SSAISB AGM 2007: Minutes
Minutes of the SSAISB AGM 2007
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AISB'07 Convention, Newcastle
Wednesday 4th April, 12.45pm
Present: John Barnden (Chair), Louise Dennis (Secretary), Patrick
Olivier (Treasurer), David Bree (Publicity), Frank Guerin (AISB'08),
Slawomir Nasuto, Mark Bishop (Publications), Geraint Wiggins (AISBJ).
1. Welcome
The committee noted there were no non-committee members at the meeting.
2. Apologies for Absence.
Apologies had been received from: Fiona McNeill (Schools Liaison),
Gary Jones (Membership) and Colin Johnson (AISBQ).
3. Minutes of the last AGM (to be approved).
The Minutes were distributed and approved.
4. Requests for Changes and Additions to the Agenda.
There were none.
5. Chair's Report.
John reported the death of Karen Spark-Jones that morning.
John had been going to discuss the societies position on the 2012
Olympics (unchanged since the last AGM) and AAAI name change (the AISB
would check that the name change did not entail any interest in
international chapters or hosting AAAI outside America), however all
those present had already discussed this the previous day.
John announced the recently elected new committee members and the
committee positions they had agreed to serve: Kris de Meyer
(Treasurer), Steve Croker (Membership), Nick Hawes (Publicity) and
Slawomir Nasuto.
Patrick Olivier was thanked for his work as treasurer. It was noted
that David Bree was prepared to help the new Treasurer.
John noted that the society had not spent money on AISBJ, Schools
Liaison etc. as encouraged at the previous AGM but it would still like
to fund good initiatives as they arise.
The opportunity to become involved in a "Loebner alternative" had
arisen. Kevin Warwick had booked Bletchley Park for Turing's birthday
but had been unable to raise any funding for an event. This would be
late June and did not have to be a Turing Test style event if the AISB
wished to help with funds. The idea of running an event at Bletchley
Park to co-incide with Turing's birthday was considered excellent and
many suggestions were made. Ultimately it was agreed that most of
these could not be implemented by June 2007 but that 2012 (the 100th
anniversary of his birth if Wikipedia was to be believed) should be
seriously considered.
ACTION 07.AGM.5.1: Mark Bishop would liaise with Kevin Warwick about
a Turing Memorial Event. In particular it would be necessary to
determine the nature of the event (alternative Turing Test, Exhibition
related to Turing, Exhibition/Test of non-Turing test clever things
computers could do (an Anti-Turing Test?), Talks related to AI and
Turing, all of the above) before more detailed discussion of the
practicalities and costs could be held.
David Bree volunteered to investigate a bid for ECAI-12 (following on
from previous work by Eduardo and Louise) possibly linked to a Turing
Memorial Event. It could be hosted by the Open University if
proximity to Bletchley Park was desired.
ACTION 07.AGM.5.2: David to investigate an ECAI-12 bid possibly
related to a Turing Memorial Event and liaising with Mark Bishop and
Kevin Warwick if necessary.
There was continued discussion of ways the AISB could encourage work
with school children but nothing new was suggested.
It was agreed that the AISB needed to set up a process by which
individuals could bid for funds to host public understanding/schools
events.
ACTION 07.AGM.5.3: Tim Blackwell would draft a proposal for soliciting
and responding to bids for funds to host public understanding events.
6. Membership numbers had been reported the previous evening as.
Corporate members: 1
Institutes: 25
Honorary: 12
Patrons: 1
Ordinary: 277
Student: 80
Q contributors: 10
7. Treasurer's report.
Patrick circulated the accepted accounts and budget from the Company
AGM. He drew the society's attention to the fact that it was planning
a 4,000 UKP deficit in 2008 which the new Treasurer should monitor
with a view to having a sustainable budget in future.
8. AOB not mentioned in 4.
None.
