| International Association of Geomorphologists |
Address of the New President of IAG, Tokyo 2001
Mister Chairman, Ladies and Gentlemen, National Delegates and dear Colleagues,
First of all I wish to thank Professor Suzuki and all the Japanese Colleagues for the perfect organization of this Fifth International Conference on Geomorphology and for the important scientific contributions which they have brought to the IAG since the official founding of our Association.
Furthermore, I wish to thank warmly all the Members of the outgoing Executive Committee for their active collaboration. In particular the outgoing President Olav Slaymaker for the in-depth discussions and comparison of our opinions and for his availability in finding the most adequate solutions for the most diverse problems that we have had to face and solve during the past four years.
I also wish to remember all Members of the two preceding Executive Committees, in particular Denys Brunsden, who was our First President.
It is now my duty to illustrate in short the guidelines on which the IAG strategy for the 2001-2005 quadrennium is based. This point was discussed today during the first Meeting of the New Executive Committee and is the result of my long and continuous presence in all the three IAG Executive Committees: as a Member in the first two and as Vice-President in the third one.
The main fields of intervention will be the following ones:
- More committed participation of all geomorphologists in the IAG activities;
- More official enrollment in the IAG of those countries that are less favored owing to economic reasons;
- More information, updating and training opportunities for young researchers, especially those belonging to so called developing countries.
But how can these problems be solved?
I will try to show some possible ways.
Point 1.
More time should be dedicated to General Assemblies and Council Meetings, in order to listen to the requests of our member geomorphologists, focus and discuss the various problems which may arise and maintain a constant and straight confrontation with the basis of our researchers.
During the Thematic and Regional Conferences - that is nearly every year - "Informal Assemblies" and "Informal Council Meetings" should be organized. These will be added to the official ones, which take place every four years, in order to receive new suggestions, discuss some of the proposals presented by various geomorphologists and collect opinions on some issues.
Furthermore, syntheses of the Minutes of the Executive Committees should be published in the Newsletters and on the IAG Web Site, in order to inform everybody in the quickest possible way of the discussions and decisions taken.Point 2.
The official representation of all countries in which an organized group of geomorphologists exists should be encouraged, also by finding free-of-charge possibilities for enrollment in the IAG.
Conditions should also be created so that less favored countries can participate in international projects and programs, sponsored by international institutions such as UNESCO, I.C.S.U, the European Commission etc.Point 3.
More frequent "Young Geomorphologists' Workshops" should be organized, also on the occasion of Thematic and Regional Conferences.Thematic or updating Courses on important geomorphological subjects (such as "Hazards" or "Global Change" or "Mountains problems" etc.) should be organized, also by finding external funds.
Information on initiatives and opportunities concerning young geomorphologists should be inserted in the Newsletters.
Finally, responsibility should be assigned to individual Executive Members in order to oversee these problems.Obviously, besides these three sectors of strategic intervention, there are all the other items that should give continuity to the activities already in progress within the IAG.
Within these I would like to cite three important tasks:
- To favour and intensify the activities of the Working Groups, whose main aim should be that of structuring research projects at an international level to be submitted for financial support to institutions such as I.C.S.U., UNESCO, E.U. and so on.
- Strengthen the relationships with UGI and IUGS: we will have the chance to do so especially in 2004, within the realm of the International Geographical Congress (Glasgow, UK) and of the International Geological Congress (Florence, Italy).
- We must be actively involved in setting up important initiatives during the "Year of the Mountains" (2002): the New Executive Committee has pointed out some activities (Intensive Courses and Symposia) for which will soon be consulted all the countries of concern and informed all the IAG Members.
Certainly the work ahead is complex and considerable, but I wish to assure you of the commitment of all the Executive Committee and of myself for the achievement of these goals in the best possible way.
To you all I say "good bye!" and see you again (or, rather, hasta luego!) in Zaragoza, in Spain, in 2005 but, even before that, I hope to see you all again during the scheduled Regional Conference in Mexico in 2003 (so again hasta luego!), arrivederci!
Tokyo, August 28, 2001
MARIO PANIZZA
IAG President
The Fifth International Conference on Geomorphology
The fifth IAG Conference took place at the Korakuen Campus, Chuo University in Tokyo, from the 23rd to the 28th of August, 2001. The Conference was organized by the Japanese Geomorphological Union (President Tsuguo Sunamura and Organizing Committee), under the chairmanship of Prof. Takasuke Suzuki and General Secretary Kenji Kashiwaya. It was attended by 646 registered participants from 66 countries, who presented 616 papers and posters. The largest national group was the Japanese with 235 members. More than 25 participants came from China, Germany, India, Italy, Russia, the UK and the USA. There were 16 countries represented by only one person and 49 young scientists sponsored by 34 grants offered by organizers and 15 more by IAG.
