Alec Motten
Candidate for the Position of Treasurer

Present Academic Position

Associate Professor of the Practice of Biology, Department of Biology, Duke University, Durham, NC. Director of introductory biology laboratories. I also teach a field and lab-oriented organismal diversity course and non-majors plant biology.

Academic Background

B.A. in Botany with highest honors, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill (1970); B.A. in Zoology, University of Washington, Seattle (1976); Ph.D. in Zoology, Duke University (1982); NSF post-doctoral researcher, Department of Botany, Duke University; Instructor, Duke University Writing Program.

"My research interests are in pollination ecology, plant reproductive biology, and ecological genetics. My teaching concentrates on biodiversity, introductory biology, and scientific writing. Since 1998 I have served as the Treasurer for the Duke chapter of Sigma Xi."

ABLE Service/Activity

I joined ABLE in 1994 and have participated in each annual meeting since then. I presented major workshops at Emory ("Diversity of Photosynthetic Pigments"), Purdue ("Reproductive Isolation in Angiosperms"), and Clemson ("Mitochondria and Metabolism in Honeybee Flight Muscle"). Since June of 1999 I have served as Treasurer for ABLE.

Personal Statement

Like many members, I was pleased to discover an encouraging group of people who understood the challenges of laboratory teaching and who had so much to share. I have benefited enormously from the workshops as both a presenter and participant. I believe ABLE can take justifiable pride in the annual conferences, the website, and the published Proceedings. I applaud the recent efforts to increase participation in mini-workshops -- especially because they often cover topics that are not "wet-lab" exercises -- and I welcome their inclusion in the Proceedings.

As Treasurer this past year I have continued the fiscal prudence of my esteemed long-term predecessor, Paul Snow, and with his help completed the transfer of the ABLE accounts to North Carolina. I have also re-confirmed our tax-exempt status with the IRS. ABLE’s financial status is healthy, and I welcome the opportunity to continue advising the ABLE board on how to maintain that condition while balancing such potential demands on our budget as the differences in meeting expenses at different host institutions, the cost of expanded Proceedings volumes, and the sponsoring of initiatives such as scholarships to develop new lab exercises. My experience as ABLE Treasurer has given me a new appreciation for the dedicated effort of our membership and the many, often unnoticed contributions by the members that make ABLE so successful. I would be pleased to continue serving ABLE, and I will work to keep fostering the openness and support that characterizes our Association.