The American Society of Zoologists, 1889-1989: A Century of Integrating the Biological Sciences

The growth and development of the American Society of Zoologists(ASZ) came in an era of rapid expansion among the life sciences,as well as during a period when biologists were seeking to providethemselves with a united and effective voice. In ASZ's earlyyears it usually remained subsidiary, overshadowed by largerorganizations like the American Society of Naturalists or theAmerican Association for the Advancement of Science, and constrainedby its small enrollment to hold meetings in conjunction withthese larger societies. As ASZ's numbers increased, however,new members entered from many specialized fields, and it becamea focal organization for associations dedicated to such studiesas ecology, genetics, animal behavior, or systematic zoology.Much of ASZ's success in achieving its integrative status canbe attributed to the formation of divisions within the Society,each dedicating itself to the specialized interests of its ownmembers under the larger umbrella of zoology. This development,of course, paralleled the interaction between ASZ and the largersocial issues that have arisen during the century of the Society'shistory. ASZ has consistently concerned itself with just treatmentfor all, regardless of race or sex; with government supportof science; with the education of science teachers and of youngand talented biologists; and with all those issues that improvethe productivity of zoologists and enhance their capacity forreaching an ever deeper understanding of animal biology.