analytical chemistry Editor:
H e r b e r t A. L a i t i n e n
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Terrant Circulation
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Manuscript requirements are published in the January 1978 issue, page 189. Manuscripts for publication (4 copies) should be submitted to ANALYTICAL CHEMISTRY at the ACS Washington address.
On Scientific Meetings There is justification for a wide variety in the format and organization of scientific meetings, because of the different objectives to be fulfilled. The most traditional objective is to exchange ideas on current research through presentation of papers and public discussion. For effective results, it is necessary to encourage attendance by sufficient numbers of active practitioners, and to arrange for sufficient discussion time. Symposia with restricted themes tend to serve this objective better than open sessions with miscellaneous contributed papers. Another objective is to foster the introduction of new ideas or approaches through interdisciplinary interactions. To some extent, this objective can be met by inviting symposium speakers from outside the traditional scope of the topic. Both theoretical and experimental stimulation can be achieved in this manner. To use this approach for a small conference, it is usually necessary to provide for the travel expenses of invited speakers, whereas in meetings of broad scope such speakers may be available without special travel arrangements. Still another objective is to display the latest advances in instrumentation. For this purpose the most spectacular success has been achieved in the Pittsburgh Conference, which is characterized both by large attendance and a stable configuration from year to year in location and organizing committee. A less concrete, but still important, objective is to provide an opportunity to greet personal acquaintances and meet people. Through this mechanism, job changes are often initiated, and scientists generally keep up with the changing scene. A meeting of broad scope is advantageous for this purpose, if proper arrangements are made to encourage interactions. As a general observation, it may be said that the least effective session is a miscellaneous collection of short, unrelated papers without discussion time or recesses. Such a session, especially if in competition with organized symposia, is often characterized by poor attendance and lack of enthusiasm. It is tempting to suggest that no session be devoted to contributed papers, but this would close off about the only meeting forum of the young and unrecognized investigator. An alternative is a more critical evaluation of openly contributed papers, to screen out those of a routine character, whose main reason seems to be to justify attendance at a meeting. If meeting attendance were not conditional upon presentation of a paper, the result would be an improvement in the meetings. Finally, imaginative approaches to alternative forms of presentation, such as poster sessions, might improve the effectiveness of open sessions.
The American Chemical Society and its editors assume no responsibility for the statements and opinions advanced by contributors. Views expressed in the editorials are those of the editors and do not necessarily represent the official position of the American Chemical Society.
ANALYTICAL
C H E M I S T R Y , V O L . 5 0 , N O . 7, J U N E
1978
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