Summary of the Minutes of the
Alliance for Aerobiology Research (AFAR)
Governing Board Meeting
Governing Board Meeting
Science Building, Harvard University, Cambridge MA
19 June 1997
19 June 1997
Call to Order
The meeting of the AFAR Governing Board (GB) was convened at 5:37 PM on 19 June 1997 by Estelle Levetin, chair. The Governing Board met in conjunction with the Pan-American Aerobiology Association. AFAR sponsored a symposium on the morning of the 19th, organized by Stuart Gage and Estelle, entitled Aerobiology Network and Information Systems. Papers were presented by Harriet Burge, Paolo Mandrioli, Charles Main, Christine Rogers, Steve Hanna, and Glen Field. The AFAR proposal A Long-Term Aerobiological Research Corridor for Characterizing and Forecasting the Aerial Flow of Biota between the Subtropical and Continental Interior Regions of North America (Bioflow Proposal) was presented by Stuart Gage and Scott Isard, who had been charged to develop this document at the 1996 AFAR GB meeting in Atlanta. The presentation set the stage for discussion at the GB meeting, and those attending the symposium were invited to join the GB at their meeting that evening. The GB meeting was attended by 20 scientists.
Definition of AFAR
The scientists revisited the issue of the role of AFAR in the aerobiology community. It was explained that AFAR is an interdisciplinary organization to advance the understanding of atmospheric transport of organisms and biological particles important to agriculture, forestry, human health, wildlife, and the environment.
The goals for AFAR are to support aerobiology by: 1) enhancing communication and education, 2) sharing and pooling information and technology, 3) developing strategic partnerships, and 4) identifying and acquiring resources for collaborative aerobiology research. It was noted that AFAR has been successful in achieving its first three goals and the Bioflow Proposal is aimed at the fourth objective. Some participants wanted to know how they could join AFAR. Membership in AFAR is afforded to all individuals who request to join this informal society and notify Gail Kampmeier of their professional affiliation and e-mail address. All individuals who are included on the AFAR or NCR-148 email lists [note: the AFAR email list is no longer available; the NCR-148 membership list was moved May 2007] are AFAR members.
Participants briefly discussed the merits of the Bioflow Proposal at the AFAR Symposium and the ensuing GB meeting. General support for the efforts of Stuart Gage and Scott Isard was expressed. In addition, it was suggested that AFAR escalate its efforts to stimulate smaller scale research projects. In the past, relationships developed among AFAR participants has led to many joint research projects and other kinds of cooperation among aerobiologists. Individual researchers should continue to announce their research projects in the Migrant, perhaps as far as 1 year in advance. Scott Isard will take responsibility (hopefully with Gail Kampmeier's valuable assistance) to issue the Migrant, however, it is up to AFAR participants to contribute information pertaining to their own research projects and how others might participate. Participants were reminded that one of AFAR's objectives is to compile protocols for measuring aerobiota and that they need to compile and submit the protocols they use for various instruments/aerobiota for consideration for adoption by AFAR.
Scott Isard announced that he and Stuart Gage had been approached by scientists from the University of Wisconsin who wanted to incorporate some of the Bioflow Proposal objectives into a project aimed at using NASA's remote sensing products. Scott and Stuart are exploring this avenue for funding the Bioflow Proposal and are part of a team that has submitted a letter of intent to NASA entitled Synthesizing Satellite Data and Land-Atmosphere Models for Agro-Ecological Applications.
Stuart Gage indicated that AFAR had been informally solicited to submit an aerobiology center proposal to the Fund for Rural America. Stuart and Scott will organize this effort. The North American corridor will be used as the initial focus, however, participation from aerobiologists based outside of the region is critical to the success of the effort, and there was much discussion on how to encouraged these scientists to participate in the research project. AFAR participants should be prepared to respond promptly to a request concerning the level of their intended involvement in this proposal later this year. Much of the effort will be devoted to establishing a biological monitoring network. There is a need to use existing networks such as the American Academy of Allergy, Asthma, and Immunology (AAAAI) Aeroallergen network of Burkard™ sampling equipment. We need to determine if the operators of these networks comply to standards that are acceptable to AFAR.
Notice of Upcoming AFAR Symposium, Governing Board Meetings, and
Related Aerobiology Conferences
The North Central Regional Committee on the Movement and Dispersal of Insects and Other Biota (NCR-148) and ESCOP's Pest Management Strategies Subcommittee Working group on Movement and Dispersal (MAD) are holding their annual meetings on 20-21 October 1997, at the Ohio Agricultural Research and Development Center in Wooster. Casey Hoy of OARDC is handling the arrangements.
Submitted 23 June 1997 by Christine Rogers (who graciously volunteered to take the minutes), Scott Isard (who edited them), and Gail Kampmeier (who accommodatingly proofed them and placed them on the Web).
This page was constructed by Gail Kampmeier at gkamp[at]uiuc.edu
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