Preface

Reflective seclusion is one prerequisite for successful scientific work, another is informal togetherness with like-minded colleagues. Scientific societies, conferences and symposia have therefore always been a place for communication. However, since the number of workers in the fields of Earth Sciences - researchers and applied scientists - has increased enormously world-wide, and since, at the same time, the need for specialization causes serious problems, tendencies have become apparent to counteract these trends; some models for this are well known.

The European Geophysical Society likes to stimulate by means of interdisciplinary conferences to catalyze new developments in frontier areas of Solid Earth Science.

In the spirit of the creative imagination of the Founder of EGS, Stephen Mueller, EGS aims to make the Stephen Mueller Conferences into a scientific and human platform of high value.

1. What is a Stephen Mueller Conference?

The council of the EGS decided in 1998 to hold Stephen Mueller Conferences as a most important means of promoting new developments and interpretation of Solid Earth Science. They are topical meetings designed to permit organised and in-depth exploration of specialized subjects in a manner seldom possible at large meetings. They encourage disciplinary and inter disciplinary focus on special problems and provide timely encouragement to the development of newly emerging research fields and problem areas. The conferences should have a critical mass of active scientists from the EGS as well as from the international scientific community. These scientists should convene for several days at a pleasant location for the concentrated discussion at a stimulating place in seclusion.

2. How to initiate a Stephen Mueller Conference?

As a rule, proposals to hold a Stephen Mueller Conference, should be submitted by those who are willing to prepare and to convene the conference. The better the reasons provided in support of the proposal and the more complete its elaboration (see 14), the faster EGS can reach a decision. The data of submission does not determine the priority.

3. Subject/ Topic

Each conference subject should be under current investigation and active discussion by a number of able researchers in the field and/or the laboratory. Leading scientists in the field of the conference topic should be solicited to participate in the conference. The topics should be broad enough so that a range of specialists can discuss them from several points of view, but not too broad that a lack of communication can develop.

4. Conference coordinator

The Chairperson on the Stephen Mueller Conferences Committee selected by the EGS Council advises on the preparation of conference proposal, initiates their reviewing by the EGS Council, and takes care of the technical continuity. He/she adjusts the conference budget with the convener of the conference and reports to the Council on the financing of the conferences and on his/her action.

At a later stage in the organization the EGS Office, to a large extent, keeps the organizational duties off the conference convener. He/she is responsible for negotiating the conference details such as prices, rooms, food, accommodation, transport, projectors, spare time activities and other concerns related with the conference. The coordinator or a qualified assistant is available for help during the conference so that the conference chairperson can concentrate on the scientific aspects on the conference.

5. Conference Convener

The conference conveners are nominated jointly by the EGS Council on proposition by the Chairperson of the Stephen Mueller Conference Committee. The conveners are in charge of the conference. Usually, they are also the persons who have initiated the conference. Conveners must have technical competence and be knowledgeable about current activities in the specialized fields that are to be represented at a conference. Responsibility for organizing a conference is shared by two or more conveners, each of whom can draw upon his or her experience and expertise in developing a well-integrated, effective conference programme that will foster communication and stimulate research progress among experts in diverse but related fields. Care should be taken that controversial opinions are also voiced at the conference.

6. Participation

After approval of a conference and after it has been announced publicly the conveners initially invite a few key-speakers necessary for the success of the conference. Aside from these invitations issued in the early planning stages of a conference, the conveners utilize indications of interest from those actively working in the field to complete the list of conference participants. Anyone interested in attending a specific conference is encouraged to contact the conveners of the conference. Participation is not restricted to members of the EGS. However, they will receive preference when there is a choice between equally qualified persons. The final decision on participation will be made by the conveners, whose decision shall not be subject to appeal. Acceptances for participation are not transferable. All participants are expected to live at the conference site for the whole period of the conference. Sponsors, families and others who are not registered participants are requested not to visit the conference site, and are not allowed to participate in the conference activities.

All must pay the full conference registration fee. Some exceptions may be made in the case of international guests when outside funding for them can be obtained.

Participation by graduate students with particular interest in the conference topic is a high priority; for outstanding applicants of this group financial support is available upon request, if they cannot find other funding.

7. Sponsorship

The EGS is the principal sponsor of the Stephen Mueller Conferences. Every encouragement is given for other societies, institutions and organizations to participate as co-sponsors. Co-sponsors should normally be known at the time of authorization of the Stephen Mueller Conferences. The EGS Council reserves the right to approve co-sponsorships. Recognition is given to co-sponsors in the conference announcements, as well as during the conference.

8. Financing

Each Stephen Mueller Conference must be self-supporting, i.e., all costs of the conference, if not covered by outside funding, are to be distributed among the participants. Conveners together with the coordinator are required to develop a conference budget based on estimated costs. This budget comprises all costs, such as food and lodging, local transportation, field trips and miscellaneous conference expenses (support for invited speakers and for graduate students). Administrative and other expenses incurred in support of the conference are also part of the budget. Finally, considering also outside funding, the conference registration fee is established. All participants must pay the full registration fee

At the conclusion of the conference, a financial report is prepared by the conveners for the Council of EGS.

