Experimental Biology Programming
The Experimental Biology Meeting has been changed so that
programming is no longer performed by a central committee representing the
Society, but the individual Sections that comprise it. In the past, all
symposia and mini-symposia were decided by a vote of the APS Program
Advisory Committee which is comprised of members from all sections and final
approval by the APS Program Committee. Programming has been de-centralized
so that now the individual sections create their own program. EB '99 was the
first meeting programmed at the sectional level.
To allow each section the opportunity to develop a cohesive
program that highlights topics of specific interest to the section by
interrelating symposia, featured topics and the distinguished lectureship.
Programming works like this. Each section is allocated a
certain number of slots for symposia and featured topics (formerly
mini-symposia) for EB based on several factors (e.g. past section
attendance, room availability, etc). E&M symposia and featured topics will
be selected by a Section Program Committee (SPC). The SPC will consist of
members that change annually and a chair who serves for a three year term.
Changing the composition of the SPC every year will involve more of the E&M
membership. By doing so we expect to add a steady inflow of new ideas from
the standpoint of science and programming formats. The SPC chair is an
elected member of the section steering committee and will add necessary
experience and some continuity to the SPC. The SPC chair and an ad hoc
program committee will design a program from suggestions and ideas from the
membership. Obviously the participation of section members is key for
sectional programming to work! The SPC chair from each section within APS
form the Joint Program Committee (JPC). JPC schedules symposia/featured
topics and prevents overlap in topics.
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