SSAISB AGM 2009: Minutes

SSAISB Society AGM
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Wednesday 8th April, 2009, Heriot-Watt University, Edinburgh.

Committee Present: Mark Bishop (Vice-chair), Berndt Farwer
(Treasurer), Louise Dennis (Secretary), Nick Taylor (AISB'09), Colin
Johnson (AISBQ), Aladdin Ayesh (Publications, AISB'10), Fiona McNeill
(Schools), Dimitar Kazakov, Slawomir Nasuto

1. Opening Proceedings

1.1.  Apologies received from John Barnden (Chair), Eduardo Alonso
(Public Understanding), Steve Croker (Membership), Frank Guerin
(AISB'08), Wamberto Vasconcelos (AISB'08), Savas Konur


2.  The minutes of the previous AGM were APPROVED.

3.  Requests for Changes and Additions to the Agenda.

There was a request from the floor that the Society consider some way
to mark the 60th anniversary of Turing's paper appearing in Mind.

It was agreed that this should be discussed in conjunction with
Aladdin Ayesh's item on a Turing Test workshop.

Mark Bishop also mentioned the society's plans to become involved in
the various activities to mark the centenary of Turing's birth in
2012. 

4.  Chair's Report.

Mark explained that he was standing in for John Barnden in his
capacity as Vice Chair.

He introduced the society's new Publications Officer (Aladdin Ayesh)
and Public Understanding Officer (Eduardo Alonso).

He thanked Nick Taylor and the other organisers of AISB'09 for the
event.

5.  Membership Numbers.

Member numbers 26/03/09
Institutional: 6
Fellows: 16
Ordinary: 342
Patron: 1
Student: 52
Total: 417

6. Treasurer's Report.

Berndt reported that the Society had total assets of 37,000 in the
bank as of 1st January 2009.  The previous year had seen a turnover of
around 15,000 pounds and made a deficit of about 5,000.  This deficit
had been deliberate and was related to the Society's not-for-profit
status.  The money had been spent on sponsoring events and travel
grants.  Money had also been spent on a number of activities designed
to raise the profile of the society among the academic community and
so halt the decline in membership numbers.

A budget deficit of around 6,700 pounds was planned for 2009.

The question was raised from the floor about how many libraries
continued to take AISBJ.  Mark Bishop explained that AISBJ had been
discontinued, given its failure to attract submissions.  It was noted
that 6 institutional members remained but the society did not
expect this situation to continue and anticipated a loss of revenue as
a result.

7.  Revisiting the Turing Test - A Symposium Proposal for AISB'10.

Aladdin Ayesh explained that as part of AISB'10 he planned to host a
workshop revisiting the Turing Test with a view to updating it in the
light of half a century of advances in biology, computer science and a
number of other fields.

This idea was well received by the meeting and elicited several
proposals from the floor including

a) A test that explicitly incorporated the process of learning in some
fashion.

b) A challenge to design an architecture that could be instantiated to
hold both Dennett and Searle's views on Artificial Intelligence.

The discussion then broadened out into a general discussion about
attracting papers and delegates to the convention.

The committee was urged to encourage both convention and symposium
organisers to use their network of contacts to encourage submissions. 

It was observed that details of travel and accommodation had been made
available late and this might have prevented some delegates attending,
particularly given the current economic climate.

ACTION 09.AGM.7.1:  Louise Dennis (AISB Secretary) would add a note to
the convention organisers documentation making the point about the
need for early information for travel and accommodation.

8. AOB

Mark drew the attention of the meeting to the recent call for
nominations for AISB fellows that had been issued and, in particular,
the extended deadline for receipt of nominations.