Changes Going on at the IVR

Dr. Carol Stiff is stepping down as co-editor of the In Vitro Report. Carol has been co-editor for 4 years. Carol is stepping down to devote more time to her non-profit business, Kitchen Culture Education Technologies Inc. where she is president and executive director, and to assist with the new non-profit business, American Council for Medicinally Active Plants www.acmap.org where she is the Treasurer and the volunteer Webmaster. Carol has been a member of the SIVB (called the “TCA” at that time) since the 70’s when Dr. Toshio Murashige sent her stacks of his publications and suggested she join the TCA. Carol will continue to serve on other SIVB committees as well as help the new co-editor in the transition.

Dr. Sylvia Mitchell is taking over the position of co-editor of In Vitro Report. Sylvia joined the SIVB in 2001 (at the encouragement of Carol Stiff) and has been an active member ever since. In addition to being a volunteer each year, Sylvia co-convened a session in 2005 on ‘Plant phase changes’, one in 2007 on ‘Secondary Metabolites’, and then another in 2008 on ‘Biofuels – a field ripe for research or not?’ Sylvia serves on the Education Committee and the Student Awards Committee and is a former member of the Philip White Committee.

Dr. Sylvia Mitchell is a Lecturer at the Biotechnology Centre with expertise in the area of tissue culture and medicinal plants. She is head of the Medicinal Plant Research Group, which she initiated in 1999. She received her BSc with a double major in Botany and Geography, and her PhD in Biotechnology from UWI, Mona and is trained in various aspects of technology commercialization. Dr Mitchell has over twenty-four years experience with tissue culture including seven years at the Scientific Research Council and two years with the Sugar Industry Research Institute.

Submitted by Carol Stiff