Call for Proposals to Organize ISCB-Asia 2014
The aim of the International Society for Computational Biology (ISCB) is to serve the worldwide computational biology community by addressing scientific policies, providing access to high quality publications, organising meetings, and serving as a portal to information about training, education, employment and news from related fields. ISCB currently has over 3000 members from more than 70 countries around the world. Among its many activities ISCB hosts annual meetings, including ISMB, the world's longest running and largest international bioinformatics conference (held jointly with ECCB every other year in Europe), as well as a series of smaller, newer meetings. ISCB also has affiliations in place with several other significant meetings in the field, such as PSB and RECOMB.
In an extension to its meeting activities, ISCB is participating in the organization of regional meetings in locations where ISMB has not been held. The first ISCB-Asia was held jointly with InCoB 2011 in Malaysia, and the 2012 meeting will be in Shenzen, China. With the aim of continuing these successful regional meetings, ISCB is now soliciting applications for the co-organization of our next meeting in Asia for 2014.
A requirement that ISCB-Asia become permanently affiliated to an existing meeting or society is not intended. ISCB looks to continue expanding its network of affiliations by seeking proposals from existing societies or conferences in the Asia region, or by working with a group that has a similar interest in organising a new bioinformatics community meeting in regions of Asia where an ISCB-Asia meeting has not yet been held.
Preliminary proposals should provide:
- Planned meeting dates and location
- Names and short CVs of local organising committee members and their proposed roles
- Evidence of previous experience in organising mid- to large-sized meetings
- Budget proposal including basic costs (venue rental, speaker travel, etc.) and preliminary commitments for financial support from sponsors.
- Estimated meeting size
- Focus of scientific program (required if a focus on a specialist research topic is planned)
- Plans for publishing or online dissemination of the proceedings
- Evidence of co-operation among multiple groups within the Asian region
- Description of other relevant related meetings in the same region
ISCB will:
- Participate through elected ISCB scientific representatives on the organising committee
- Endorse and advertise the meeting through its extensive mailing lists
- Suggest keynote speakers
- Potentially provide funds to seed the meeting (funds repayable to ISCB from conference proceeds)
- Provide budget guidance
- Potentially provide travel funds to support student participation
Criteria for evaluation:
- Proposals that emphasize and encourage attendance from a diverse range of regional groups and attendees will have an advantage
- The meeting should be in a place where there is expected to be a sizeable local community from which attendance can be expected, as well as reasonable international access to a nearby airport
- Budget is within the range which can be covered by reasonably estimated registration fees alone, in the event that sponsor funding does not materialize
- Preference will be given to organising committees with diverse representation
- Proposers should have experience with organising meetings
Proposals should be submitted via email to This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. by 2 May 2013.
