Minutes of the Sixth Council Meeting

Asian Crystallographic Association (AsCA)

Held in association with the XVII Congress and General Assembly of the International Union of Crystallography, Seattle, Washington, USA.

Date: 14 August,1996; 13.30.

Venue Washington State Convention and Trade Centre, Seattle.

Attended by National and/or Regional delegates from:

Australia

Prof. D. Creagh

dudley@phadfa.ph.adfa.oz.au

 

Prof. J. White

jww@rschpl. anu. edu.au

Bangladesh

(absent)

 

China

Prof. Z. Zhang (Secretary/Treasurer)

zhang@image.blem.ac.en

Hong Kong

Prof. T.C.W. Mak

tcwmak@cuhk.hk

India

Dr K. Lal

klal%npl@simetd.emet.in

 

Prof. M. Vijayan

mv@mbu.iisc.emet.in

Indonesia

(absent)

 

Japan

Prof. H. Toraya

toraya@crl.nitech.ac.jp

 

Prof. T. Uragami

uragami@ousic.ous.ac.jp

Korea

Prof. Park Young-Ja

yjpark@egret.sukmyung.ac.kr

New Zealand

Prof. W.T. Robinson (President)

w.robinson@chem.canterbury.ac.nz

Malaysia

(absent)

 

Pakistan

(absent)

 

Philippines

(absent)

 

Singapore

(absent)

 

SriLanka

Prof. R.P. Gunawardene

rich@sci.pdn.ac.lk

Taipei

 

Professor Yu Wang (VicePresident)

yuwang@chem3 8.ch.ntu.edu.tw

 

 

Thailand

Prof. P. Phavanantha

patananewton.phys.sci.chula.ac.th

Vietnam

Prof. N. Van Tri

nvtri@iep.hut.edu.vm

To present reports:

Japan

ProfessorY. Ohashi

yohashi@chem.titech.ac.jp

New Zealand

Professor J. Simpson

jsimpson@alkali.otago.ac.nz

Observers:

Japan

Prof. Harada

harada@rigaku.co.jp

 

Prof. H. Hashizume

hhashizu@nc.titech.ac.jp

Taipei

Prof. Shih-Lin Chang

slchang@alphal.srrc.gov.tw

1      Apologies. None

2.     The minutes of the Fifth Council Meeting held on 23 November 1995 in Bangkok were confirmed.

3      Matters arising from these minutes. None

4      The President, Professor Robinson, presented the Presidential Report to Council for the period August 1993 to August 1996.

In discussion the matter of incorporating the AsCA Newsletter into the IUCr. Newsletter was raised. It was suggested that the AsCA Newsletter could be incorporated as a one or two page entry in the IUCr. Newsletter which would provide good circulation of information at little or no cost to the Association. It was also proposed that the incoming president could appoint an Editor for the Newsletter without the necessity of Constitutional change.

The President's Report was accepted.

The President also reported on a number of matters detailed in the supplementary report of a meeting with the IUC. Executive Committee. He highlighted the following items:

(i) the possibility of remote data collection for crystallographers in Asian countries.

(ii) the provision of IUCr publications, including International Tables to laboratories from less affluent countries

(iii) a proposal to set up an Internet Register of equipment available for transfer to less affluent countries.

(iv) the fact that asAsCA'98 will be held in the 50th Jubilee Year of the I.U.Cr., the organisers should maintain close contact with IUCr to optimise its participation.

In discussion it was pointed out that the IUCr are proposing to make International Tables available in electronic form, with appropriate password security. It may be possible to arrange free access to International Tables by this means in selected cases.

It was suggested that the AsCA executive be used as a central clearinghouse for requests for equipment transfer.

It was also reported that the President had successfully intervened in a problem between an equipment manufacturer and a laboratory from an AsCA country. This was considered to be a most appropriate role for the AsCA President.

5      Financial Report

The Secretary/Treasurer presented the financial report for 1994-1996.

Account balances           

in Japan                                JY 670,448.00

in Australia                            $A 26,913.33

The Secretary/Treasurer expressed concern that membership subscriptions from category 2 and 3 countries had only been paid up to 1994 and that accounts for 1995 and 1996 were outstanding.

The Council agreed that the Financial Report represented the financial affairs of the Association as accurately as possible.

The meeting adjourned at this point to record a group photograph of those present.

6      Final report on AsCA'95

The council received a report from Professor J. Simpson on the Second Conference of the Association (AsCA'95).

In speaking to the report, Professor Simpson highlighted the following matters:

(i) The importance of communication within AsCA in disseminating information regarding AsCA conferences, and the requirement of excellent communication between the Local Organising Committee (LOC) and the International Organising Committee (IOC) for the Conference.

(ii) That accommodation matters should be the responsibility of the local organisers, except perhaps for collection of accommodation funds, and that at least one member of the LOC should be appointed with particular responsibility for accommodation.

