Committee Charge

In 2017 EMGS adopted a process in which representatives of each Special Interest Group (SIG) constitute a standing Program Committee (PC). This increases retention of institutional memory, while ensuring that program content is relevant to top global issues identified by the SIGs. 

The PC has overall responsibility for organizing the EMGS Annual Meetings (AM). Activities start 2 years in advance of each AM with the PC overseeing program development for 2 consecutive Annual Meetings.

Committee Contact

If you would like more information, you can reach out to us here: Program Committee Contact Form

Committee Membership

The PC should represent the 3 pillars of EMGS; scientists from academia, government, and industry. SIG representatives must accept the possibility of a future nomination to become PC Co-Chair/Chair. 

• SIG Representatives: Representatives to the PC are selected by the SIGs to serve a 3-year term. Terms are staggered so that across all SIGs, two or three representatives rotate on and off the PC each year. SIG representatives will participate on the PC and ensure inclusion of SIG-related content in each AM (via session proposals). A SIG representative may serve no more than 2 consecutive terms on the PC.
• PC Co-Chairs: The PC will meet at least twice a year, virtually and/or in person, for their respective meetings. The PC Chair and Co-Chair are responsible for preparing agendas for these PC meetings. Every year the PC nominates one of its current or past members to be Co-Chair. The EMGS President confirms the nomination prior to announcing the new Co-Chair to EMGS membership. The standing PC Chair is responsible for the following AM while the PC Co-Chair is responsible for the AM after next. At the completion of the business meeting at the following AM, the current PC Chair will remain on the PC as the Past PC Chair and the Co-Chair is promoted to Chair. The newly appointed Co-Chair begins their 3-year term of service to the PC.
• Advisory Members: In addition to the Past PC Chair, the presiding President and Vice-President, the past President, and the upcoming Vice-President Elect will serve as advisory members.
• Appointed by the Co-Chair: Three ad hoc members, an ECI (Early Career Investigator) Co-Chair, and a LOC (Local Organizing Committee) Chair are appointed by the PC Co-Chair. These members will participate in building the AM after next. The LOC Chair will appoint LOC members who should be experienced, mid-to-senior career Investigators willing to serve on the PC and help organize local events (see LOC SOP for details).
• Appointed by the incoming EMGS President for the AM after next: As needed, a New Technology Champion will be appointed at the end of the 3 years of service. Additionally, the incoming EMGS President will appoint 4 ad hoc members, one of which is a representative for the M&PD Committee.
• Interactive Components An EMGS Council liaison (nominated by the EMGS Council) and the Chair of the Finance and Fundraising Committee (FFC) will also serve on the PC. The PC Chair will serve as a core member of the FFC, which will be a 2-year term beginning the day that they are elected as PC Chair. Symposium Chairs and Co-Chairs will serve as ad hoc members (can tag-team this activity) to the FFC (1-year term beginning June 1st after symposium sessions have been confirmed. 

Committee Responsibilities

In all conduct of business, the PC should work to ensure that keynote and session speakers are demographically diverse (race, ethnicity, gender), and specifically evaluate symposium proposals for diversity.

PC Activities, in chronological order: 

• Twenty-four (24) Months in Advance: A new co-chair will be announced by the President for the applicable AM. At this time, the incoming PC Co-Chair will receive an onboarding packet of information that will be reviewed together with the EMGS Executive Director and outgoing PC Chair
• Twenty (20) Months in Advance: The theme and logo for the AM should be formulated by the PC with EMGS HQ support. Generally, the theme is established by the PC and EMGS HQ provides a logo with approval by the PC Chair.
• Eighteen (18) Months in Advance: The PC presents a desired draft program to the EB, which generally contains 12-16 symposia, 3-4 keynote speakers, and 1-3 workshops. The EB determines if the draft requires modification regarding the schedule and composition of sessions. The AM budget is then approved by the EB.
• After budget approval: The PC selects symposia, ensures that symposia have SECI co-chairs, and identifies platform Chairs and Co-chairs. The EMGS association management company will retain symposium proposals that were not selected for the AM for a 2-year period.
• Sixteen (16) Months in Advance: Invited keynote speakers should be verbally/electronically confirmed by the PC. Formal invitations will then be sent by EMGS headquarters. Confirm speakers; the PC will have symposia Chairs verbally/electronically confirm speakers for their symposia.
• Fifteen (15) Months in Advance: Finalize the program and ensure the FFC Chair has access to it for fundraising activities.
• Fourteen (14) Months in Advance: the program should be complete to support advertising and fund-raising activities. The PC Chairs should interact directly with the FFC Chair to ensure timely communication of the program.
• Nine (9) Months in advance: Workshops fully developed.