To facilitate communication among scientists and professors who are involved in research and education relative to the study of special organisms, the Society sponsors the Annual Drosophila Research Conference, the International Conference on the Cell and Molecular Biology of Chlamydomonas which is held biennially and the Yeast Genetics and Molecular Biology Meeting and the Fungal Genetics Conference, also in alternating years.
GSA supports the education of students of all ages about genetics and has distributed over 60,000 copies of its careers brochure "Solving the Puzzle" which is in its second printing and is available upon request from the GSA Administrative Office.
Until 1999, the GSA awarded two medals for outstanding contributions to the field of genetics, the Thomas Hunt Morgan Medal for lifetime contributions and the Genetics Society of America Medal for outstanding contributions in the last 15 years. Beginning in 1999 the GSA introduced a new award, the George W. Beadle Award, for outstanding contributions to the community of genetics researchers. The first recipient of this award is Michael Ashburner. The medal will was presented to the awardee at the March 2000 Drosophila Meeting. Click here to view current list of recipients.
For several years the GSA has provided its members with the opportunity to purchase chemicals used in research at a substantial discount. Originally only X-Gal and 5-FOA were available for this consortium purchase. In 1995 the list of chemicals included in the consortium purchase was greatly expanded to meet the researchers needs. The bulk purchase of chemicals will continue in through 2001. Forms for ordering these chemicals are mailed to the members twice a year and are available upon request from the Administrative Office.