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HE SOCIETY FLOURISHED throughout the 1980s and early 1990s. figure 27 charts attendance at the Annual Meetings from 1980 to 1994. As can be seen, the size of the meetings increased substantially each year except for a slight drop in 1994. The graph reveals a three-fold increase in attendance over those 15 years. SfN continued its significant growth during the 1980s, even as several more established biological societies experienced periods of stagnation. From 1979 to 1989, individual membership more than doubled from 6,351 to 13,433, and the number of chapters grew from 67 to 97.180 Neuroscience departments and programs flourished as well, increasing from 29 in 1978 to 47 in 1986.181
figure 27. Attendance at SfN Annual Meetings, 1980–1994. graph by Joel Braslow
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