*** APPROVED ***
Minutes of the 62th meeting of the Canadian National Committee of URSI
----------------------------------------------------------------------
The meeting was held on 28 April 2003 at NRC's Sussex building
in room 1147, 100 Sussex Drive, Ottawa, Ont., starting at 9h am.
Members present:
+Antar, Yahia (RMC/Kingston, Chair)
+Delisle, Gilles (U of Ottawa, past-Chair)
+Georgieva-Nikolova, Natalia (McMaster/Hamilton, Comm. D)
+James, Gordon (CommunicResCenter/Ottawa, Comm. G+H)
+Laurin, Jean-Jacques (EcolePoly/Montreal, Comm. B)
+Mishra, Shantnu (CanSpaceAgency/Ottawa, Comm. A)
+Prato, Frank (UWO/London, Comm. K)
+Routledge, Dave (UAlb/Edmonton, Comm. J)
+Staples, Gordon (Radarsat/Richmond, Comm. F)
+Vallee, Jacques P. (NRC-HIA/Victoria, Secretary & member)
+Wittke, Paul (URSI International VP)
Guest present (temporary):
+Shafai, Lot (U.Manitoba/Winnipeg)
Absent members/guests:
-Jorjani, Hamid (NRC CorpServ/Ottawa)
-Krzymien, Witold (Un.Alb/Edmonton, and TRLabs/Edmonton, Comm. C)
-Nadeau, Benoit (Matrox Electronix/Montreal, Comm. E)
Agenda for the 62th meeting of the CNC URSI:
--------------------------------------------
Start-up:
01. Welcome and introductory remarks (Antar)
02. Approval of the Agenda (Antar)
Secretary:
03. Approval of the Minutes of the 61th Meeting (Vallee)
04. Acting treasurer's report (Vallee)
a. NRC HIA [Fahlman] fund for CNC's annual mtg
b. NRC CNC [Vallee] trust fund for seed/promotion
c. NRC CS [Jorjani] fund for the HQ in Belgium
d. Other NRC contributions
05. Canadian URSI Membership lists, by Commissions (Vallee)
General reports:
06. Chair's report (Maaastrich 2002; Antar)
07. Report from the last URSI Board meeting (Wittke)
08. Short 5min Reports (one from each CNC commission representative)
Future radio meetings:
09. URSI.NARS/IEEE.APS mtg in Columbus, 22-27 June 2003 (Antar)
10. URSI.NARS/IEEE.APS mtg in Ottawa, July 2007 (Antar/Roy)
11. Future radio mtgs in Canada, jointly with the US (Antar)
12. Future radio mtgs in Canada, jointly with ANTEM (Antar/Shafai)
Promotion:
13. Candidatures for URSI Medals & URSI positions (Antar)
14. Sponsorship of URSI CNC (CRC scholarships; Antar)
15. CNC student awards/scholarships (Antar)
a. More feedback/credit from past awards
b. Future recognition/prospects for involvement
Wrap-up:
16. Other businesses (Antar)
17. Tentative Date and Place for the next URSI CNC meeting (Vallee)
----------------------------------
01. Welcome and introductory remarks (Antar)
========================================
Y. Antar, CNC Chair, welcomed all participants and
he thanked J. Vallee for the logistical details of this meeting.
02. Approval of the Agenda (Antar)
==============================
The Chair asked for any change to the agenda.
F.Prato and S.Mishra moved for the approval of the agenda. Agreed.
03. Approval of the Minutes of the 61th Meeting (Vallee)
===============================================
The Chair asked for any change to the minutes. No change.
F.Prato and Y.Antar moved that the Minutes be approved. Agreed.
04. Acting treasurer's report (Vallee)
============================
a. NRC HIA [Fahlman] fund for CNC's annual mtg
NRC-HIA/DGO in Victoria pays all the travels of the CNC members attending
the CNC annual meeting, amounting to a total of $6618. in 2002 June.
J. Vallee handed out the NRC Travel Expense Claim Forms.
b. NRC CNC [Vallee] trust fund for seed/promotion
NRC-CNC Trust Fund held in Victoria stood at $18,954.69 in 2003 April.