In cases, where extraordinary travel needs arise, or supports for graduate students to be paid, conveners may seek funds from a granting agency with the consent of the EGS Council. Attempts should also be made to seek contributions from industrial sponsors.

9. Size/ Scope

It is important that the conference takes place without formality and with full communication among participants. The maximal number of participants should be near 100 and more. An appropriate percentage of the participants should be available for graduate students.

Limitations on the size of the conference should come about through careful delineation on the subject and not through rejections of interested participants. The conferences are open to all scientists. When practical considerations such as facilities' limitations and a choice has to be made between two equally qualified scientists, preference will be given to members of EGS.

10. Scheduling/ Time

EGS Stephan Mueller Conferences should not coincide with meetings of concerned geo-societies or to be combined with such meetings. Commonly, the length of a conference is 3 - 5 days, although occasionally shorter or longer conferences may be appropriate. Conference objectives are being served when all participants remain for the full meeting, therefore meetings should not be longer than five days to avoid serious attrition in attendance.

11. Location

The site of a conference should be carefully chosen to promote conference objectives, to limit distraction and to provide adequate facilities for all the participants to work, live and eat together in a congenial, informal setting and to keep costs within reasonable bounds. Locations may also be chosen to allow for a field trip, to a scientific laboratory or to a site of scientific interest.

The selection of the site is made by the Chairperson of the Programme Committee in cooperation with their conveners.

12. Programme

The conference programme is established by the conveners in cooperation with the Programme Committee Chairperson, it should be tuned entirely on the conference topic. Care must be taken not to over-structure the programme and to allow sufficient time for free discussion. Not all participants are expected to make formal presentations.

13. Announcement

As soon as the conference has been approved by the EGS Council and is certain to take place, EGS informs its members, and other interested institutions about the conference. Furthermore, the conferences are announced in the Newsletter of the EGS and are published in a suitable way in international journals.

14. Submission of a conference proposal

Anyone interested in convening a Stephan Mueller Conference and willing to chair it can submit a proposal. At least one of the conveners must be a member of the EGS. Each proposal must contain the following:

• A short title for the subject on the conference
• A short outline of the conference subject in about 250 words.
• A short statement explaining why the proposed conference topic is of current interest and which progress can be achieved by a Stephan Mueller Conference.
• An initial list of suggested key speakers and their field of interest.
• A suggestion of international participants who should be encouraged to attend; 
  and a proposal of possible sources that may support their travel.
• Suggestion of a conference site.
• Suggestion of a date and alternative dates.
• Anticipated number of participants.
• Suggestion for field trips that could be part of the conference.
• Preliminary conference budget showing that the conference is self-supporting.
• A statement indicating the willingness of the conveners to abide by the guidelines for Stephan Mueller Conferences and to cooperate with the coordinator.
• Biographic data on the conveners with a list of publications and projects that qualify them for leading the proposed conference.
• Identification of co-sponsors, if any, and their role in the conference.
• Request for further information and advice in connection with the preparation of proposals for EGS Conferences should be sent to the EGS office.

Proposals for Stephan Mueller Conferences should be submitted in written form to the Chairperson of the Stephan Mueller Conferences' Committee.

The Stephan Mueller Conferences Committee reviews the proposals as they are received. In acceptance of a proposal, the EGS may offer advice, which in some cases may be a condition of acceptance. EGS will address an advisory letter to the conveners calling attention to any matters that seem likely to pose a problem that must be resolved if the conference is to be successful.

15. Conference Reports

The conference conveners assist the coordinator in the preparation of the conference announcement that is published in appropriate scientific journals. As soon as the conference is over, the conveners are required to send a brief formal report to EGS. The report should include an evaluation of the technical and logistical success of the conference based on the participants' comments and the conveners' experience. The report should also give suggestions for the improvement of future Stephan Mueller Conferences.

Within three months, the conveners will submit a report for publication in the Newsletter of EGS. This report on whose basic contents agreement should be reached among the participants at the end of the conference, presents the main scientific results of the conference and, if appropriate, includes recommendations on research opportunities and priorities that were developed during the conference and may be of value to organizations responsible for supporting and coordination research in the field covered by the conference.

A further purpose of the report is to inform and to preserve priority, the conveners must perform this task with responsibility and delicacy. Other similar reports on the conference may be prepared and submitted to other journals for publication, but only after the letter of acceptance to publish the initial report in the Newsletter of the EGS has been received.

As an incentive to free exchange of information and to encourage open and frank discussion, no formal scientific report may be derived from the conference. It is hoped, however, that symposia at geo-scientific meetings may develop from some conferences. These should consist of a related series of formal papers, each reflecting the author's own idea, rather than a synthesis of what was presented at a particular conference.

The EGS hopes and expects that all participants will freely discuss with their colleagues the significant result of the conference. The intent is that the conferences shall promote generation of new concepts and nurture new research efforts in all areas of the geo-sciences.