Executive Committee and Council News
|
|
Minutes of the Meeting of the Council held in Florence on 25 and 28 August 2005, during the XX Congress of the International Union of Crystallography.
------
Those present: day(s) present
Member-Countries, Councillors or Proxies :
[] = not present p: = proxy
| Dz | Algeria | [Achoura Guehria Laidoudi] p:Fadhila Balegroune | |_25_28 |
| At | Austria: | [Ekkehart Tillmanns] p:Herta Silvia Effenberger | |_25_28 |
| Be | Belgium | Luc van Meervelt | |_25_28 |
| Hr | Croatia | [Boris Kamenar] p: Stanko Popovic | |_25_28 |
| Cz | Czech+Slovakia | Jindrich Hasek | |_25_28 |
| Dk | Denmark | [Robert Feidenhans'l] p: Sine Larsen | |_25___ |
| Eg | Egypt | Mostafa M. Radwan | |______ |
| Fi | Finland | Keijo Hämäläinen | |_25_28 |
| Fr | France | Jean Louis Hodeau | |_25_28 |
| De | Germany | Wolfgang Neumann | |_25_28 |
| Gr | Greece | Irene Mavridis | |_25_28 |
| Hu | Hungary | Alajos Kalman | |_25_28 |
| Il | Israel | [Joel Bernstein] p: Noam Adir | |_25_28 |
| It | Italy | [Paola Paoli] p: Roberta Oberti | |_25_28 |
| Ma | Morocco | Abdelmalek Thalal | |_25_28 |
| Nl | Netherlands | Sybolt Harkema | |_25_28 |
| No | Norway | Carl Henrik Gorbitz | |_25___ |
| Pl | Poland | Adam Pietraszko | |_25_28 |
| Pt | Portugal | [Ana Margarida Damas] p: Margarida Archer | |_25_28 |
| Su | Russia | [Svetlana Zheludeva] p: Irina Makarova | |_25_28 |
| Yu | Serbia | [Slobodanka Stankovic] p: Goran Bogdanovic | |____28 |
| Si | Slovenia | [Ivan Leban] | |_25___ |
| Za | South Africa | Susan Bourne | |_25_28 |
| Es | Spain | [Enrique Gutierrez-Puebla] p : Santiago Garcia-Granda | |_25_28 |
| Se | Sweden | [Sven Lidin] p: Anders Liljas | |_25_28 |
| Ch | Switzerland | Helen Stoeckli-Evans | |_25_28 |
| Tn | Tunisia | Mongi Debbabi | |_25_28 |
| Tr | Turkey | Yalcin Elerman | |_25_28 |
| Uk | United Kingdom | [Christine Cardin] p: Georgina Rosair | |_25_28 |
| Ua | Ukraine | Roman Gladyshevskii | |_25_28 |
| Elected | Giovanni Ferraris | |_25_28 | |
| Elected | Elspeth Garman | |_25_28 | |
| Elected | Hans Grimmer | |_25_28 | |
| Elected | Carlo Mealli | |______ | |
| Elected | Paola Spadon | |_25_28 | |
| Quorum count: Total | 32 29 | ||
| Observers: | |||
| IUCr | Davide Viterbo | |_25_28 | |
| Armenia | Hakob Bezirganyan | |_25_28 | |
| SIG's representatives: | |||
| SIG.1 | Anders Liljas | |_25_28 | |
| SIG.2 | Ullrich Pietsch | |_25___ | |
| SIG.4 | Ute Kolb | |_25___ | |
| SIG.5 | Herta Silvia Effenberger | |_25_28 | |
| SIG.6 | Naomi Chayen | |____28 | |
| SIG.7 | Roland Boese & Paola Gilli | |_25___ | |
| SIG.8 | Robert Cernik | |_25___ | |
| Jordi Rius | |____28 | ||
| SIG.11 | Alain Polian | |_25_28 | |
| SIG.12 | Mike Glazer | |_25___ | |
| SIG.13 | Chick C. Wilson | |_25_28 | |
| ECM's representatives: | |||
| ECM-22 | Alajos Kalman | |_25_28 | |
| Petra Bombicz | |_25_28 | ||
| ECM-23 | Luc van Meervelt & Harry Reynaers | |_25_28 | |
| ECM-24 | Abdelmalek Thalal | |_25_28 | |
| Abdelkader Mokhlisse | |_25_28 | ||
| Executive Committee (EC): | |||
| President | Hartmut Fuess | |_25_28 | |
| Vice-President | Mariusz Jaskolski | |_25_28 | |
| Past-President | Claude Lecomte | |_25_28 | |
| Secretary | Giuseppe Filippini | |_25_28 | |
| Treasurer | Teresa Duarte | |____28 | |
| Members | Anders Liljas | |_25_28 | |
| Andreas Roodt | |_25_28 | ||
| Chick C. Wilson | |_25_28 | ||
| ECANEWS webmaster | Massimo Nespolo | |_25_28 | |
| Also present: | Engin Kendi (future ECM’s) | |_25_28 | |
| Radomir Kuzel | |_25_28 | ||
| Gill Moore & Douglas Moore (future ECM’s) | |_25_28 | ||
| Frank van Meurs | |_25___ | ||
| Atila Yűcel (future ECM’s) | |_25_28 | ||
-----------------------------------
