Meeting Minutes-2007

The annual business meeting of the Microsporidia Division was attended by 15 Division members, among them, officers D. Oi, D. Goertz, and R. Kleespies. The session was chaired by R. Kleespies.  First, all attendees introduced themselves to know each other. The minutes of the 2006 Division Business meeting

(published in the SIP Newsletter 39 (3) 06) were accepted. 

 

R. Kleespies gave the Chairperson's report on the Division: The current officers are Chairperson Regina Kleespies (2006 to 2008), Chairperson-Elect David Oi (2006 to 2008), Secretary-Treasurer Dörte Goertz (2006 to 2008), Members-at-Large Susan Bjornson (2005 to 2007) and Julia Sokolova (2006-2008). The membership decreased from 54 in 2006 (49 regular and emeritus members, 5 students) to 51 (51 regular and emeritus, no students). The Division's fund balance at the end of the fiscal year, 4/30/2007, was US$ 2,394.00. 

 

For the 2007 SIP meeting, the Division spent US$ 750 for a student travel award. Oliver Otti received the award for his paper "The Nosema Riddle - Puzzling fit-

ness effects in the bumblebee Bombus terrestris". Two invited speakers for the Division's symposium "Microsporidia of beneficial and pest insects in green-

house, nursery and pollination systems" (Convenors: R. Kleespies and L. Solter), Sheila Colla, York University, Toronto and Rachel Down, Insect & Pathogen Interactions/EBGC, York, UK, were supported with US$ 500. A Cross-Divisional Symposium “Entomopathogens against invasive insects” (Organizer: Louela Castrillo) was supported with US$ 500.

 

The total amount of US$ 2,250 for student award, symposium, and cross divisional speakers was transferred from the SIP general fund. 

 

R. Kleespies reported from the SIP Council Meeting that US$ 750 will be available for a division symposium in order to invite non-member symposium speakers to the SIP 08 Meetings: If more than one symposium will be organized and for a cross divisional symposium, the Division can apply for additional money from the President’s discretionary fund. Moreover, each division will receive US$ 750 for student travel awards. Procedures for the Division student travel award were discussed. It was unanimously accepted that the Division will handle the

student travel award flexibly depending on the number and quality of applications. If necessary, money from the Division fund will be added to the US$ 750 from the SIP general fund. The SIP-Council decided to increase the Martignoni Award to $1,000.

 

The election of two new officers was held. The Division has nominated the following candidates:

Member-at-Large Emma Ormond. The name of the candidate had been published by e-mail to members prior to the SIP meeting. Emma Ormond

was unanimously accepted. 

The student representative of the Division, Thomas Kolling (FH Eberswalde, Germany), has retired from this position. R. Kleespies asked Taro Saito to volunteer and he agreed. Taro Saito was unanimously accepted to be the Division's student representative on the SIP’s Student Affairs Com-

mittee. 

 

The current officers of the Division are: 

Chairperson: Regina Kleespies, Germany (2006

to 2008) 

Chairperson-Elect: David Oi, USA (2006 to

2008)

Secretary-Treasurer: Dörte Goertz, Austria

(2006 to 2008) 

Member-at-Large: Julia Sokolova, Russia (2006

to 2008) 

Member-at-Large: Emma Ormond, United King-

dom (2007 to 2009) 

Student representative: Taro Saito, Canada

(2007- 2009)

 

L. Solter, J. Becnel, and G. Hoch worked intensively on the Division website and updated the information. L. Solter reported that she gave all information to P. Rotstein, who will set the final version into the internet right after the meeting. L. Solter was asking for support of the Division members to send scientific photos or photos of people working in microsporidia science. L. Solter and J. Becnel agreed to update the website in future, regularly.

 

L. Solter reported from the SIP Council Meeting that J. Vandenberg, B. Arif, and J. Eilenberg support an “Outreach Committee” for increasing membership. They want to identify scientists working on invertebrates other than insects. When SIP members attend other related meetings, they are encouraged to mention SIP and encourage colleagues to become members. 

 

In preparation of the SIP 08 Meeting, R. Kleespies will soon send out a call to Division members for proposals for symposia and a Division workshop.  R. Kleespies thanked the Division members and officers for their excellent cooperation. 

 

The business meeting was adjourned at 20:45 and the chair was handed over to David Oi who organized the Microsporidia Division Workshop: “Methods of Microsporidia inoculation in the field, a roundtable discussion”, where Jimmy Becnel (mosquitos), Lee Solter (gypsy moth), Denny Bruck (black vine weevil), and David Oi (fire ants/general introduction) presented their work on

posters. 

Respectfully submitted, 

Regina Kleespies & Dörte Goertz