President's Report

24th September 1995

Following a change to the ANZSMS Constitution, approved by members at the previous Conference in February 1994, a Central Committee was elected at the AGM in August 1994. Its task is, broadly, to administer the ongoing functions of the Society, thus leaving Conference organising committees to concentrate solely on that responsibility.

The present members of the Central Committee are: President, John MacLeod; Vice-President, Michael Guilhaus; Secretary, Margaret Sheil; Treasurer, Ray Lidgard; Chairman ANZSMS-15, Mark Duncan; Public Officer, Roger Summons; member, John Traeger. The Committee has met together on two occasions in Sydney and discussed a range of issues pertinent to the well-being of the Society. Some of these were outlined in the "Letter from the President" that was sent out with the Conference Second Circular.

There was a general consensus at previous Conferences that the accumulated Society funds were in a healthy state and that an effort should be made to put some of these funds to good use. The Central Committee has addressed this in the following ways.

1. Financial assistance for the participation of graduate students at ANZSMS-15 will be underwritten from central funds.
   
   
2. Consideration will be given by the Committee to individual applications from graduate students for limited financial support (up to $500) for attendance at an International Mass Spectrometry Conference under the following conditions:
   
   
   1. the student will be required to present a paper;
   2. he/she must have completed at least one year of a PhD degree;
   3. a letter of support from the student's supervisor must be provided;
   4. details of other financial support should be provided.
3. The Committee will organise and fund an invited lecture tour of Australasia between Conferences by a distinguished overseas scientist with a broad interest in mass spectrometry.
   
   
4. Consideration, on application by their Australasian host, will be given by the Committee to the provision of travel support within Australasia for overseas mass spectrometry visitors to allow them to present seminars at a number of major centres(at least three)around Australia and New Zealand.

In relation to (3) above, the Committee welcomes suggestions from members of the names of people who would be suitable as interim visitors. With regard to (4), members must apply in advance to the Secretary of the Central Committee for consideration of such support, giving details of the proposed itinerary of the overseas visitor.

The Committee has appointed Regional Correspondents who were asked to make bids for future ANZSMS Conferences. Noel Davies from Tasmania was the only one to present a proposal for hosting the 16th ANZSMS Conference and this has been accepted by the Central Committee. The relationship between future Conference Organising Committees and the Central Committee has been the subject of a discussion paper, a modified version of which is attached to the agenda.

Now that the Central Committee is well established, it is intended to improve communications with members by sending out a Newsletter about twice a year. Michael Guilhaus has offered to take on this responsibility after this Conference, as well as liaising with John Traeger to set up an ANZSMS page on the World Wide Web. The Committee also has under active consideration the replacement of the present logo by a simpler, more functional, professionally designed logo. Closer links between National MS Societies are being sought through the establishment of an International Mass Spectrometry Society. I am a member of the steering committee, chaired by Graham Cooks, which is charged with putting the IMSS into place.

As a result of the changes approved last year, the ANZSMS Constitution has some loose ends that needed to be attended to. Kevin Shaw kindly agreed to do this and the resulting alterations are on the Agenda of the AGM on Thursday as a notice of motion, since at least three months' notice must be given for any changes to the Constitution. These changes will be voted on at the AGM next year.

Finally, I would like to thank all the members of the Central Committee, together with Kevin Shaw, for their valuable inputs during the past year.


John MacLeod