ISCB News

Sept 27, 2012 - How Open is it? The Official PLoS blog invites feedback on accuracy and completeness of how Open Access is defined.

ISCB Africa ASBCB 2013 - Call for Papers and Posters

Dear ISCB and ASBCB Members and Colleagues,

A reminder that submissions for the ISCB Africa ASBCB 2013 Conference on Bioinformatics are now being accepted. This is the third joint meeting of ISCB and ASBCB, and takes place from March 13th -15th in Tunis, Tunisia. The meeting will include topics of general interest in bioinformatics, with a special focus on the bioinformatics of African pathogens, vectors, and human genetics. We especially welcome abstracts on the bioinformatics of diseases relevant to Africa, and with the new Human Heredity and Health in Africa (H3Africa) initiative the genetics focus is particularly relevant and timely.

Submissions of papers are due by October 24th, and poster abstracts are due by December 12th. Please visit the conference submission guidelines and follow the links to submit your paper or poster today.

Pre-conference optional events are planned for March 11th and 12th, including a variety of Training Workshops and Tutorials such as EBI Roadshow training, EMBnet eBioKit workshops, LIRMM and EMBL instructor-led introduction to Phylogeny, and a full day session on deep sequencing. For more details on these events please check the conference website frequently to watch for updates as they become available.

A limited number of travel fellowships will be made available to students from African research institutions. Additionally, a grant proposal has been submitted to a U.S. agency that, if awarded, would help fund American students to attend. Information on eligibility and application procedures will be posted to the conference website as soon as full details are known.  Early registration will be offered at discounted prices, and all ISCB and ASBCB members will enjoy significant savings.

Don't delay in submitting your paper or poster (or both!) today. We hope to welcome you to Tunisia in March!

Yours sincerely,

Alia Benkahla
ISCB Africa ASBCB Conference Chair

Dan Masiga
ISCB Africa ASBCB Conference Program Committee Chair

ISCB Executive Officer Position Announcement – Applications Now Being Accepted

JDG ASSOCIATES, LTD.

EXECUTIVE OFFICER

JDG Associates has been retained by the International Society for Computational Biology to conduct the search for its Executive Officer position.

Client
Founded in 1997, the International Society for Computational Biology (ISCB) is a scholarly society dedicated to advancing the scientific understanding of living systems through computation. The ISCB communicates the significance of the science to the larger scientific community, governments and the public at large. Representing over 3000 members in over 70 countries, ISCB works to impact government and scientific policies, provide high quality publications and meetings, and distribute valuable information about training, education and employment in the field. ISCB is a growing scientific society in a growing scientific field. A member of the Federation of American Societies for Experimental Biology (FASEB) community, ISCB has a $2M annual budget, a staff of three, and a contingent of contractors. For more information please visit www.iscb.org.

Position Summary
Reporting to the President, the Executive Officer is responsible for efficiently and effectively running the day-to-day operations of the Society and implementing the strategic initiatives and policy decisions of the Executive Committee (EC) and the Board. The EO also provides professional management services and continuity; supports the Society’s elected and appointed volunteer leadership; liaises among staff, leadership, and members; monitors Society activities; provides a record of institutional memory; and directs the administration of the Society.

Principal Responsibilities

Strategic and Governance Support

• Advise EC and Board on non-profit best practices; adherence to Articles of Incorporation, bylaws, and other governing documents; and any needed changes to governing documents.
• Provide organizational and administrative support to the EC and to the Board, including logistical arrangements when appropriate, meeting agenda, appropriate documentation and drafting meeting minutes for approval.
• Work with the EC to develop and execute a strategic, long term plan for a sustainable society.

Meeting Management

• Work with meeting consultants, organizing committees and fund raisers in the development and successful implementation all meetings and conferences
• Work with organizing committees and other stakeholders on financial planning, scheduling and logistics of all meetings.
• Provide data and analysis to assist the board in selecting meeting venues.

Committees, Task Forces, Affiliates, and Special Interest Groups

• Promote strategic affiliations with allied organizations and special interest groups (SIGs)
• Facilitate communications among the EC, the Board, SIGs, standing committees and task forces, and affiliates to achieve goals in addition to encouraging those groups be more productive and effective.

Membership Management

• Using various marketing strategies, manage the membership recruitment and retention process including creating new programs that will enhance member value proposition.

Marketing, Communications, and Fund Raising

• Work with the EC and the Director of Corporate Relations and Development to produce and execute a development strategy. Secure Federal grants, administer the funds, and fulfill reporting requirements.
• Develop a social media plan utilizing appropriate platforms.

General Administration

• Work with EC, accountant and Treasurer to prepare the annual budget and annual audit. Ensure the Board is fully informed on the financial state of the organization, including provision of quarterly financial reports.

Requirements

Bachelor’s degree is required; an advanced degree is preferred; an advanced degree in a scientific field relevant to the Society is a plus. Senior management experience in a professional society with experience in the areas of meetings, membership, publications, fundraising, marketing, outreach, and board governance/support is required. Experience with international scientific, engineering or medical societies is preferred. Must be an effective verbal and written communicator and able to give presentations to a diverse range of audiences. Negotiation, conflict resolution, problem solving and strategic thinking skills are essential as are strong financial management and budgeting skills. Travel up to 20%, including international.

Contact:

Tiffany McCarty, Principal
Paul Belford, Principal
JDG Associates, Ltd.
301-340-2210
This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. and This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
www.jdgsearch.com

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CSHALS 2013 Call for Participation

Dear ISCB Members and Colleagues,

The ISCB Conference on Semantics in Healthcare and Life Sciences is the premier annual event focused on the use of semantic technologies in the pharmaceutical industry, including hospitals/healthcare institutions and academic research labs. With an expanded scope that includes the emerging field of data science, CSHALS 2013 should be part of your plans for 2013!

Topics covered by CSHALS 2013 span the continuum between standards development and big data workflows - the scope between Life Science data representation and its analysis. To find out more about CSHALS topics follow the link here.

This is YOUR invitation to participate:

>> CALL FOR ORAL AND POSTER PRESENTATIONS IS NOW OPEN <<

Call for Oral Presentations closes November 30, 2012

Call for Poster Abstracts closes January 11, 2013

Conference registration will open at the end of October. We look forward to your participation!

Sincerely,
The CSHALS 2013 Organizing Committee