The main Congress activities were concentrated in 14 sessions (sections), 23 symposia and 9 plenary lectures. The number of sessions and symposia was roughly similar with the previous conference in Bologna (12+8). The topics presented at the sessions covered all fields of geomorphology, including hillslope processes, fluvial geomorphology, coastal, glacial, periglacial, volcanic, tectonic, pedogeomorphology, karst , mapping, engineering geomorphology, hazards, environmental problems, theories, modern methods and techniques. At the same time symposiums were taking place, some how the topics of the sessions were repeated, but were organized by different conveners. The representation of paleogeographic problems was relatively poor. The number of topics was so large, that at several sessions or symposia the submitted papers were not enough to fill one half-day session. Nevertheless this dispersion and overlapping of similar topics was balanced by the high level of many papers presented in the sessions on fluvial, slope, glacial tectonic, engineering and other fields of geomorphology. There was one plenary session with papers by O. Slaymaker on drainage basin studies and S. A. Schumm on rivers. The other invited lectures -by T. Dunne, M. Nogami, A. Pissart, H. Ikeya and N. Shuto.- were closely connected with the leading topics of symposia being presented I was impressed by the presentation of an extensive project on fluvial processes along the Amazon River (by T. Dunne), as well as by one by the research of Japanese colleagues on tsunamis, sediment disasters and digital maps, which confirmed a very high standard of geomorphological research in Japan and its close linkage to applied sciences.
The paper sessions were complemented by poster sessions at which 250-300 posters were presented. Unfortunately these sessions were running simultaneously with the paper sessions and their exposition time was restricted to 3 or 4 hours. Therefore most participants missed the possibility to see the results of very interesting studies, specially the Japanese ones and many from young scientists who wanted to discuss their preliminary products with foreign colleagues. This situation is growing from conference to conference and the best solution would be to find more room and to present each poster at least during one full day.
Following D. Brunsden's initiative, a Meeting of Young Geomorphologists was organized at this conference.
On August 27th, several 1-day fieldtrips were arranged. During these fieldtrips we learned about the great variety of landforms in the central part of Honshiu, how to monitor and prevent different hazards, and we visited several modern laboratories as well. The pre- and post- conference fieldtrips across various parts of the Japanese Islands and nearby countries showed magnificent landscape features of Eastern Asia connected with a rift zone and morphoclimatic zonality.
There were minor changes also made in the IAG Constitution. In the 2005 Conference 3 vice-presidents will be elected; one among them may be elected as president for the next inter-conference period.
Leszek Starkel
Summary of th Minutes of the IAG Executive Committee Meeting
Tokyo, 28 August, 2001
- Members present.
Mario Panizza, Andrew Goudie, Dénes Lóczy, André Ozer, Alfredo Pérez-González, Edgardo Latrubesse and Irasema Alcántara-Ayala (invited).
Apologies for absence: José Lugo-Hubp (represented by Irasema Alcántara-Ayala).- IAG Constitution.
Changes approved by Council Meeting are not in force yet: they have to be submitted to the ICSU (trough IGU and IUGS) for approval. Once this has taken place, the election rules will come into force for the 6th IGC (Zaragoza).- IAG Policy.
The President introduces the guidelines on which the IAG strategy for the 2001-2005 Quadrennium could be based (see the "Address of the New President", pronounced during the "Closing Ceremony" in Tokyo). The EC Members approve unanimously this strategy.- Directions.
Informal Assemblies and Council Meetings are to be organized at the Regional and Thematic Conferences. Summaries of the Minutes of the Assemblies, Councils and E.C. Meetings are to be included in the Newsletters and on the IAG Web Site.- Working Groups.
Four new Working Groups are established: "Geomorphological sites" (E. Reynard), "Interaction between fluvial, aeolian and lacustrine processes in arid regions" (X. Yang), "Hydrology and Geomorphology of bedrock rivers" (P.A. Carling) and "Terroirs viticoles" (A. Marre).
Three existing Working Groups continue their activities without further funding: "Geoarcheology" (M. De Dapper), "Large Rivers" (A. Gupta) and "Volcanic Geomorphology" (J. Nossin and J.C. Thouret). A close collaboration with the UGI and IUGS Working Groups is recommended.
