Dear JSCE members,
I have received an e-mail from Professor Olivier Kah, President of the International Federation for Fish Endocrinology. He asked me to pass a survey asking for opinions if it is better for the International Federation for Fish Endocrinology to become the Society of Fish Endocrinology (SFE). If you are working on Fish Endocrinology, please find attached a file of the survey and send your opinion to Professor Kah before the end of November.
Thank you for your kind participation.
With best wishes,
Kazuyoshi Tsutsui
Deputy President (Past President)
The Japan Society of Comparative Endocrinology
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Kazuyoshi Tsutsui, Ph.D., Professor
Department of Biology, Waseda University
E-mail: k-tsutsui
waseda.jp
HP: http://www.f.waseda.jp/k-tsutsui/
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Subject: Fwd: VERY IMPORTANT: SURVEY ON SFE- PLESA READ CAREFULLY AND ANSWER
Date: Fri, 5 Oct 2012 17:52:57 +0200
From: Olivier Kah (olivier.kahuniv-rennes1.fr)
Dear Fish Endocrinologist,
In 1977, Roland Billard and his colleagues at INRA initiated the series of Symposia for Reproductive Physiology of Fish (ISRPF, Paimpont, France, 1977) and in 1988, Dick Peter started the International Symposium on Fish Endocrinology (ISFE, Edmonton, Canada, 1988).
Since then, the field of Fish Endocrinology has been constantly growing. It probably represents the second largest community of endocrinologists and we may expect this trend to continue for several reasons, in particular due to:
- the importance of fish in terms of biodiversity
- the problems related to endocrine disruption
- the need to offer more fish resources for human consumption
- the increasing recognition of small fish (medaka, zebrafish) as valid models
- the rapid emergence of new groups and new model species
At the present time, there is no organized Society of Fish Endocrinology. There is an international committee that co-opts members and gets active every 4 years to help local organizers to set up the program of the ISFE. We can do more than that.
During the business meeting of the International Federation for Fish Endocrinology in Buenos Aires (September 5 2012), we had discussions regarding the opportunity to form a Society of Fish Endocrinology (SFE). While some people believed that it might be useful to have a society, others deemed that there are already enough existing societies, notably in the field of Comparative Endocrinology (Asian, North American and European Societies). However, whatever the decision, the majority believed that there was the need for deeper discussions with these different Societies to better structure the field and improve interactions. It was thus decided to organize a survey among fish endocrinologists about the opportunity to form a Society of Fish Endocrinology.
Personally, I am in favour of having an SFE (linked somehow to the International Federation for Comparative Endocrinology) for several reasons. I will just mention one. In Buenos Aires, “The local Organizing Committee of the 7th ISFE has selected 10 PhD students for the trainee awards consisting in the equivalent of USD 300 in Argentine currency (pesos). These awards are supported by the University of Calgary from funds remaining from 6th ISFE Conference held in Calgary in 2008 through Dr. Hamid R. Habibi” (taken from: http://www.7isfe.org/awards.html).
This exemplary action could be continued and amplified. A major mission of any scientist is to pass on his knowledge to the next generation. An SFE could contribute to this mission by providing grants for students to participate in the ISFE Conference, and regional meetings, technical workshops or courses. There are many young colleagues out there willing to do things, but receiving little help. If an SFE was created, it would be in priority to benefit young scientists.
Fish Endocrinology also needs to increase its visibility. An SFE could represent a force and a strong interlocutor for discussions with other existing societies with which there is need for coordination. Similarly, an SFE could lobby through national and international granting agencies and we can even dream of being able to raise funds from charities, foundations or international organizations.
So, I think it is time to continue the work initiated by the pioneers who showed us the way to go. You will find attached a short survey asking for your opinion. It is the first time that you are being consulted so, please, speak up and pass this survey to anybody working on Fish Endocrinology. Once you are done, send it back to: olivier.kah@univ-rennes1.fr before the end of November. Because we need to know how many we are, we ask you to fill one form/person. Thanks.
Fish are endangered species. We need to increase our knowledge in order to better protect them and to increase fish production for human consumption. We need more Fish Endocrinology. It is not only a matter of Science. It is also a matter of Conscience.
Best regards,
Olivier Kah
President of the International Federation for Fish Endocrinology
and all members of the international Committee:
Wei Ge (Hong-Kong), Abigail Elizur (Australia), Berta Levavi-Sivan (Israel), Charles Tyler (UK), Makito Kobayashi (Japan), Ching-Fong CHANG (Taiwan), Penny Swanson (USA), Yoshio Takei (Japan), Ana Gómez (Spain) Hamid Habibi (Canada), Glen Van Der Kraak (Canada), R.W. Schulz (The Netherlands), Gustavo Somoza (Argentina), Olivier Kah (France), Carl Screck (Canada), Robert Dores (USA), Charles Tyler (UL), Makito Kobayashi (Japan), Rüdiger Schulz (The Netherlands), José Miguel Cerdá-Reverter (Spain), Ishwar Parhar (Malaysia) and Suraj Unniapann (Canada)
INSERM U1085
Research Institute in Health, Environment and Occupation
Team NEED, Case 1302
Université de Rennes 1
Campus de Beaulieu
35 042 Rennes cedex
France
tel: +33 2 23 23 67 65
fax: +33 2 23 23 67 94
olivier.kahuniv-rennes1.fr
http://www.irset.org/
Olivier Kah
INSERM U1085
Research Institute in Health, Environment and Occupation
Team NEED, Case 1302
Université de Rennes 1
Campus de Beaulieu
35 042 Rennes cedex
France
tel: +33 2 23 23 67 65
fax: +33 2 23 23 67 94
olivier.kahuniv-rennes1.fr
http://www.irset.org/