Future Programming for the Bioengineering Division of ASME

The Bioengineering Division of ASME has recently undergone considerable discussion regarding the future of programming at the winter meeting (the International Congress — formerly the WAM) and at the Summer Bioengineering meeting. There has been considerable debate as to what is in the best interest of the Bioengineering Division and its members — should the programming stay the same? Should all programming occur only at the summer meeting? Only at the winter meeting? Should the Summer meeting occur annually, rather than every odd year? Should the Bioengineering division program at the winter “slot” jointly with BMES and/or EMBS? Much of these discussions have occurred because some BED members feel that the trend of the division is towards life science oriented papers and that the ASME congress is not well suited for such presentations. Others bemoan the proliferation of scientific meetings which begs the issue of which meeting(s) should be eliminated for the sake of others. A brief presentation of the mechanisms of programming at the ASME congress will take place as well as the history of BED programming at both the winter and summer meetings. Discussions of the pros and cons of continued programming at the winter meeting (the Congress) will follow along with alternatives such as joint programming with other societies. The format of the session will be as follows: • Twenty minute presentation on the current status of programming at the winter and summer meetings • Ten minute question and answer session on current programming • Forty five minute open forum on future programming mechanisms for BED Within this open forum, we hope to hear from all BED members on a number of issues regarding programming. These include the following options: • Continue with the current formats: annual programming at the winter meeting (congress) and biannual programming at the summer meeting. • Programming annually at both the winter and summer meetings • Program biannually at the winter meeting (congress) and program annually at the summer meeting – causes some problems which must be explained • Program annually at the summer meeting and discontinue programming at the winter meeting in lieu of joint programming with another society. • Another programming plan This session will allow a lengthy discussion of BED members regarding the future of programming at ASME and the potential effects on publications in the Journal, in the conference proceedings and on the finances of the Division (as the summer meeting is a major source of income for the division).