All Working Groups must work under stricter regulation, organize symposium and present final reports and are subject to evaluation after 4 years.- Publication activity.
A. Goudie: proposals for raising money through publication - IAG involvement in the Encyclopaedia of Geomorphology (Editor-in-Chief: A. Goudie), royalties to IAG after entries written. The book will be published with IAG logo.
Suggestion for a Handbook of Geomorpholgy (Oxford University Press) - IAG also to be involved. Proceedings of the 5th IGC: responsible for production: J.Lugo-Hubp and A. Goudie,. and T. Suzuki representing the Local Organization Committee.- Training activity.
It will be focused on intensive courses and summer schools devoted to young geomorphologists, with particular attention for those coming from less favoured countries.- J. De Ploey Library.
A. Goudie: to use Book Aid International to send books free of charge. John Wiley and Sons is ready to send 2 copies of all geomorphology books to universities in Africa if required. A. Ozer offers help to establish a minimal library for francophone universities; he undertakes responsibility for the J. De Ploey Library.- Web Site.
The Web Site is to be used as an announcement board for the IAG.
As for information concerning EC Members, a short curriculum and a personal photograph are required.- Newsletters.
Published 4 times a year in professional journals in different languages.
News are selected by the President (reports, national news, announcements of courses, conferences, Working Groups news, personal news etc.).- Minutes.
A new and nimbler plan of the Minutes (for ex. on the model of those by the ICSU) is approved. The Minutes official text must be approved in the meeting immediately following the meeting they refer to.- Links with outcoming EC.
They are highly recommended between secretaries, treasurers and publication officers.- Next IAG conferences, meetings and courses.
2002:
Dornbirn (Austria), July, Training courses and IAG Symposium on Mountains Year (see IAG Web Site);
Addis Abeba (Ethiopia), November, "intensive course" and "symposium" on M. Year.
2003:
Mexico City (Mexico), October-November, IAG Regional Conference.
2004:
Glasgow (U.K.), August, IAG activities in connection with UGI International Congress;
Florence (Italy), August, IAG activities in connection with IUGS International Congress.
2005:
Zaragoza (Spain), September, 6th IAG International Conference.
Other 2002 IAG-sponsored meetings:
"Geomorphological workshop", Cairo (Egypt), 3-19 / 4;
"Geomorphology: from expert opinion to modelling", Strasbourg (France), 26-27 / 4;
"Geoarcheology", Almazán (Spain), 16-18 / 9;
"Japan-China Geomorphological Conference", Kunming (China), 17-22 / 11.
- Financial policy.
Levels of membership to be discussed in EC and passed on to national representatives. Suggestion to introduce lowest category: USD1 - symbolic fee.
The funding of grants for young geomorphologists will have to be planned for their participation in training activities (see point 7).- Duties for EC Members.
A. Goudie is responsible for the publication policy; J. Lugo-Hubp and A. Goudie for the Proceedings of the 5th IGC; A. Ozer for the J. De Ploey Library; A. Pérez-González for the Working Groups; E. Latrubesse superviser of the Web Site and overseer for activities of South America; J. Lugo-Hubp the same of Central America.- Coopted members.
Co-optation must satisfy precise and important needs of the IAG. Each co-opted Member must assume a specific duty.
