of the 2022 IDEAA Strategic Roadmap, which laid the groundwork for ASM’s efforts to advance PIAA.

ASM began intentionally tracking its progress on driving impact, access and accountability by publishing its first cross-organizational progress report in 2023. Highlights included the mSystems special series Social Equity and Disparities in Microbial Exposure and the ASM Journals Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Collection, which cover topics from disproportionate disease outcomes in underserved populations to inclusive accommodations for scientists and students with disabilities. The report also featured the Future Leaders Mentoring Fellowship (FLMF), launched in 2022, which supports master’s and doctoral students through a 2-year structured mentorship program. Since launching in June 2022, the FLMF program has enrolled a community of 684 fellows and 634 mentors from over 82 countries.

In 2024, ASM launched a Strategic Roadmap to strengthen its role as a global scientific society and address the needs of a rapidly expanding field. The roadmap established 3 scientific units: ASM Health, ASM Applied and Environmental Microbiology and ASM Mechanism Discovery. These units are intended to create a successful mechanism to gather collegial input, integrate diverse and dynamic perspectives and develop scientific priorities. Guided by the principle that science must serve humanity, the roadmap calls upon leaders from science, industry and society to leverage the power of microbes to improve life on, and the sustainability of, our planet. Its core values are intended to ensure all members of the STEM community feel welcomed, empowered and motivated to contribute to and advance the microbial sciences.