International Congress of Virology
Eric Carstens
As a member of the International Advisory Committee for the
International Union of Microbiological Societies (IUMS), I have an
opportunity to serve and enhance the international role of Canadians
in virology. I personally was disappointed in the makeup of the
program committee for the International Congress of Virology (ICV)
meeting in Sydney (there were no Canadians included) and in the
organization of the program (there was no specific invertebrate virus
session). Canadian virologists now have an opportunity to make
comments on the format of past ICV meetings and to suggest ways of
improving the meetings in the future.
The next ICV meeting will be held in Paris, France on July 29
to Aug, 2 2002. I have been asked by the IUMS Virology Division to
assist the Prgramme Committee by suggesting topics, speakers and
chairpersons for the symposia, workshops, poster sessions and round
table discussions. I need to provide a report by April 30, 2000. In
order to obtain the widest possible consensus, I invite you to write
to me with your specific comments (good or bad) on past ICV meetings
that you have attended under the headings of:
1. morning plenary sessions
2. workshops
3. poster sessions,
4. special topic symposia.
I also invite you to provide me with suggestions for
potential themes for symposia and workshops and the names and
addresses of chairpersons and symposium speakers whom you would like
to see and hear in Paris.
Specific comments on what you believe to be good aspects of
ICV meetings, and areas that you think could be improved would also
be very useful.
If you have attended ICV meetings in the past and were
disappointed (or very pleased for that matter), or wonder what ICV
meetings might have to offer, here is your opportunity to provided
comments and make a difference. I look forward to hearing from all
Canadian virologists either by return Email or FAX.
______________________________________________
Eric B. Carstens (PhD)
Professor
Department of Microbiology and Immunology
Queen's University, Kingston, Ontario, K7L 3N6
CANADA
Tel: (613) 533-2463
FAX: (613) 533-6796
E-mail: cars...@post.queensu.ca
URL: http://info.queensu.ca/micr/faculty/carstens/carstens.htm