J.Watson, Nov.29,1996
Dear Friends and Colleagues,
In principle I'm sure an European Union/Federation of Cytometry Societies is a good idea. However, I'm not quite sure how Gerard Brugel got to his acronym EUNMS. Shouldn't this be EUNCS (European Union of National Cytometry Societies) and, if we are going to have an acronym and if we use this one isn't it a little too like "EUNUCH" ? Apart from the obvious meaning the Oxford (wherever that might be) English Dictionary defines EUNUCH as "an ineffective individual", so we must be careful about using acronyms.
Seriously though, I have some grave reservations about how such a union/federation will work, what its function will be, what it will actually do, what it is likely to achieve, how it will be administered and, most important of all, how it will be funded.
A similar type of organisation exists in ISAC which is called "The Council of Associated Societies". Although this Council was formed with very good intentions it has, unfortunately, been singularly ineffective (I should know, I'm Chairman) and a number of strategic and organisational difficulties can be identified. These include insufficiently well defined terms of reference, some over ambitious and unachievable goals (including the STEP program), undefined needs of the National Members who make up the Council, major National philosophical differences towards such things as "standardisation", a complete lack of "statutary" powers (the dog can bite but it hasn't got teeth) and most important of all poor communications. These various problems are being addressed by ISAC and some are soluble. Great strides have been made in the communications arena with more people on the internet and this appears to be one of the potential strengths of this proposed organisation judging by the number of e-mails flying around.
Before we get too embroilled in the "politics" of the proposed federation, for example who should be "in" or "out" (i.e. can Countries who do not have a National Society be admitted etc,) perhaps we should address the reservations I've outlined in my second paragraph ?
Regards and very best wishes to everyone,
Jim Watson
PS. Please forgive any spelling mistakes, I'm not too good at English.