The proposed agenda and most of the reports have been distributed by e-mail circulars (April 1: Preliminary notice; June 16: Agenda, SIG-2, -3, -4, -5, -6, -8, -9 reports; July 13: President’s and Secretary’s report, SIG-1, -12, -13 reports and Proposals for ECM25 & 26; August 9: SIG-7, -10, -11 report).
Distributed on August 28: Treasurer's report.
Professor Hartmut Fuess, the ECA President, was in the chair.
First session: 25 August.
1.1 Welcome to Council and Guests
The Chairman welcomed the Councillors, the observers and the guests.
1.2 Application for membership
The Secretary informed the Councillors that application from Tunisia has been submitted according to our Statutes and By-Laws. The Chairman asked for approval. The Council unanimously approved with cheers.
Professor Mongi Debbabi was asked to take the seat as member of the Council. He expressed his thanks for the warm welcome and reported briefly on the situation of Crystallography in Tunisia.
The President introduced the observer from Armenia and invited him to say a few words. Dr Bezirganyan reported briefly on the situation of crystallography in his Country and thanked the EC and the Council for the opportunity of attending the meeting.
Contacts with potential members of the ECA have been planned, with the presence of members of the EC at the national meetings.
No decisions were taken by e-mail between the Council in Budapest and the present one in Firenze.
3. Annual Reports by the Executive Committee (Aug. 2004 - 31 Dec. 2004)and preliminary progress reports (up to Aug. 2005)
3.1 Report by the President
Professor Fuess made a brief report on the main activities of the Executive Committee (EC) after the ECM-22 in Budapest.
Membership - The members of the EC used their personal relations to establish or re-establish contacts with countries in Central and Eastern Europe and in Northern Africa. They were partly successful. Initiatives are under way to consolidate the presence in Africa through a Magreb network for schools and workshops. A similar approach is sought for the Baltic Countries.
Finances - The questions of collecting money from Individual Members has not yet been solved: later some proposals will be put forward. Progress has, however, been made to obtain the contributions from National Members and Corporate Affiliate members.
IUCr-Newsletter - ECA has arranged to have a contribution in the IUCr-Newsletter. The first has been prepared by Professor Jaskolski, on the ECM-22 and the relationship with the former SU-Countries, (vol. 12-4) – complemented by a report by the local organizers, Professor Kalman and Dr Bombicz (vol. 13.1). A second one is under preparation by Professor Roodt on the development of crystallography in Africa following the ECM-21 in Durban. The National members are kindly invited to submit contributions on national meetings and schools.
SIGs - Most of the special interest groups (SIG's) worked well. Their representation in the Program Committee of ECMs has to be reconsidered. Relations with the powder community (EPDIC) has been strengthened on the occasion of the EPDIC meeting in Praha. It has been decided to appoint representatives on each other EC. The Council will be asked to vote on a possible joint meeting in 2010.
Incorporation – The President reported the enquires made by him and the Secretary to find a long-lasting solution for the incorporation of ECA. At present, the ECA is incorporated in Nijmegen at the local Chamber of Commerce with a registered Statute in Dutch. It seems not feasible, with our limited budget, to foresee a solution as it is for IUCr, which has been incorporated in Geneva. The European Community does not seem able to cope with the legal aspects of the European Associations. Dr Harkema will report, later in the year, about the present status of the incorporation.
