Scientific Advisory Panel

 

The Society views the ANZSNM Annual Scientific Meeting (ASM) as one of its main events for the benefit of members. It incorporates many important functions such as providing ongoing education and updates for all members of the society, the opportunity for younger members to develop research and presentation skills, the involvement of Advanced Trainees presenting their research projects, the various Special Interest Groups conducting the business of their members and, not least, the ability to network and socialise with colleagues. The execution of this meeting has proven challenging in the past few years due to the global pandemic and necessary changes in how professional organisations can hold their regular meetings.

 

Over the past 50 years the state branch selected by Federal Council to host the meeting would constitute a small Local Organising Committee (LOC) to look after the planning and execution of the meeting in conjunction with a contracted Professional Conference Organisation (PCO). This had limitations in terms of the varying experience and corporate knowledge of each of the LOCs from one year to the next and so in 2012 the Society established the Scientific Advisory Panel (SAP) to, amongst other things, try and provide more consistency in staging the ASM.

 

In an attempt to continuously improve the quality of the meeting and provide more long-term strategic planning, Federal Council has established a new structure to manage its flagship event, the ASM, and other clinical, research and educational events. This involves a Conference Convening Committee (CCC) supported by a Scientific and Educational Committee (SEC). The attached figure shows the structure, relationships and intended composition of the two committees. The CCC will be responsible for programme structure, theme, budget, vendor engagement, interaction with other kindred organisations (e.g., RAINS, AANMS, other specialty colleges and disciplines) and delivery. Under this model the LOC would be responsible for proposing venues, social events and being the “feet on the ground“ for attendees and invited guests. The SEC would predominantly focus on the clinical, scientific and educational component identification and selection.

 

Appointments to the CCC & SEC will be for an initial period of two years (2022-2023) and may be renewed. I have been asked to chair the CCC for the first two years as it transitions from an SAP-overseen body to the new structure. Prof Andrew Scott will be leading the SEC for its initial two years. It is envisaged that the CCC will meet via remote videoconferencing no more than four times per year and deal with the bulk of its business electronically. Each CCC member is expected to take responsibility for a certain area and act as the contact point in that regard.

 

The Federal Council Executive of the Society along with the Secretariat and founding Chairs have considered who best might be able to fulfil their roles outlined and these roles are now filled, please see constitution of the committees below.

 

We are implementing this new approach with the intention to improve and strengthen the local annual meeting so that it becomes one of nuclear medicine’s significant international meetings and seek to expand to member societies in our region of Asia-Pacific, Indochina and the Middle East.