President's Report on the Third Annual Meeting
of the Iowa Physiological Society, 1998

The third annual meeting of the Iowa Physiological Society (IPS) was held on April 24th and 25th at North Iowa Area Community College (http://www.niacc.cc.ia.us/), Mason City, IA (http://www.radiopark.com/mcedc.html). The meeting was held in conjunction with the larger Iowa Academy of Science (IAS) Meeting. The IPS scientific sessions were held together with the Physiology Section of the IAS. This joint meeting has been beneficial to both groups in bringing together more Iowa physiologists than would ordinarily assemble at a single gathering. Research papers and papers on physiology teaching from throughout the state were presented in slide and poster formats. Topics ranged from an analysis of baroreceptor neural pathways in mice to ventilation of walleye fingerlings during transportation, as well as papers on computer-aided physiology instruction. There were several opportunities for poster viewing and meeting with presenters. The IAS sponsored a poster session on Friday afternoon during which IPS posters were displayed and manned. Following this session, the posters were moved to the site of our Saturday IPS scientific sessions.

Poster viewing took place before the morning slide presentations, during the luncheon buffet, and then again in a more formal poster discussion session in the afternoon following the keynote lecture. The "luncheon buffet," hosted by the IPS, has become a traditional feature of the meetings and is free to all presenters, friends, IPS members, IAS physiology section members, and the IAS board members. This luncheon has become quite a popular affair, during which participants meet informally and share ideas and information against the backdrop of the posters.

Following the luncheon, Gerald DiBona http://www.vh.org/Welcome/UIHC/UIHCPhysDirectory/NephMds/GeraldDiBona.html delivered the American Physiological Society Keynote Lecture, entitled "Neural Control of Renal Function." His presentation was very well received, generating such comments as "great science," "very clear," and "wonderfully presented." The IPS thanks the APS for sponsoring this talk. During the afternoon poster discussion session, each presenter spent 10 minutes or so discussing his or her poster and answering questions from the group. Those present then moved to the next poster and the process was repeated. This is the first time the poster discussion format has been tried, and preliminary reports are that it went well and should be repeated at next year's meeting. Before the morning slide presentations, the business meeting of the physiology section of the IAS was held. Following the morning slide presentations, the business meeting of the Iowa Physiological Society was held at which committee reports were heard and the new IPS president-elect was elected. Russell Rulon, PhD (Department of Biology, Luther College, Decorah, Iowa 52101-1045) is the new President of the Iowa Physiological Society. His e-mail address is rulonrus@luther.edu. The newly elected President-elect is Luke H. Mortensen, PhD (Physiology/Pharmacology, University of Osteopathic Medicine, Des Moines, Iowa 50312). His e-mail address is lmortens@uomhs.edu .

Don Stratton, Past President, Iowa Physiological Society, donald.stratton@drake.edu