Current Issues
THIRD ANNUAL STRATEGIC PLANNING SESSION, NOVEMBER 10th, 2001
Quebec Room, Lord Elgin Hotel
This year's strategic planning session was designed to review the changes
that have occurred in the functioning of CFBS, to receive suggestions
for new initiatives and to articulate future directions of the Federation.
ATTENDEES
The Strategic Planning Session was held again this year in the Lord Elgin
Hotel in Ottawa. The 2001 meeting welcomed members, for the first time,
from the CIHR Institutes. Their presence helped broaden the input of topics
that could provide the basis for future CFBS Annual Scientific Meetings.
It also permitted them input on issues related to advancing life sciences
research in Canada. We were especially pleased to note the presence of
representatives from the Canadian Society for Zoologists and the Canadian
Society for Exercise Physiology. CFBS has this year signed contracts with
these two Societies. In addition officials from NSERC, CFI and CIHR were
present. Rounding out the attendees were delegates from various life science
societies some of which were non-members of the Federation.
SOCIETIES AND FINANCES
Last year was one in which CFBS continued to attain a much healthier financial
state and as a result found itself in the position of providing greater
service to its community. The addition of two new Societies and the success
of the Annual Meetings have contributed to a more comfortable bottom line.
The approach that has been taken to encourage additional life science
organizations to join CFBS is to emphasize that it is in all our best
interests when CFBS can speak on behalf of the wider life sciences community.
While it is important for CFBS to have sufficient funds to support the
activities for which the office was designed it is equally important,
that to be effective, that we be seen to represent the broad community
when discussing relevant research issues with "decision-makers".
The life sciences community members, at the meeting, were made aware that
currently the various Societies' financial contribution represents less
than half of what is required to underwrite the running costs of the Ottawa
Office. We were encouraged, therefore, that both CSEP and CSZ have recently
signed contracts with CFBS. We are hopeful that other life sciences groups
will follow their lead. The existence of the Society for Life Sciences
(SLS) was reported. This Society allows researchers who belong to a biological/biomedical
society that is not part of the Federation to join CFBS by paying only
the CFBS levy. A number of individuals have already taken advantage of
joining SLS to support the "advocacy" role that CFBS plays.
ANNUAL SCIENTIFIC MEETING
Our efforts over the past 3 years have been directed to producing an Annual
Scientific Meeting which will compete effectively with meetings of international
stature. Such conferences will at the same time permit us to "show-case"
the best in Canadian and thus give the life science community greater
visibility within this Country. The Thematic approach has attracted an
enthusiastic audience with its inception in the year 2000. Since then
each of the two selected themes is presented in depth and consists of
four symposia. At the strategic planning session theDirectors of the CIHR
Institutes encouraged us to continue this direction and make it a "flag-ship"
-" must attend" meeting. The discussions also revealed that
each Institute is in the process of developing strategic plans that would
identify themes that could be used by CFBS as topics for future CFBS meetings.
The year 2001 saw the introduction of the "employment fair"
at the Annual Meeting. Feedback indicated that those that had purchased
booths were happy with the outcome. One organization revealed that because
of the "Fair" they hired 30 individuals. The "Fair"
will be continued as long as there is interest displayed in having it
as an event at the meeting.
ADVOCACY
This year's advocacy activity was in high gear. In May various colleagues
met with 17 different "decision-makers". In November CFBS participated
with representatives from chemistry and physics in discussions with parliamentarians
and senior government officials. A series of "briefs"- one at
the invitation of Canadians For Health Research- and reports of the various
visits have appeared on our website. Those wishing further information
may examine these for the issues under consideration. Finally, CFBS was
asked to organize the symposium program, for the Partnership Group In
Science and Engineering, designed to help parliamentarians appreciate
the value of research to Canada's economic and social well-being. The
symposium "Research: Key to Canada's Well-Being" was held in
the West Block of the Parliament Buildings.
From the discussions several issues related to science policy were raised.
These included 1) stem-cell research 2) ethical issues in biosciences3)
bio-terrorism and 4) bio-diversity and endangered species. The last of
these 4 issues will be discussed with "decision-makers" in December
when the Zoologists are in Ottawa.
A question was raised related to the Federal Government's intention to
bring down a budget and what CFBS was doing to advise its members. Given
the tragic events of September 11th increased allocations will, necessarily
go to security. Because the recent meetings with "decision-makers"
were held just before the budget CFBS agreed to send out an "alert"
and suggest members contact their MPs and advise them to "stay the
course" with regard the Government's innovation agenda since this
an important component of insuring Canada's future economic health.
WEBSITE
The attendees at the meeting were updated on the updating of the CFBS
website and the new services that it provides. In addition to permitting
on-line registration for the Annual Meeting the website now accepts job
postings and on-line advertising. It also records the briefs written related
to the issues under discussion with "decision-makers" and summaries
of visits to parliamentarians and senior government officials. A number
of Societies have taken advantage of the information on the website in
constructing Society Newsletters. Considerable discussion took place concerning
CFBS' need to expand its database of researchers to ensure that issues
of importance to the life sciences community are transmitted more widely.
NEW VENTURES
To provide greater service to the life sciences community efforts have
already been initiated to involve the Institutes of CIHR in CFBS Annual
Meetings. Next year the Institute for Neurosciences, Mental Health &
Addiction is heavily involved in organizing the scientific theme "Neurological
Development". We anticipate that future meetings will present opportunities
for other CIHR Institutes to develop programs of interest to their grantees.
This approach, CFBS hopes, will not only "show-case" the best
in Canadian Life Sciences but also through the involvement of outstanding
international scientists attract a larger audience from outside Canada.
In response to CFBS' plan to institute travel awards for gradate students
and postdoctoral fellows the assembly was made aware of the notion being
considered by some institutes to organize training sessions. It was suggested
that when these sessions were related to CFBS themes their trainees could
take advantage of the CFBS meetings by organizing the training sessions
as satellite conferences.
In an effort to broaden the attendance and provide a service regarding
research advances pertinent to medical care CFBS reported that it was
attempting to determine whether its Thematic Program could be used to
provide CME credits to physicians wishing to attend. Discussions are underway
to determine whether this might be accomplished for the Montreal Meeting
in 2002.
Consideration was given to future themes and how CFBS could best serve
it stakeholders in the organization of scientific conferences in the future.
A possible partnership arrangement was raised in which CFBS would assist
Societies/Institutes etc. in arranging meetings. Also suggested was the
involvement of Physical Societies with interests in imaging and bio-informatics.
The E.D. reported his conversation with his counterpart at FASEB concerning
a movement to organize interactions amongst international federations
to consider issues related to science policy.
Finally, to be effective and to serve the needs of the Life Sciences
Community, the Ottawa office needs to hear from the Societies and their
members regarding new themes for scientific meetings and issues that need
articulating to "decision-makers".
Bruce Sells, PhD., FRS(C)
Executive Director
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