3.2 Report by the Secretary
Dr Filippini thanked the Councillors for many fruitful contacts and point-ed out some aspects (see report) which may be overcome only with their help. The more the Association is growing, the more the Secretary needs the help of every-body to keep the pace with the dissemination of the information.
3.3 Report(s) by the Treasurer
Due to the Treasurer’s late arrival, at the President’s request, the Council agreed to postpone this item to the 2nd session of the Council meeting.
4. Approval by the Council of the submitted accounts (re 3.3)
4.1 Auditors for 2005
At the President’s request, the Council agreed to postpone this item to the second session of the Council meeting.
5. Reports regarding SIG's
5.1 SIG.1 Macromolecular Crystallography
The report has been e-mailed. No comments were put forward by the Councillors.
5.2 SIG.2 Charge, Spin & Momentum Density
The report has been e-mailed. No comments were put forward by the Councillors.
5.3 SIG.3 Aperiodic Crystallography
The report has been e-mailed. No comments were put forward by the Councillors.
5.4 SIG.4 Electron Crystallography
The report has been e-mailed. No comments were put forward by the Councillors.
5.5 SIG.5 Mineralogical Crystallography
The report has been e-mailed. No comments were put forward by the Councillors.
5.6 SIG.6 Instrumentation and Experimental Techniques (IET)
The report has been e-mailed. No comments were put forward by the Councillors.
5.7 SIG.7 Molecular Interaction and Recognition (MIR)
The report has been e-mailed. No comments were put forward by the Councillors.
5.8 SIG.8 Powder Diffraction ( SIGPD )
The report has been e-mailed. No comments were put forward by the Councillors.
Dr Cernik, Vice Chairman of the EPDIC Committee and officer of SIG-8, reported that the EPDIC Committee has expressed a vote in favour of a joint meeting with ECA which could be held only in 2010, either in France or in Germany.
5.9 SIG.9 Crystallographic Computing ( CCSIG )
The report has been e-mailed. No comments were put forward by the Councillors.
5.10 SIG.10 Diffraction physics and optics
The report has been e-mailed. No comments were put forward by the Councillors.
5.11 SIG.11 Extreme Conditions.
The report has been e-mailed. No comments were put forward by the Councillors.
5.12 SIG.12 Material Science.
The report has been e-mailed. No comments were put forward by the Councillors.
5.13 SIG.13 Molecular Structures and Chemical Properties
The report has been e-mailed. No comments were put forward by the Councillors.
5.x Further developments re SIG's
The Secretary informed the Council on the decision taken by the EC to send to the SIG’s officers a questionnaire asking for names and address of the officers, membership and main activities.
Second session: 28 August.
3.3 Report(s) by the Treasurer
Professor Duarte reported on the budget. Sending on time annual invoices to the Councillors improved the payments. A few Countries haven't yet paid the national fees and the Councillors were invited to take the necessary steps to solve the situation. President, Vice-President and Secretary will make the necessary steps.
The situation of the budget is fine, and will even improve if the ECM’s organizers will continue to give some money to the ECA, as it has been done so far by the organizers of Nancy and Budapest ECM’s.
The President reported the EC decision of asking Dr Kuzel to take care of the IM's fees and to look for a National collector. A five-year fee (€ 50) has been also decided in order to simplify the procedures and save money.
One of the auditors, Professor Garcia-Granda, read the report with approval.
The Councillors approved the audited accounts for 2004.
4. Approval by the Council of the submitted accounts (re 3.3)
4.1 Auditors for 2005
The Councillors, deciding to continue with the internal auditing, confirmed Professors Maria Armenia Carrondo and Santiago Garcia-Granda as auditors for the year 2005.
6. Reports regarding ECM's
6.0 Relationship between ECA and the ECM's
It seems to the Council that the relationships between the ECA and the ECM work properly: the presence of two members of the Executive Committee ensure both the scientific level and the continuity.
6.1 ECM-22 (2004) Budapest, final report
Dr Bombicz gave a detailed report.
16 Keynote Lectures, 40 Microsymposia, with a total of 203 oral presentations, two Posters sessions, each lasting two days, with about 400 abstracts.
