AMERICAN CHE MICAL SOCIETY
BIOTECHNOLOGY SECRETARIAT MINUTES
SAN DIEGO CONVENTION CENTER
SUNDAY, APRIL 1, 2001
After a continental breakfast, Secretary-General Guenter Grethe called the steering committee to order at 7:15 AM, making allowance for the anticipated latecomers with summer time introduction at 2 AM that morning!
Actions from this meeting:
Meeting Summary
Our most recent membership list of divisional representatives to BTEC was circulated for up dating by those present. An additional attendance list was also circulated to get a complete meeting attendance.
The minutes of the fall meeting last year were approved as presented by the secretary-treasurer.
Graham Swift gave the treasurer’s report as received from Anna Wilson at the time of transfer earlier this year showing a balance of $8329.97. This was accepted as presented. Since then, the actual balance on hand has increased to $8535.90. Anna will inform Graham what revenues have been received and the report will be corrected to reflect these additions. There are still a few outstanding financial questions relating to income and payments at the San Francisco meeting, spring of 2000, which need to be cleared up. Graham will resolve these by the Chicago meeting this fall.
In the absence of Andy Berks, our Webmaster, at the beginning of the meeting, Guenter gave an overview of our website which can be readily accessed through the ACS site. The minutes of previous meetings and future events with abstracts and organizers are listed.
Guenter also pointed out that, at this meeting in San Diego, ACS is providing electronic projectors allowing computerized presentations. He warned, though, that this might be a one-time event as ACS obtained a ‘good deal’ in San Diego and no decision on future meetings has been made at this time. The message is that organizers should not promise this option at future meetings without either raising funds for the equipment, BTEC will not find funds, or confirming that ACS or supporting divisions will be picking up the tab.
After-meeting note: ACS has committed to provide LCD projectors for at least the next two National Meetings – Chicago (F2001) and Orlando (S2002).
Guenter pointed out that BTEC does not have funds for speakers; monies are available from (co) sponsoring divisions or sources such as Corporation Associates, Committee on Science, and others. Detailed information about the funding organizations is available on the ACS website.
Guenter’s program in San Diego on Biotechnology Information: Bioinformatics, Receptors, and Combinatorial Chemistry has 13 half-day sessions with 8 sponsoring and 3 cosponsoring divisions.
The program for 2002 is ‘Biotechnology for a Sustainable Environment’. Co-organizers are Dave Kaplan, Alan Russell, Graham Swift and Steve Goodwin. The scope of the symposium is listed on the website. Programming will begin in earnest this summer for the meeting in Boston in the fall of 2002. Graham will re-contact all BTEC member divisions to establish interest in cosponsoring this program. Macromolecular Secretariat has agreed to bring their proposed symposium on Biomacromolecules into the BTEC broader program.
Sharon Vercellotti is developing a program on Biotechnology in the Service of Health for the 2003 Spring Meeting in New Orleans. Divisions have been notified with limited response to date and no written acceptances, which are a requirement to go forward. Graham will remind the divisions that we are waiting for comments and approval for this program. Sharon is also looking for co-organizers. It was agreed that divisions would be petitioned for help and that the program would be posted on the BTEC website with scope and a request for help in organizing.
The site for the 2004 program is still open for discussion. It can be in the spring at Anaheim or the fall in Philadelphia. A final decision on location and on organizer will be made in Chicago this fall. The topic is tentatively ‘Genomics and Proteonics for the Chemical, Pharmaceutical and Food Industries’. This potential program will be sent to divisions for support and location suggestions.
The 2005 meeting will be in either San Diego in the spring, or Washington DC, in the fall. Brainstorming for topics resulted in Marine Biotechnology, Enzyme Catalysis, Directed Evolution, and Biomimetics. These subjects will be circulated to member divisions for discussion and comments.
A few minutes were devoted to discussing the value of BTEC separates. Issues such as who pays for these and are they worth the expense were the focal points. There is some possibility of funding from the ACS, but this is not assured or even likely at this point. A more reasonable approach evolved in the direction of posting the BTEC symposia program and abstracts on our website which is accessible to everyone. Hard copies may be readily produced once we are on the web, should this still be desirable. Andy Berks will begin evaluating feasibility with the intent on trialing the approach at the Boston Meeting in 2002.
The meeting adjourned at 8:30 AM.
Respectfully submitted.
Graham Swift
Secretary-Treasurer
Attendees:
Guenter Grethe (CINF), Graham Swift (PMSE), Anna Wilson (CHED), Fred Heineken (BIOT), Sadettin Ozturk (BIOT), Kathryn Uhrich (POLY), John Finley (AGFD), Wayne Brouillette (MEDI), Michael Morello (AGFD), Sharon Vercellotti (SCHB), Michael Trehy (ENV), Robert Hoffman (ORG), Sharon Shoemaker (BIOT), Erik Fernandez (BIOT), Lisa Nash (PETR), Andy Berks (CINF), Debbie Crans (INOR), Gail Willsky (INOR).