SMB Sections

Starting a Section

The foundation of a new section proceeds in two major steps.

Step 1 – Letter of Intent

The applicant group will submit a letter of intent to establish a new section to the SMB Sections Committee chair (forde@hws.edu). The letter shall include

• The proposed geographic region to be encompassed by the section.
• The names, primary affiliation, and email addresses of individuals who will serve as officers of the section at its inception. The officers must be SMB members who primary affiliation is in the section’s proposed geographic region.
• A signature list of each least 30 SMB members from within the sections proposed geographic region. Of these signatures, at least 3 but no more than 5 shall be students.

If the required number of signatures cannot be achieved, the applicant group may instead apply to establish an SMB Developing Section. The primary goal of a Developing Section is recruitment and growing the local mathematical biology community until it is large enough to support a section.

The letter of intent will undergo initial review by the SMB Sections Committee and/or SMB Board of Directors. Recommendations for changes may be made in order to prevent conflicts with existing sections or to preserve the local character of SMB Sections.

Step 2 – Section Bylaws 

Following successful initial review, the applicant group will be invited to develop and submit section bylaws. A template for bylaws is available here with required elements clearly marked. Each section is required to adopt SMB’s Principles of Community and conduct its activities in accordance with the Principles of Community.