Candidate Statement: Jeffrey Maloy

My qualifications:
The breadth of my experience in the practice and public dissemination of microbiology
make me a uniquely qualified young microbiologist candidate for a position on the Council of
Microbial Sciences. As a sixth year Ph.D. student in microbiology at UCLA, I have significant
experience in microbiology research, which has led to presentations at four national and
international conferences, including two ASM general meetings.
In addition to my research, I have also been active in advancing the training of a diverse
group of young microbiologists on the UCLA campus. I have been recognized with a departmental
award for excellence in teaching microbiology, and have served for the past year as the TA
consultant for the microbiology department, with the responsibility of training incoming TAs to
effectively teach microbiology and build inclusive classrooms. I have also served on the Committee
on Teaching in the UCLA Academic Senate, and have been an invited panelist for a Building
Inclusive and Safe Classrooms Forum organized by the UCLA Center for Education Innovation
and Learning in the Sciences.
Finally, I am passionate about public outreach in microbiology. I serve as a founding
member and staff writer of an online magazine called Signal to Noise focused on communicating
important scientific discoveries to the public. I have also written for ASM, including a feature on
microbial art published in the December 2016 issue of Microbe Magazine.
In summary, I believe that as a graduate student with a unique set of skills and expertise in
the creative advancement and dissemination of microbiology I would be able to provide a significant
contribution to the Council on Microbial Sciences.
My vision for ASM
Since its inception, ASM has been an invaluable resource for microbiologists. Its status as the
worlds largest professional life sciences organization is a powerful testament to the impact that ASM
has had in the scientific community. More recently, ASM has continued to expand its reach to
become an invaluable resource to the public as well. As the microbial sciences and public awareness
and engagement in microbiology become increasingly interdependent and complimentary, I envision
ASM continuing to place microbiology at the forefront of society by focusing on three major roles:
1) Championing microbiology research. As exciting fields such as microbiome research
and targeted antimicrobial therapeutics continue to expand, it remains more critical than ever for
ASM to play an active role in the advancement of microbiology research. In this regard, it is
important for ASM to continue to provide outlets for the publication and presentation of cutting
edge microbiology research, but also to play an active role in public policy and microbiology
advocacy.
2) Communicating with the public. As evidenced by recent world events in microbiology,
such as the spread of Zika virus and the acceleration of antibiotic resistance, it is becoming
increasingly important for microbiologists to engage with the public in a meaningful way. ASM will
become an increasingly critical player in the effort to make members of society not only scientifically
literate, but more scientifically engaged. Efforts such as This Week in Microbiology provide a model
for how ASM can effectively facilitate open lines of communcation between microbiologists and the
public in a way that has the potential to have a lasting impact on the attitude of Americans toward
microbiology.
3) Promoting diversity in microbiology. As American society continues to become more
multicultural and diverse, it remains crucial for ASM to continue to ensure that the face of
microbiology reflects the diversity of our society. To ensure that ASM secures the future of the
microbial sciences, we must engage people of all races, religions, genders, cultures, abilities, and
sexualities in microbiology. Directed outreach, travel grants, achievement awards, and public
advocacy are all ASM activities that have the potential to have a profound impact on the adoption of
an increasingly diverse microbiology community.