Ken O’Halloran
Meetings Secretary, The Physiological Society

https://doi.org/10.36866/pn.97.20

Recently, on the pages of this fine publication, The Society’s President, Richard Vaughan-Jones, rightly proclaimed a new age for our beloved discipline: a 21st century renaissance of Physiology – the science that seeks to unravel the logic of life. This timely clarion call was indeed moving, for I sat up rather too quickly and toppled my over-priced coffee-shop Americano as I read his wise words. As a physiologist (and as a member and elected Trustee of The Society), I have a shared responsibility for this vision. By the way, so do you reader. However, as newly elected Meetings Secretary, it dawned on me that I might actually have to take action. Crikey. I’m an academic: I don’t have the requisite training! Surely there’s a Committee?

Thankfully, we have that and much more: The Society’s Meetings Committee. It turns out that my role is quite straight-forward. Bring these bright minds together so that we might chart the right course for The Society’s voyage of discovery. Our principal aim is simple: get the science and setting right. Ay, there’s the rub. But get it right and success follows because The Society’s staff, members and guests deliver – time and time again. The current construct is not without its critics but few can argue with the large-scale success of recent ventures guided by my predecessor, David Wyllie, and Prem Kumar before him, working with their respective committees. Our meetings are successful, not just because we think they are. Rather, because you and others tell us so. Our meetings deliver beyond our important charitable object of promoting physiology. The Annual Meeting has meaningful impact. The newly launched Topic style format is off to a flying start with advanced plans now in place for the second instalment in the series: Ageing & Degeneration – A Physiological Perspective (Edinburgh, 10–12 April 2015).

However, our meetings come at a considerable cost to the Society’s coffers. Newsflash: success is expensive. As such, there is added pressure on Meetings Committee to get it right and ‘on budget’. I welcome a shared approach to how we, the Members, might respond to these challenges, harnessing the wisdom of the crowd. To that end, Meetings Committee is accessible to the membership in a number of ways: through the theme leads who provide valuable input on many aspects of the flavour of our various meetings; through the current Meetings Committee membership; or route one, directly to me. Praise endlessly flatters and it has the unfortunate consequence of maintenance of the status quo. Alas, excellence is not static. The Society must move, and be seen to move, with the times. Therefore, constructive criticism (to make use of managerial parlance), or good old-fashioned, heart-felt, considered views are especially welcome during my tenure in the hot seat of Meetings Committee. We may agree or disagree on method but I am sure we will share the same ambition for the membership. I am convinced that The Society has a wonderful sense of where we’ve been and where we want to go. Our meetings will define how we get there. It is said that the journey is as important as the destination. Important too that we ensure we bring everyone along.