Registration and abstract submission were fully electronic. The internet corner consisted of 22 computers. One satellite (Mathematical and Symmetry Aspects) was held before the ECM. The exhibition attracted 30 firms for 4.5 days. Bursaries totalling 10000 € were awarded to some 95 participants.
The registered participants were more than 600, of which 150 students, plus 60 accompanying members.
The Council expressed its appreciation.
6.2 ECM-23 (2006) Leuven
Professor Van Meervelt gave more details on ECM-23 (2006) in Leuven, following a meeting of the Program Committee held on the previous day.
The meeting will take place from Sunday 6 evening to Friday 11 August. From 4 to 6 a Satellite on “Mathematical Crystallography” will be held:
The format follows that of previous ECMs, opening and welcome on 6th and from 7 to 10: in the morning 2 parallel KN + 5 parallel MS, the same (but reversed) in the afternoon + poster session.
Conference dinner on 10th, excursion on 11th: both included in the registration (ordinary 370€, IM ECA 350€, student 220€, accompanying 120€ for early reg.).
Submission on line of the abstracts: December 1st – March 1st.
Accommodation: hotels * - 4*: 60-175€, student packet: 200€.
The website is at www.ecm23.be.
6.3 ECM-24 (2007) Marrakech
Professors Mokhlisse and Thalal gave details on the site and fees of ECM-24 in Marrakech. The meeting will take place from 22 to 27 August, 2007 at the Palais des Congrés, with opening and welcome on the 22nd evening, four full days for KN, MS, PS and exhibitors, and excursion on 27th . Conference dinner (26th) and excursion included in the registration (ordinary 370€, IM ECA 350€, student 350€ packet -registration + BB for 7 nights- , accompanying 120€ before March 31st 2007).
The new website is at www.ecm24.org.
Dr Rosair stressed the importance for young ladies to be accompanied from their hotels to the congress site and vv. Professor Thalal replied that this has already been considered by the Organizing Committee with the provision of shuttle buses. This will be explicitly mentioned in the ECM-24 website.
7. ECM-25 and 26 (2009-2010)
Following the Council decision at the Budapest meeting, the Secretary has asked the Councillors for a written letter of invitation on June 8 2005. Invitations were received from Darmstadt, Edinburgh and Istanbul. Detailed proposals were circulated on July 7 by the Secretary.
The EC proposes that the Council decide first on whether to hold a joint meeting with EPDIC in 2010 in Darmstadt or not, and, in case of an affirmative decision, the second vote would be between Edinburgh and Istanbul for 2009.
The Council unanimously decided for holding ECM26 in 2010 jointly with EPDIC in Darmstadt.
Professor Fuess illustrated the proposal. The meeting would take place at the end of August at the Darmstadtium, the Congress Centre under construction, to be completed in 2007. The format could be a 3-day EPDIC meeting, followed by a 4-day ECA meeting (or vice-versa) with one-day overlap. This would allow the exhibitors to stay only for four days, overlapping most of the events. The registration fees will be reduced in case of double attendance.
Subsequently, the word was given to Professor Wilson and Ms Moore for Edinburgh, and to Professors Kendi and Yűcel for Istanbul. Both gave a detailed description of the reasons for holding the meeting at their sites.
After the Councillors’ comments and requests for explanations, a secret ballot was held, by which the Council choice was in favour of holding ECM25 in 2009 in Istanbul.
8. The ECA : what to do - where to go
Discussion regarding rules and future proceedings
Operational guidelines for supporting European workshops, schools and conferences on crystallography by ECA
Professor Jaskolski read the prepared guidelines, which have been approved by the Council with minor amendments and are enclosed with the minutes.
9. Any other business
The IUCr observer, Professor Viterbo, proposed a few items on which collaboration between IUCr and ECA may result in mutual benefit:
The Secretary, being the Regional Editor for the WDC, pointed out that the problem had been put to the attention of the responsible persons with comments and suggestions without too much listening: disruption of the frame represented by the National Editors has produced complete disappearance of many Countries.
The President thanked all the participants for the useful discussion.
10. Close
Minutes of the ECA
Council , Leuven 2006
Minutes of the ECA
Council , Marrakech 2007
Minutes of the ECA
Council , Budapest 2004
Minutes of the ECA
Council , Durban 2003
Minutes of the ECA
Council , Geneva 2002
Minutes of the ECA
Council , Krakow 2001
