APRS Biennial General Meeting
10 Dec 2003
Macquarie University


Attendees:
Anthony Maeder QUT
David Suter Monash
Peter Kovesi UWA
Peter Kootsookos UQ
Jasmine Banks UQ
Bejamin Appleton UQ
Changming Sun CSIRO MIS
Sebastien Ourselin CSIRO ICT Centre
Paul Jackway CSIRO MIS
Mark Berman CSIRO MIS
Hugues Talbot CSIRO MIS
Tony Adriaanssen CSIRO ICT Centre
Andrew Bradley UQ
Kourosh Fallah Macquarie Uni.

Apologies: Brian Lovell (UQ) and Vinod Shandra

Start with report+questions from the president, delivered by Anthony Maeder.

Tony A:

The combined meeting ANZIIS/DICTA seems productive, however requires a larger effort from the organizing team. More people seemed to be attracted, a bigger meeting attracts also sponsors, which allows organizer to invite quality speakers, and therefore the effect is a kind of positive feedback.

Sebastien O:

There is a conflict between ANZIIS/DICTA, in particular both feature medical imaging sessions. This is not good, things should be more streamlined.

Mark B:

ANZIIS should have contributed more in the way of organization.

Paul J:

Should we liaise with IVCNZ as well, or have a DICTA/AVCNZ?

Sebastien O:

A joint conference is good. More lead time would have resulted in better collaboration

Anthony M.:

IAPR publicity was good.

Tony A.

We have had lots of new members due to increased participation. Only about 25 people pay per year for normal membership.


Various:

Question about usefulness of newsletter. Generally found to be useful.
Questions about activity levels of APRS.

Mark B.

Regular function to organize would be good.

Anthony M.:

Please suggest ways to make APRS more active. Needs more buy-in, for
example like with CSIRO this time, very positive. Maybe DSTO should be
approached?

Various: Question about publicity

- Web site maintained thanks to Brian Lovell
- New documents on web
- Newsletter was stopped this year
- Brian L sends regular letters by e-mail instead
- IAPR letter still comes quarterly in paper form, still distributed to
members.

Question about new initatives.

Anthony M.:

2 ideas

1- Best thesis prize.
2- Affiliation with a journal. E.g: Journal of Intelligent Processing
Systems (Brian? not sure about this)

Mark B.:

Not a very appropriate journal for imaging.

Sebastien O:

Maybe best papers from DICTA to go to a special issue. Was proposed for
this time around but did not eventuate. Should try again for next time.

Mark B:

Maybe a best paper prize instead?

Anthony M:

We have a best paper prize this time, and a best student paper too.

Sebastien O:

The interested journal was Image and Vision Computing (IVC?), but editor
not very responsive

David S.:

Hard to deal with IVC, from personal experience

Peter K.:

Maybe an online journal, lower overheads... A special issue of a
reputable electronic journal? Examples: there exists electronic forums,
e.g on watermarking. Or ACM special interests groups?

Anthony M:

APRS doesn't have resources like that, but we should create interest.


Next: report from the treasurer (Tony A.)

APRS has about $34k in the bank at present. 124 paid-up members, will jump to 220 after this meeting.

Paul J:

Branches have money too.

Others:

DICTA/ANZIIS should just break even. General agreement.

Election of a new committee:

President: Brian for a fourth term Carried
VP: David Suter Carried
Treasurer: Tony Adriaansen Carried
Secretary: Hugues Talbot Carried
Vinod Chandran: in charge of newsletter Carried
Anthony Maeder: member Carrried


Mark B:

We should encourage more geographic spread. Need somone from another state (Vic, ACT, SA, NT?). A representative from each state would be good in the APRS committee.

Peter Kootsookos:

Is there a neural-network IEEE chapter in any of these states?

Mark B.

Doubtful if it would help.

Anthony M.

State branches to be more active. In Nov next year (2004) a VIP day should be organized in one of these states. APRS should contact Jessy Jin (organizer of the VIP days) and suggest 1,000 to sponsor.

Discussion on DICTA 2005

Various locations suggested: Brisbane? NZ? SA?

Mark Brooks, DSTO Garry Newsham ? could they run a workshop?

What about Cairns next time?

No firm commitment unfortunately.

Anthony M. thanks all for suggestions, will take it offline.

Anthony M. propose a motion of felicitation to the organizing committee for DICTA'2003 for a superb delivery. Carried.

Meeting closed.