(iii) That exhibitors are essential to the successful running of AsCA meetings and that at least one member of the LOC should be responsible to look after local arrangements for exhibitors.

(iv) Professor Simpson expressed his deep gratitude for the work undertaken by Ms Wikaira, Professors Uragami, Ohashi and Phavanantha in ensuring the success of AsCA'95.

In discussion. Professor Phavanantha explained some of the local difficulties experienced in Thailand with accommodation and exhibition arrangements. He suggested that in some cases only professional service providers could advise exhibitors on matters such as import regulations and that an appropriate role for the LOC would be to provide liaison between exhibitors and these providers.

The Council formally recorded its appreciation of the effort that Professors Robinson and Simpson had put in to ensuring the success ofAsCA'95.

Professor Vijayan gave a brief report on the very successful School on Macromolecular Crystallographic Data held in Calcutta prior to the Bangkok meeting under the auspices of the IUCr Commission on Biological Macromolecules. Participation in the meeting was strong and included representatives from USA and Europe as well as Asia. Professor Vijayan suggested that a more extensive programme of macromolecular crystallography be included in future AsCA conferences.

Discussion on the other adjunct Schools run in conjunction with the Bangkok meeting concluded that they were successful. The concept of parallelism between the AsCA meeting and any associated schools was strongly recommended, with schools being held back-to-back with the main meeting in geographically close locations, in order to minimise costs to participants.

7      Financial report for AsCA'95

The council received a financial report from Professor Simpson on the Second Conference of the Association (AsCA'95). The conference recorded an overall profit of $US 1,346.

In speaking to the report Professor Simpson stressed the major contribution made by sponsors to the financial success of the meeting.

The President moved from the Chair that an additional payment of $US 180be made from AsCA funds to the Japanese to cover conference expenses. This wasapproved.

8      The proposal to amend items 2,3 and 4 of the AsCA Constitution by Professor Uragami was formally withdrawn.

The President initiated discussion on boundary issues and reported that the IUCr could not foresee any difficulty with a relaxation of the existing AsCA boundaries. The feeling of the meeting was that formal boundaries for AsCA should not be limited to specific countries but that any request from a suitably authorised National body would be considered for membership as AsCA policy should be inclusive rather than exclusive. In the case of a country such as Russia, which was currently a member of the European body it would be up to their National body to make a formal request for inclusion in AsCA. It was agreed that a suitable constitutional change to incorporate these proposals should be promulgated at least six months before the next meeting of the AsCA Council.

9      Venue and Chairman of the International Organising Committee for AsCA'98

The President reported that the difficulties experienced with compliance with I.C.S.U. policy had been successfully resolved with the Malaysian Government, and that Dr Hamid Othman and Dr Chen Wei had agreed to form a Local Organising Committee if the Conference was held in Malaysia. The Council endorsed the proposal that the next AsCA Conference be held in Malaysia. Further details of the venue will be circulated to Council members as soon as possible.

The Council further supported the proposal by Professor Yu Wang that Professor Shih-Lin Chang from Taipei Chair the International Organising Committee forAsCA'98.

Future venues for AsCA meetings were also discussed with Hong Kong and Vietnam proposed aspossible locations. In the unlikely event of difficulties in holding the Conference in Malaysia, Hong Kong was proposed as a possible alternative venue for AsCA'98.

10    Sponsorship forAsCA'98.

Professor Toraya reported that the Cr.S.J. had received a proposal from the Rigaku Corporation by which a sum ofJY500,000 (approximately $US5,000) be paid annually, by the Corporation, to establish a fund for the support of young scientists and scientists from less affluent countries to attend AsCA'98. This sponsorship, to be known as the Rigaku Fund, was to continue for future AsCA meetings.

The President expressed his gratitude to the Rigaku Corporation for their generosity but cautioned organisers of AsCA'98 against complacency and urged them to seek all means of additional sponsorship for the conference. He also directed that the incoming President write on behalf of the Council to the Rigaku Corporation expressing their gratitude for the generous sponsorship.

11    The Council noted that Japan was bidding to be the venue for the IUCr Conference in 2002 and wished the Japanese delegates and Professor Ohashi well in their endeavours.

12    Election of Officers

President: The only nomination to be received was that of Professor Z. Zhang from the Peoples Republic of China. The outgoing President therefore declared Professor Zhang to be elected unopposed.

Vice president: Two nominations were received;

Professor M. Vijayan (India)

Dr C.J. Howard (Australia)

Dr Howard (cjh@atom.ansto.gov.au) was duly elected.

Secretary/Treasurer: Two nominations were received;

Dr K. Lal (India)

Professor J. Simpson (New Zealand)

Dr Lal was duly elected.

The retiring President then handed over the Chair to Professor Zhang.

13    Other business.

Professor Uragami enquired as to the expenditure of moneys received from IUCr for support of young scientists attending AsCA'95 and the adjunct schools.   Professor Robinson and Professor Phavanantha provided the appropriate information.

The meeting closed at 15.25.