AGM July 2020 (minuets)

Minutes for the YCG AGM 2020
22nd July 2020, Virtual AGM

Members present:

  • Charlie McMonagle (CM)
  • Tom Roseveare (TR)
  • Natalie Tatum (NT)
  • Natalie Pridmore (NP)
  • Claire Hobday (CH)
  • Elliot Carrington (EC)
  • Natalie Johnson (NJ)
  • Anna Herlihy (AH)
  • Stephen Dodsworth (SD)
  • Aly Abdeldaim (AA)
  • Emma Wolpert (EW)
  • George Sackman (GS)
  • Dashnor Beqiri (DB)
  • Rachael Wilkinson (RW)

1. Formalities

1.1. Apologies for absence

These were from:

  • Hamish Yeung (CCG rep)

1.2. Acceptance of agenda

This was presented by EC and accepted by CM and NT.

1.3. Minutes of the YCG AGM 2018

These were accepted by CM and NT.

1.4. Matters Arising

No Matters arising were presented

2. Joint Activities with the Industrial Group

EC: the IG have funds to run things and are keen to collaborate, are there any ideas? Potentially suggested a career event, hopefully this will be a feature in the next spring meeting. If anyone has any ideas, email the committee.

3. Elections to Committee

Prior to the AGM TR had posted a google form for people to express interest in the available posts. At the start of the meeting three people have put themselves forward for positions.

3.1 Chairperson

EC is stepping down following two years in the role

  1.  Tom Roseveare Proposed by EC and seconded by NT

The nomination was accepted with no objections.

3.2 Secretary/Treasurer

TR is stepping down following two years in the role

  1. Natalie Johnson (NJ) proposed by NP seconded by NT

The nomination was accepted with no objections. At this time NJ will serve as both the IG rep and Secretary/Treasurer. This was unanimously accepted.

3.3 Webmaster

CM is stepping down following four years in the role. The length of the webmaster is currently up to four years but this was agreed to be the upper bound of a single term and not considered mandatory.

  1. Anna Herlihy proposed DB and seconded by EC

The nomination was accepted with no objections. AH can currently commit to a two-year term in the first instance.

3.4 CCG rep

HY is stepping down following two years in the role

  1. Stephen Dodsworth proposed by NT seconded by TR

The nomination was accepted with no objections.

3.5 PSG rep

GS is stepping down following two years in the role

  1. Aly Abdeldaim Proposed by CM seconded by RW

The nomination was accepted with no objections.

3.6 Ordinary Members

Following AA taking up the position of PSG rep resulted in three available ordinary member positions instead of the usual two.

  1. Charlie McMonagle proposed by ED and seconded by DB
  2. Dashnor Beqiri proposed by AH and seconded by EC

The two nominations were accepted with no objections.

The new YCG committee is therefore comprised as follows:

  • Chairperson: Tom Roseveare
  • Deputy Chairperson: Natalie Tatum
  • Secretary/Treasurer: Natalie Johnson
  • Webmaster: Anna Herlihy
  • Equality and Diversity Officer: Natalie Pridmore
  • BSG Rep: Rachel Wilkinson
  • CCG Rep: Stephen Dodsworth
  • IG Rep: Natalie Johnson
  • PSG Rep: Ali Abdeldaim
  • Ordinary Members:
    • Emma Wolpert
    • Charlie McMonagle
    • Dashnor Beqiri

4. Virtual winter meeting

  • EC: acknowledged that the cancellation of the meeting led to people missing presenting opportunities this year. Suggestions within a previous committee meeting (June 2020) was to run a virtual meeting in the winter. What are people’s thoughts on running a meeting over zoom (or another platform)
  • RW: BSG is currently discussing moving their winter meeting online, there is a contact within BSG with experience in running a virtual meeting.
  • CH: CCG are planning to do a virtual meeting. EASTCHEM is now ScotChem, which have been running a seminar series during lockdown, doing them in a weekly/fortnightly has meant that turnout has been higher (less of a drain than a full day). ScotChem format consists of 20 min talks for Phd/Postdoc and a 45 min plenary. This seminar have consisted of two short talks and one plenary.
  • DB: Midlands are doing a similar seminar series. DB’s former supervisor is keen to run a seminar series of PhD student and is in contact with a CCG committee event.
  • EC: seminar series seems to be a widely adopted format which might be a good way forward
  • CH: downside with just talks is there isn’t a network/social aspect. MOF2020 young investigation is trying to bridge that gap, one talk and then a social zoom event (with a quiz or other things to engage social interaction).
  • EC: suggested mixing CCG,BSG, PSG sessions so that people attend most events.
  • CH: agreed that a diverse range of talks is a nice reflection of the YCG satellite meeting
  • NT: Plenary and two talks, followed by a social would be good
  • EC: could put something out, review and adapt.
  • EC: call for vote, 13 for, 1 against.
  • CM: seems to be an endless stream of meetings, which has been quite tiring, conference fatigue seems to be worse when it is virtual
  • DB: Interaction with scientists in general is lacking during in lockdown. The discussion with other scientists would be nice
  • CH: suggested flash presentations, almost as an icebreaker, followed to break out rooms for discussion.
  • NJ: No IG meeting this year, they are holding out till next year’s meeting
  • RW: regarding the meet the scientist, the Sir William Dunn School of Pathology had a meet your PI. Perhaps having a career event of meet someone in a specific profession would be useful. This could almost be using smaller break out rooms
  • NT: Included early career PIs may make the anecdote more relevant to PhD students and Postdocs
  • TR: asked what platforms other groups have been using or are considering using.
  • CH: Zoom, easiest set up, prefer zoom not in the conference/seminar setting but in the normal format so you can see people.
  • RW: With regards to organising, would be happy to give support, but can not commit taking the lead, due to planning the spring meeting.
  • AA: is happy to take the lead, but requires support
  • RW and TR offered support
  • EC: suggested to AA that using contacts you have initially before widening the scope, initially invite speakers for the first session.

5. Any other business

  • EC: any other business, we do have a discussion regarding a name change, but need a wider discussion
  • NT: virtual meeting maybe a good way of recruiting people as well as increasing our profile for future discussion regarding name changes and the running events and the committee in the future.
  • NT: Elaborate on naming, not just exclusively our issue. “Young” is not a descriptor that reflects our community, other young/early career groups have been rebranding and renaming following similar review. Young is not EDI inclusive, considering career breaks and the time to independent research being longer. We would have to discuss it, vote and then propose to BCA council. Requires discussion and potential amendment of constitution. Non-trivial and having these discussions and discussing them virtually is not ideal. This is why a true discussion is not in the agenda of this meeting.
  • CH: Need to consider EDI and amend the constitution to reflect it. This review process is occurring across the BCA and interest groups. For example the YCG constitution has the role Chairman where chair or chairperson would be more appropriate.
  • CM: The constitution requires review and amendment on a regular basis, because it needs to to reflect the community. Good to take the lead of reviewing and changing this now.
  • NT: We need to survey and reach a wider audience to work out what needs changing and what people want.

6. Date of YCG AGM 2020

Next YCG AGM to be held at the University of Leeds on the first day of the BCA spring Meeting. If this is again cancelled or becomes a virtual meeting the YCG will adapt accordingly and within the limits of the constitution.

7. Close

The committee thank all members of both the BCA and YCG for attending the YCG AGM. This has been a challenging time for the YCG with the cancellation of the BCA spring meeting due to COVID-19. During this pandemic and subsistent lockdown the committee has strived to represent and progress the YCGs position in the crystallographic community. This marks the end of this year, if somewhat delayed, and start of a productive year for the BCA and YCG.