The co-optation of the following members is approved:
- Mohamed Tahar Benazzouz (Algeria), overseer and co-ordinator for the activities concer-ning the less favoured countries of Africa;
- Vibhash Chandra Jha (India), overseer and co-ordinator for the activities concerning the less favoured countries of Asia;
- Mauro Soldati (Italy) overseer and co-ordinator of activities concerning the promotion of IAG training activities for young geomorphologists;
- Zbigniew Zwolinski (Poland), with the duty to organize, activate and update the IAG Web site.Modena-Pécs, October 9, 2001
| MARIO PANIZZA | DÉNES LÓCZY |
| IAG President | Secretary |
International Association of Geomorphologists
Executive Committee 2001-2005
President: Mario PANIZZA
Dip. Scienze d. Terra, Universita di Modena e Reggio Emilia
Largo S. Eufemia, 19, I - 41100 Modena, Italia
Phone: +39 059 2055840, Fax: ++2055887
e-mail: pit@unimo.itVice President: Andrew GOUDIE
School Geography and Environment, University of Oxford
Mansfield Road, Oxford OX1 3TB, UK
Phone: +44 1865 271921, Fax: ++ 271940
e-mail: andrew.goudie@geog.ox.ac.ukSecretary: Dénes LÓCZY
Pécsi Tudoman., Termész. Tanszék, University of Pécs
Ifjúság útja 6, H- 7624 Pécs, Magyarorszag
Ph: +36 72 327 622 ext. 4482, Fax: ++ 327 622 ext. 4480
e-mail: Loczyd@ttk.pte.huTreasurer: André J.F.G. OZER
Dép. Géographie Physique, Université de Liege
Allée 6 Aout, 2 B11, Sart Tilman, B-4000 Liege, Belgique
Phone: +32 4 366 54 46, Fax: ++ 366 57 22
e-mail: aozer@ulg.ac.bePublication Officer: José LUGO-HUBP
Inst. Geografia, Universidad Nac. Autonoma de México
Ciudad Universitaria, 04510 Coyoacan, México, D.F., México
Phone: +52 55 5622 4399, 4355, Fax: ++ 5616 2145
e-mail: lugoh@servidor.unam.mxElected Members: Edgardo M. LATRUBESSE
Lab. Geologia Geografia Fis., Universidade Fed. Goiás - IESA
Campus II, 740001-970 Goiânia, Go., Brazil
Phone/Fax: +62 521 1184 ext. 31
e-mail: latrubes@terra.com.br
Alfredo PEREZ GONZALEZ
Dep. Geodinámica, Universidad Complutense Madrid
E - 28040 Madrid, Espana
Phone: +34 9139 44890, Fax: + 9139 44845
e-mail: alfredog@geo.ucm.esCoopted Members: Mohamed T. BENAZZOUZ, Université de Constantine, Algérie
Vibhash C. JHA, Visva-Bharati University, India
Mauro SOLDATI, Universita di Modena e Reggio Emilia, Italia
Zbigniew ZWOLINSKI, University of Poznan, Poland
Solidarity to the USA Colleagues (17 September 2001)
To Mrs. Carol Harden, USA National Delegate of IAG
In such a dramatic moment for the United States and the civilized world I wish to express, on behalf of the International Association of Geomorphologists, our full and sincere solidarity to the American colleagues for the treacherous and tragic attack carried out by terrorists and our firm execration of any form of violence.
With the hope that culture and science may contribute to overcome any political and religious contraposition,
I remain Yours Sincerely,
Mario Panizza, IAG President
Solidarity to the Algerian Colleagues (14 November 2001)
To Mohamed Tahar Benazzouz, Algeria National Delegate of IAG
In name of the International Association of Geomorphologists and my personnel, I want to express to you and all the Algerian Colleagues, all our solidarity for the victims and the devastations that your country has suffered because of the disastrous floods of these days.
With all my feelings of friendship,
Mario Panizza, IAG President
(see IAG Web Site: http://www.geomorph.org)
Important news!
UNESCO School and CERG Course, Dornbirn (Vorarlberg, Austria) - July 2002
IAG offers grants for young geomorphologists from the less favoured countries of Africa, Latin America and Asia.
IAG SYMPOSIUM - "Year of the mountains" Dornbirn (Vorarlberg, Austria) - 14 July 2002
Editor's Note
The success of the IAG-Newsletter depends upon the contributions that we receive. Please assist by sending commentaries, reviews of regional or national meetings and field trips, summaries of issues pertinent to geomorphology, and announcements of future meetings and workshops. Your contributions should be forwarded to
José Lugo-Hubp, Instituto de Geografía, UNAM; Ciudad Universitaria; 04510 México, D.F., México. Fax: (52) 55 56 16 21 45; E-mail: lugoh@servidor.unam.mx
INTERNATIONAL ASSOCIATION OF GEOMORPHOLOGISTS
President
Mario PANIZZA
Dip. Scienze Terra
Universita di Modena e Reggio Emilia
Largo S. Eufemia, 19
I-41100 Modena, ITALY
Ph.: +39 059 2055840
Fax: +39 059 2055887
E-mail: pit@unimo.itVice President
Andrew GOUDIE
School Geography & Environ.
University of Oxford
Mansfield Road
Oxford OX1 3TB, UNITED KINGDOM
Ph.: +44 1865 271921
Fax: +44 1865 271940
E-mail: andrew.goudie@geog.ox.ac.ukSecretary
Dénes LOCZY
Dep. Physical Geography
University of Pécs
Ifúság útja 6
H-7624 Pécs, HUNGARY
Ph.: +36 72 327 622 e4482
Fax: +36 72 327 622 e4480
E-mail: Loczyd@ttk.pte.huVisit the IAG Web Site at: http://www.geomorph.org
© 2001 International Association of Geomorphologists
All rights reserved