History
 
SPPS is the Scandinavian Plant Physiology Society. It was founded in 1947 under the Latin name Societas Physiologia Plantarum Scandinavica.

SPPS is headed by an elected board with representatives in Denmark, Finland, Sweden and Norway. Presently the SPPS office is placed in Helsinki.

SPPS is affiliated to the Federation of European Societies for Plant Biology, FESPB. Therefore, SPPS members get a reduction in FESPB congress fees.

Mission
 
SPPS works to promote all aspects experimental plant biology, from molecular cell biology and biochemistry to ecophysiology. SPPS is a forum for contact and communication among plant biologist.

Presently some of the most important efforts of SPPS are to arrange and support scientific meetings, to publish the journal Physiologia Plantarum, and to promote the interests and growth of plant science in general.
Foundation
 
SPPS is truly an international Society based in the Scandinavian countries. SPPS is open to anybody with interest in plant biology and who wishes to support the society.

Presently the society counts almost 250 members of which about half come from USA, Japan, Germany, and many other non-Scandinavian countries.
Conferences
 
SPPS itself organises two types of meetings: the SPPS Congress and the SPPS PhD Student Conference. Both kind of meetings are held every second year. They are high quality international meetings for plant biologists and are open also to non-members.

SPPS provides financial support for a range of meetings and other initiatives. The Society supports international symposia and workshops in plant physiology and related topics, organised by SPPS members in the Nordic countries.

Grants
 
SPPS offer travel grants for the following purposes:
  • SPPS members can apply for a travel grant to visit and to do research in another Nordic laboratory (from Scandinavia to Scandinavia)
  • SPPS student members and young post doctoral researchers (up to three years from the PhD defence) can apply for a travel grant for SPPS PhD student conferences, SPPS congresses and from Scandinavia to FESPB congresses
  • SPPS student members and young post doctoral researchers (up to three years from the PhD defence) in Scandinavia can apply for a travel grant to attend an international plant biology meeting organised in Scandinavia or to the similar meeting outside Scandinavia only if the meeting is significantly supported to SPPS. Travel grants are not given for national conferences
To qualify for a SPPS travel grant please observe the following requirements:
  • A member is eligible for a travel grant only if she/he has been a member also during the previous year
  • Travel grant applications should include travel plan with estimated costs, purpose of the travel, the contact information of the referee (only for student members) and CV
  • Active participation in the meeting (oral or poster presentation) is required for the travel grant
For more information on the SPPS grants, please contact the Secretary General Anna Kärkönen.
 
 
Secretary
 
Niina Idänheimo
SPPS Office
c/o Dept. of Biosciences
Plant Biology
P.O.Box 65 (Viikinkaari 1)
FI-00014 University of Helsinki
Finland
Tel: +358 9 191 57916
Fax: +358 9 191 59552
E-mail: spps@helsinki.fi
Secretary General
 
Anna Kärkönen
MTT Agrifood Research Finland / University of Helsinki
Dept of Agricultural Sciences
P.O. Box 27 (Latokartanonkaari 7)
FIN-00014 University of Helsinki
Finland
Tel: +358 9 191 57662
Fax: +358 9 191 58727
E-mail: anna.karkonen@helsinki.fi
 
 
Council
 
  • Prof. Jaakko Kangasjärvi
    President, Finland
  • Assoc. Prof. Tom Hamborg Nielsen
    Vice President, Denmark
  • Dr. Anna Kärkönen
    Secretary General, Finland
  • Prof. Kurt Fagerstedt
    Treasurer, Finland
  • Prof. Lisbeth Jonsson
    Journal responsible, Sweden
  • Prof. Elina Oksanen
    Member, Finland
  • Prof. Jorunn Elisabeth Olsen
    Member, Norway
Council Deputies
 
  • Assoc. Prof Mats Ellerström
    Deputy Member, Sweden
  • Dr. Pai Pedas
    Deputy Member, Denmark
  • Assoc. Prof. Sissel Torre
    Deputy Member, Norway
  • Prof. Eevi Rintamäki
    Deputy Member, Finland
Auditors
 
  • Prof. Atle Bones
    Auditor, Norway
  • Prof. Peter Lindblad
    Auditor, Sweden
  • Prof. Henrik Vibe Scheller
    Deputy Auditor, Denmark
  • Dr. Olga Blokhina
    Deputy Auditor, Finland
Election Committee
 
  • Dr. Esa Tyystjärvi
    Chairman, Finland
  • Assoc. Prof. Henrik Aronsson
    Sweden
  • Dr. Knut Asbjørn Solhaug
    Norway
  • Prof. Ian Max Møller
    Denmark
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