J. Vallee explained the entries and exits in the last 12 months.
Y. Antar anticipated that any budget surplus at the 2003 NARS meeting
would yield 40% of the surplus to the CNC fund.
c. NRC CS [Jorjani] fund for the HQ in Belgium
NRC-CorpServ/International in Ottawa has paid about $11000 to URSI/Belgium
for the annual canadian contribution to the URSI Headquarters.
d. Other NRC contributions
The sum total for the items (a,b,c) above is: $36,573 for URSI matters.
In addition:
-NRC-HIA in Victoria pays for the NRC staff involved in the CNC.
-NRC-CorpServ-International in Ottawa contributes towards the travel of
eight voting delegates at the URSI GA, excluding government members.
-NRC-ConfServ in Ottawa is often involved in mtgs, and absorbs any deficit.
05. Canadian URSI Membership lists, by Commissions (Vallee)
======================================
Canadian membership is open to anyone interested, who is active, and
who publishes (no election).
Each CNC member updates his commission's list.
J. Vallee will query each CNC member about updating their commission list.
Delisle sets the aim of eventually having 2000 Canadian URSI members.
In the USA, members have to be elected in order to be on their lists.
06. Chair's report (Maastrich 2002; Antar)
====================================================================
Y. Antar wrote a long report to NRC's Hamid Jorjani, about the 2002
Maastrich General Assembly (copied to every CNC member). He further
congratulated P.Wittke for his re-election as Vice-President of URSI,
and L. Shafai and F. Prato for their election to Vice-Chair of Commissions
B and K, respectively.
07. Report from the last URSI Board meeting (Wittke)
=======================================================
The International Council for Science (ICSU) recently asked its various
member scientific unions to respond to the following question.
"What scientific developments do you see taking place within your community
over the next 5-10 years that could have a major impact on the future
development of science on the one hand and which could serve the needs of
society on the other?" No more than three developments were to be given.
There was no indication that these areas would be funded by ICSU.
In response, the URSI Board identified 3 areas to do more social impact,
to pass on to ICSU:
(a) solar power from space satellites to ground stations via radio waves;
(b) human responses in space to changes in the electromagnetic environment;
(c) nanotechnology; this would involve dramatic developments in
microcircuits as well as the development of micromachining and nano-surgery.
D.Routledge objected on behalf of the radio astronomy community
to area (a) above (solar power satellites), as risky for radio astronomy
science, and risky for life in general. Some honourable member was
overheard as saying "Kentucky fried humans".
G.James pointed out that Commission H voted to expand its terms of
reference to include research relevant to solar power satellites; this is
not an endorsement of the feasibility or security of solar power satellites.
G.Delisle expressed doubts about the feasibility of the concept of
solar power satellites.
G.Delisle and D.Routledge emphasized that most members of the CNC are
negative on area (a), and that URSI should not support this area.
Summarising, the CNC generally is concerned about the credibility
of the concept of solar power satellites.
08. Short 5min Reports (one from each CNC commission representative)
========================================================================
Each CNC member spoke about on-going activities & developments in their
field. Some concerns expressed were outside the purview of the CNC mandate.
See handouts.
09. URSI.NARS/IEEE.APS mtg in Columbus, 22-27 June 2003 (Antar)
=========================================================
Y.Antar noted that it is going ahead as planned, with 1500 papers,
and the financial surplus to be shared as 40% for CNC and 60% for the US.
10. URSI.NARS/IEEE.APS mtg in Ottawa, July 2007 (Antar/Roy)
=========================================================
Y.Antar noted the support of the US National Committee for this event,
and the withdrawal of support from IEEE.APS (they prefer Hawaii in 2007).
It could become a URSI.NARS/US.NC meeting in Ottawa.
CNC agreed to continue (expecting 300 people).
11. Future radio mtgs in Canada, jointly with the US (Antar)
================================================================
Y.Antar noted the history of NARS, held every 5 years in Canada.
