UNM BIOLOGY PROFESSOR ELECTED PRESIDENT OF THE NORTH AMERICAN BENTHOLOGICAL SOCIETY

April 23, 2003

UNM BIOLOGY PROFESSOR ELECTED PRESIDENT OF THE NORTH AMERICAN BENTHOLOGICAL SOCIETY

University of New Mexico Biology Professor Cliff Dahm has been elected president of the North American Benthological Society (NABS), the largest organization of stream and river ecologists in the world. Dahm will spend a year as president-elect and will take office in May 2004.

Dahm was nominated as a candidate for president by the five most recent past presidents of the organization, who are on the nomination committee. Following nominations, two members ran for the president’s position, and Dahm recently was elected.

“It’s certainly very nice to have your peers recognize you as a leader,” said Dahm. “The association is growing in stature with global problems facing freshwater resources, which puts the association at the forefront of ongoing scientific research. It’s nice to assume a leadership role at such an important time for water resources, both nationally and internationally.”

NABS is an international scientific organization whose purpose is to promote better understanding of the ecology and biotic communities of streams, rivers, and lakes. The society promotes and disseminates research on freshwater aquatic ecosystems by publishing new research information, hosting annual meetings, and providing information to aquatic biologists and to the scientific community at large. The Society was founded as the Midwest Benthological Society by 13 charter members at Havana, Ill., in 1953. The society just celebrated its 50th anniversary.

“It’s the largest organization of stream and river ecologists in the world,” said Dahm. “I’ve been involved with the organization since the 1980s. The organization is quite healthy and vibrant and has increased internationally in scope. There are about 2,000 members at this time with more than 30 percent of the membership from outside the United States.”

# # #