American Institute of Biological Sciences

The scientific peer advisory and review services ("spars") division of the American Institute of Biological Sciences ("aibs") works to provide scientific funding organizations with independent, highly credible, expert peer review services for evaluating proposed research and assessing ongoing or completed research to enable the most meritorious science. Aibs now has over 50 years of experience partnering with a diverse group of funding organizations. The funding organizations consist of private foundations, government entities, academic institutions and non-profit organizations which support a wide range of missions. Aibs facilitates all forms of expert peer review. The 501(c)(3) tax exempt status of aibs provides clients and the general public with external, independent and informed peer reviewed scientific research/findings.

Community programs: the aibs community programs division is home to aibs's membership services, science policy and communications programs. The leadership in biology initiatives, scientific programs and workshops, as well as education efforts, uniting these and connecting the division to other aibs programmatic areas with the common goal of supporting informed decision-making that advances biology for the benefit of science and society. Aibs provides educational training programs to scientists that enhance their professional skills and opportunities, as well as improve their ability to engage and inform diverse audiences.

Publications and communications: aibs has owned and published the scientific journal, bioscience, since 1963. Bioscience publishes 12 issues (about 1,150 total pages) per year as a print and online subscription product that is sold to over 3,000 institutions (including libraries) and a few hundred individual scientists, teachers and students in the united states and internationally. The journal's content includes peer-reviewed, scholarly articles as well as non-technical content written by professional science writers for general audiences, editorials and new items in the journal to stimulate conversations within the scientific community. All of the elements of the journal contribute directly to the organization's goal of informing decision-making for the advancement of Biological research and education.