Membership Information

How to Join PSA

Join or renew your membership online using our secure form sponsored by Wiley-Blackwell Publishing or the WIley customer service at cs-membership@wiley.com.

Free and Discounted Memberships

Eligibility:

  • Open to individuals with a demonstrated interest in phycology (the study of algae), a financial need and a potential to benefit from a PSA membership.

Application Process:

  • Complete the online application form available on the PSA website, including the statement of your interest in PSA membership and your financial need.

  • Applications are reviewed monthly, and applicants will be notified of their status within 4-6 weeks.

  • If we receive more applicants than we can fund, the Membership Committee will typically prioritize first-time applicants, student applicants, applicants from developing countries, applicants with prior society service experience (for PSA or other societies), and applicants with the greatest financial need. 

Rules for Use of Generative AI:

  • Generative AI tools can be used to assist in drafting application materials or improving English grammar and spelling, but applicants must ensure all submissions are original and accurately represent their own work. Your statements must be clear about your own reasons for applying for membership.

  • Any use of AI-generated content must be clearly disclosed in the application. For example: “The grammar and spelling were improved using GPT4” or “The draft was refined to use more formal language using MS Copilot.”

  • Plagiarism or misrepresentation of AI-generated content will result in disqualification from the application process.

Contact Information:

  • For any questions or further details, applicants can contact the PSA Membership Director at membership@psaalgae.org.

Sponsor a Student

Why not sponsor a student with membership in the Phycological Society? For only $40 US you can provide an outstanding student with three years of online access to the Journal of Phycology and eligibility for student awards. You will need to know the student's name, email address, and institutional affiliation to purchase their membership. The student will be notified and will receive instructions on how to access the journal and other membership benefits.

Membership Directory

A directory of PSA Members is available upon request from the Membership Director. Please check your own entry for any errors or omissions, and notify the Membership Director with any corrections.

Membership Benefits

  •  Journal of Phycology
    Members receive the Journal of Phycology, the premier journal of research on phycology. The Journal is published six times a year. Articles include reports on systematics, ecology, morphology, cytology, physiology, biochemistry, cell biology, molecular biology, genetics, and applied phycology. PSA members can sign-in and access the Journal of Phycology by logging in using their Wiley Online Library account username and password on the Journal homepage linked here. This access log in information is sent to members after they have joined/renewed their PSA membership. Please contact  cs-membership@wiley.com with any access related inquiries.

  • Mobile Access
    Members of the Phycological Society of America can also access the Journal of Phycology through an iPad and iPhone app. Instructions on how to access the journal are in this pdf.

  • Article Research
    In addition, members are able to search current & back issues table of content, abstracts and full-text articles of the electronic version of the Journal of Phycology. The table of content and abstracts are available free of charge to all that are interested. The full-text articles are reserved as a benefit for society members only.

  • Phycological Newsletter
    Members receive a pdf copy of the Phycological Newsletter or they can download it from our website. The Newsletter contains news of Society activities, news of colleagues, book review, information on summer field courses and graduate programs, and general articles of interest to phycologists. For more information, please contact the Communications Director.

  • Student and Early Career Researcher Grants
    Student Members of PSA are eligible for grants in support of research, travel to the Annual Meeting, and tuition for field courses. Early Career Researchers are eligible for the Norma Lang Fellowship.

  • Elections
    Current PSA members elect the officers of PSA in yearly elections.