The Society

Membership

Governance

Past Officers

Minutes

Schedule

Committees

4S Publications

Commissioned Reports

Prizes

2006-2007 Committee Assignments

The business of 4S is conducted by a group of standing and ad hoc committees, appointed by the President and changing each year.  Committee membership consists mainly of elected representatives [council members] of 4S.  However, members are also appointed by the President based on expertise and interest.  Some of these committees meet during the annual meeting, while others operate strictly by email.  If you are a member of 4S and have an interest in serving on a committee, please contact the current Chair of the nominations committee.  While the membership has been set for the current year, the President will keep your name for next year, and pass the information to the future Chair of the nominations committee, as appropriate.  

Publications Committee

The publications committee is responsible for the conduct of the Society's journal and all matters of editorial policy. Routine responsibilities include: setting policy for Society publications, approving nominations for 4S editorial boards, and reporting Committee activities to the Council and annual Business Meeting.  The publications committee also solicits nominations for editors of both ST&HV & Technoscience and recommends an editor to council for approval.  

Ethics and Public Affairs

A standing committee to advise the President on the question of 4S involvement in issues of ethics and public affairs.

Nominations Committee

Responsibilities are to nominate from five to seven candidates for three council seats each year. The slate of candidates should reflect the diversity of the Society and include people willing to contribute time and effort to Society activities. The chair pro-tem collects ballot statements from each candidate and transmits the slate of candidates to the Secretary who distributes mail ballots to all members of the Society. All members of the Society are invited to submit nominations to the Chair of the committee for next year's election.  Council members are elected every year for three year terms, while Presidents are elected every other year for two year terms.

Annual Meeting: Program Committee

Responsibilities include: issue a call for papers and sessions to all members; make available a preliminary program of sessions on the web; design plenary, thematic, and other sessions as requested by the President; work with Local Arrangements Committee to schedule sessions in the available space; send letters to all session chairs and to participants reminding them of their commitment to participate in the meeting as a member-in-good-standing of the Society. All participants must be members of 4S

Note:  It is the policy of 4S to provide overhead projectors for members presenting papers at annual meetings.  However, other varieties of AV equipment must be provided by presenters at their own expense.

Annual Meeting: Local Arrangements

Responsibilities are to coordinate all local activities for meeting including: arranging for accommodations; distributing registration and transportation materials to all members; provide a list of participants to be available at meeting; coordinate space and audio-visual needs with Program Committee; produce preliminary program for the newsletter Technoscience and distribution on the web.

Please consult the website for the Annual Meeting in question for information about local arrangements.

Bernal Prize, Fleck Prize, Carson Prize, Mullins Award Committees

Responsibilities are to select the winners of the awards from a pool of nominees each year. Members are invited to submit nominations to the chair or any other member of the committee.  For more information about the prizes themselves, as well as procedures for awarding them, see Prizes.

Future Meetings Committee

Committee will solicit site applications & make recommendations for future meetings.  Sites are now under investigation for meetings beginning in the year 2004.

Travel Grants Committee

Committee will solicit applications & make awards for travel grants for the annual meeting.

Special Needs

Responsibilities include developing policy for the 4S meetings to facilitate access for members with special needs, including child care, wheelchair access, deaf language translation.

New Prizes & Programs

To discuss and make a recommendation to 4S council about a possible award for best published article within a specified period and to consider forwarding recommendations for new activities such as workshops and regional meetings.