The IUGG Electronic JournalVolume 1 No. 1 (February 1, 2004)Welcome to the first issue of the IUGG E-Journal. This informal newsletter will be used to keep IUGG Member Country National Committees informed about the activities of the IUGG Associations, and actions of the IUGG Secretariat. Please forward this message to those who will benefit from the information. Upon your request, paper copies can be sent by fax or regular post. Each issue will be short, so that it can be read quickly. Your comments are welcome and should be sent to the Secretary-General: jjoselyn@cires.colorado.edu, or fax number 1 303 497 3645. Contents:
1. Greetings from the IUGG President: Dr. Masaru Kono Greetings to the National Committees of Member Countries! We are trying to enhance the communication between the IUGG and its Member Countries. This Newsletter represents a product of this effort. Last August, the Bureau and Executive Committee met in Boulder, Colorado, and discussed the ways to improve the benefits of the Member Countries. We also recognized the need to increase the number of countries that adhere to the IUGG, as our sciences have global nature as well as importance to the welfare of the world (consider problems such as ozone hole, global warming, and mitigation of hazards due to earthquake and volcanic eruptions). We will report about the effort in these directions in the future issues of the Newsletter. Another important conclusion from the Boulder meeting is that the goals and strategies of the IUGG should be redefined to meet the needs of the community, Member Countries, and the changing world. For that purpose, the IUGG Bureau formed a task group, chaired by Bureau Member V. Shannon (South Africa) to consider ways in which IUGG could improve. We will be seeking the advice of our Member Countries in the coming weeks, and hope you will respond favorably. In the meantime, we draw your attention to the Association Scientific Assemblies that will be held this year all over the world (Innsbruck, Austria; Maastricht , The Netherlands; Hanoi, Vietnam; Budapest, Hungary; and Mar del Plata, Argentina). Detailed information about each Assembly can be found through the IUGG Web site: http://www.IUGG.org. 2. Announcement of availability of the 2001 IUGG Yearbook The 2001 IUGG Yearbooks, including a copy of the new IUGG Brochure, were placed in the mail during the week of January 29, 2001. Because the travel time for this mailing can be quite long, the Yearbook is also available on the IUGG Web site. It is posted in "PDF" format and requires "Adobe Acrobat" software to read it. Please contact the Secretary-General for additional information if you have difficulty reading this document, and your printed copy has not yet arrived. Additional copies of the Yearbook may be requested from the Secretary-General, until the available supply is exhausted. 3. Updates to the Yearbook At the time that the final copy of the 2001 Yearbook was sent to the print shop, several countries had not yet had time to report their new National Committee Members. In particular, recent information has been received from Japan, South Africa, and the USA. Revised information is always welcome. Each National Committee is requested to check the information posted in the Yearbook, and to report corrections as soon as possible. 4. Introduction to the IUGG Web Page (http://www.IUGG.org) It is our intention to continually improve and update the IUGG Web page. The Web page serves as a quick reference to IUGG and Association meetings, reports, and statutes, and provides links to the Associations, inter-Association commissions, ICSU bodies, and to the IUGG National Committees of Member Countries. Please consult the IUGG website often. Suggestions for additions or corrections should be sent to the IUGG Secretariat. 5. Announcements regarding the 2003 IUGG General Assembly The first circular for the XXIII IUGG General Assembly, to be held June-30 - July 11, 2003 in Sapporo, Japan, is now available. The Chairman of the Local Organizing Committee is Dr. Seiya Uyeda (the Vice-Chair is Dr. Yosuke Kamide), and the Secretary-General is Dr. Kiyoshi Suyehiro. The Secretariat of IUGG2003 may be contacted at IUGG2003@ics-inc.co.jp, or at IUGG_service@jamstec.go.jp. Further, we are pleased to announce that Dr. Atsuhiro Nishida has accepted the responsibility of Chairman of the Program Committee. Planning for the Assembly is well underway, and further information will be forthcoming. End of IUGG Electronic Journal Volume 1 Number 1 (February 1, 2002) |
