MINUTES OF MEETING OF 4S COUNCIL
27th /28th September 2023
Agenda September 27, 2023 11pm–1am UTC.
Emma Kowal called the meeting to order at 23:02 PM UTC.
ITEM 1 Greetings
In attendance: Emma Kowal, Anne Pollock, Amanda Windle, Barkha Kagliwal, Rohit Negi (non-voting), Anne Pollock, Marko Monteiro, Aneesh Aneesh, Amit Prasad (non-voting), Yelena Gluzman, Lucy van de Wiel, Vivette García-Deister, Vivian Choi, Michal Nahman, Chihyung Jeon.
ITEM 2 Apologies
Canay Özden-Schilling and Pouya Sepehr sent their apologies given the timezone difference. Eugene Richardson, and Maka Suarez arrived late, and Pouya Sepehr managed to attend in part. Misria Shaik Ali and Zheng (Vincent) Li were also absent for this meeting.
ITEM 3 Introductions
Rohit Negi and Amit Prasad introduced themselves to the Council and vice versa.
ITEM 3b Actions Table
Council reviewed the action tables items that were outstanding and in-progress. The 4S ethics policy will be on the International Science Council’s list of ethics policies. Action: Council to request by email the Managing Director any items for Any Other Business (AOB), and any other agenda items. Action: Chairs for prizes to send reports to the Managing Director as soon as you can, with a timeline of activities for the new committees.
ITEM 3c Approval of June Minutes
Emma Kowal presented the minutes on screen for Council to add their amendments.
VOTE: The motion to approve the June minutes was moved by Yelena and seconded by Marko Monteiro, and approved by (12) votes, with zero (0) against, and ([0]) abstention. The motion was carried.
ITEM 4 Finance Update
Amanda Windle gave a financial and budgetary update. Aneesh Aneesh gave a brief update on the progress of the CD with room for discussion on both updates. Aneesh in answer to Vivette Garcia-Deister’s question on how to spend the interest reiterated that profit is accrued daily on previous interest, so the profit cannot be spent until the end of the 12-month period of investment. Amanda to Action: Windle to change the address on the tax return.
ITEM 5 Update from Executive Committee
Windle provided an update focused on MemberLeap and the PDF program going live on the website. Questions emerged around the searchability of the PDF. Yelena Gluzman gave an update on the online Making and Doing and Windle discussed the planned updates to the search functionality on M&D, and the categorisation process from last year that was completed recently by Windle and Shiv Issar.
*Eugene Richardson, Maka Suarez and Pouya Sepehr joined the Zoom meeting at the end of this agenda item.
ITEM 7 Honolulu Conference Update*
Council discussed the kinds of care provisions in place for attendees from trauma counsellors, to quiet rooms, to training volunteers, to buddying, and a wellness room, to HCC security and conference insurance. Action: Emma to discuss this further with attendees and conference organisers. Action: To assign quiet room.
*Aya Kimura (Co-Chair for Honolulu’23) and Melissa Creary (new council member) joined the call at 23:15 (BST) for this item.
Kimura further presented on working with Grant, Callan and Jason. Kimura also made a note about the 4S donation—Oahu Water Protectors ($5k USD)— and the payment process working with a partner foundation. Council and the organising committee and Co-Chairs expressed their condolences for Kealoha Chang, conference director for HCC, who passed away last month. VOTE: The motion to approve the verbiage: that 4S Council expresses sadness and solidarity with residents of Maui in the wake of the devastating wildfires that are the outcome of settler-colonialism and its aftermaths was moved by Kowal and seconded by Barkha Kagliwal and approved by (14) votes, with zero (0) against, and (0) abstention. The motion was carried approved.
ITEM 9 Conference Policy Development*
Choi gave a summary on the survey’s main questions, method of dissemination and results. The survey gained 256 responses from 4S members, mostly from students and those with permanent academic positions—mostly located in North America and Europe. Discussion focused on how 4S might consider some contingency planning for how quickly political and environmental conditions can change, and the impact on cost and affordability of conferencing. Maka Suarez queried venue contracts with Kowal noting that 4S is booked until 2026, with discussion for Taiwan in 2027 still in-progress. Action: Windle: to provide the breakdown of members by regional origin and to consider if the survey is representative or membership by region. Action: Windle to send an invite to the business meeting and have a discussion about the survey. Action: Choi to ask council to come forward with any further suggestions.
*Vivette Garcia Deister and Pouya left during this agenda item.
ITEM 10 6S Survey discussion
Barkha Kagliwal asked if it was possible to receive help from non-6S council members to question how to provide a better mentoring experience. Kowal asked if mentorship is the most important thing, advocating to take a further step back to look at a range of offers. Action: Barkha to bring this to executive committee for further discussion on the practicalities and scope of the enquiry.
ITEM 11 Any Other Business
No further business was requested by Council. The meeting was brought to a close by Kowal.