IEEE/URSI US NC meets each year in the USA (1500 people come).
We could aim for a URSI.NARS/IEEE.APS mtg in 2009 - perhaps Winnipeg?
12. Future radio mtgs in Canada, jointly with ANTEM (Antar/Shafai)
======================================================================
Y.Antar introduced the possibility of a radio science meeting in
Canada, to be held jointly with ANTEM (Antenna Technology and Applied
ElectroMagnetics). This could bring more radio scientists into URSI.
Lot Shafai, Vice-Chair of URSI Commission B, spoke on behalf of ANTEM.
ANTEM covers some URSI commissions, notably Commission B.
ANTEM meetings could be extended to include all URSI commissions.
ANTEM is a non-profit, Canadian organization, created in the mid-1980s,
with currently having 200 members. There is a core committee, based in
Winnipeg (people and office). ANTEM is well organized, and has a good
momentum. ANTEM sets up a meeting every even year, on a cost-recovery
basis; there are some awards to papers. This is a 3-day event, with a
$350-registration (includes all meals). It does not seek a financial surplus.
Most conferences were in Montreal(02,96), Ottawa(98,94), Winnipeg(00,92,88).
The goal is to keep the science level high, and many US people do come.
Yahia and Lot suggested to have a joint effort, as a national radio
science meeting. There could be such a joint conference in 2004 and 2006.
Shafai noted that each CNC commission representative shall sollicit
papers, organize their time at the conference, and go to a review meeting
some 3 months before the conference.
CNC members showed a general agreement for such a Canadian URSI / ANTEM
radio science conference. CNC nominated Antar, Delisle, James, Laurin, and
Mishra to negotiate the details.
Delisle proposed, seconded by Mishra, that CNC commits up to a maximum
of $5000 from its trust fund for this project. Unanimous.
13. Candidatures for URSI Medals & URSI positions (Antar)
=============================================================
There is nothing until a year before the AGA of URSI.
CNC will vote in 2004, 2007, etc. Medals are given at the AGA.
14. Sponsorship of URSI CNC (CRC scholarships; Antar)
========================================
D.Routledge's letter on CRC scholarships was circulated.
G.James noted an atmosphere of budget cutbacks coming at CRC,
and suggested leveraging with NSERC or CFI, before re-approaching CRC.
Antar will write a letter to CRC, as the CNC endorses an effort
in this area, offering its blessings and to help in the selection
of students.
15. CNC student awards/scholarships (Antar)
===============================================
a. More feedback/credit from past awards to ANTEM, and WIRELESS.
Vallee noted the addition by HIA of the NRC name and the NRC logo,
as well as the addition of the CNC name and URSI logo.
b. Future recognition/prospects for involvement.
CNC agreed that such student awards should be for:
-work done in Canada
-conference held in Canada
-student must be at a Canadian university
A $500 student award was proposed by Antar, seconded by Vallee,
for the WIRELESS 2003 August conference (Comm. C). Agreed.
A $500 student award was proposed by Staples, seconded by Prato,
for the REMOTE SENSING 2003 October conference. Agreed.
A $500 student award was proposed by Prato, seconded by Georgieva-Nikolova,
for the URSI/ANTEM 2004 summer conference. Agreed.
A $500 student award was proposed by Routledge, seconded by Vallee,
for the CASCA 2004 May conference. Agreed.
16. Other businesses (Antar)
==================================
There was a discussion about an electronic newsletter for URSI
Canadian members, edited by one CNC member.
Mishra asked for written contributions to be received in the coming months.
17. Tentative Date and Place for the next URSI CNC meeting (Vallee)
=======================================================================
There was a suggested or pencilled-in date for Ottawa in the Spring.
Y.Antar thanked all members present for their work on the CNC.
Antar thanked Valle for his hard work and reminders of impending deadlines.
J. Vallee thanked all members on behalf of NRC-HIA for helping Radio
Science in Canada, and encouraged them to fill the NRC Travel Claim Forms
and to send them to him in Victoria.
The CNC meeting ended at 16h.
PS: Minutes written by J.P. Vallee.