Presidential Address
 given by
Prof. Michael S. Huckman
at the Meeting of the Governing Council of
The World Federation of Neuroradiological Societies
during
Symposium Neuroradiologicum XVIII
Adelaide Australia, March 21, 2006

 

Members of the Executive Committee, Delegates, Colleagues, and Friends:

It has been a great privilege to serve for the past four years as President of the World Federation of a Neuroradiological Societies.  I have been an active and interested member since the founding of the organization in 1993 by our late esteemed colleague, Derek Harwood-Nash.  At the time of his death, Anton Valavanis assumed the reins of the organization, guiding us through the remainder of Derek's term and through the following four years. 

At the Symposium Neuroradiologicum in Paris in 2002, I assumed the Presidency and realized that 10 years in the history of the organization produced a number of changes that made the Federation virtually ungovernable under the original Constitution.  With this in mind, an ad hoc committee was formed, and a thorough revision of the Constitution took place.  The most notable recommendations of this committee were to thoroughly revise and democratize the process of election of officers of the Federation and officers of the Symposium Neuroradiologicum and to allow the business of the Federation to take place with 21st-century communications technology.  Because of geographic constraints, the revised Constitution also put into the hands of the Executive Committee many of the functions that were originally left to the Council, but difficult to carry out because of the infrequent meetings.

Although the Federation initially had a newsletter and provided a thorough bibliography of advances in neuroradiology, which were put together by our publications Chair, Marco Leonardi and sponsored by Bracco, the Federation now has an excellent web site created by Marco's commission under the direction of Dr. Dale Charletta.  It is my hope that this will become an important focus for the dissemination of neuroradiological information throughout the world. However, it will only be as good as the timeliness of the input we receive from member societies and commissions.

By assigning functions to the Executive Committee, a new, realistic, and fair dues structure, proposed by Dr. Forbes and his commission, has recently been adopted and should put the Federation on a more sound financial footing.

Dr. Quencer and his commission have created an application form to encourage the establishment of national and regional neuroradiological societies and to have them join the Federation.  We now stand at 21 Member Societies with applications from four additional organizations.

Doctor Khangure and his commission are compiling a listing of various national and regional standards for training and practice which should serve as a central reservoir from which societies and licensing boards may draw examples.

The Research Commission under Dr. Caille has investigated the means by which investigators in geographically diverse areas may become aware of global funding opportunities and may exchange information with other individuals interested in similar areas of neuroradiology.

Dr. Salvolini and his intersociety relations commission are working to integrate our Federation with those of allied disciplines.  They have been considering the recommendation of individuals to serve as ex officio members of some of our commissions and offering to have our members serve other organizations.

Since its inception, our federation has been ably managed by Jim Gantenberg and Karen Mansfield.  As you know, Jim is the Executive Director of the American Society of Neuroradiology.  While they have charged us for actual material expenses, they have charged no management fees.  This has enabled us to keep our heads above water financially.  We are grateful for their guiding hands.

I would like to close with a rhetorical question.  Why do we need the World Federation of Neuroradiological Societies? I can answer that question with a bit of history.  I recall as a newly minted neuroradiologist, I attended the Symposium in Punta del Este, Uruguay, in 1974.  I traveled there with one of my Brazilian friends from fellowship.  I was amazed at the number of world-famous neuroradiologists whom I had  the opportunity to personally meet, many of  whom,  at that time, were only known to me through the neuroradiological literature.  In the ensuing years I attended all of the Symposia with the exception of one which interfered with a family life cycle event.  As the years went on, many personal and wonderful international friendships grew from those meetings.  Many of my internationl friends attended meetings in the United States and I began to attend meetings of the European Society of Neuroradiology and had the opportunity to appreciate its excellent scientific exchange and also renew old friendships.  In later years I had the opportunity to attend meetings of various neuroradiological societies in Brazil, Australia, South Africa, China, Hong Kong, Japan, Korea, India, and a number of other places.  I have cherished the friendships and came to realize how much neuroradiological excellence existed outside of my own small geographic sphere. 

Global communication has decreased the international attendance at many meetings.  There are a few regular American attendees at the ESNR meeting and vice versa at the meetings of the American Society of Neuroradiology.  Perhaps the events of 9/11 have  had a negative effect on international attendance at meetings. 

Global exchange of science must transcend political differences.  While there may be scientific differences of opinion among neuroradiologists, our discussions are fruitful searching for an elusive truth, not a political advantage.  Our Federation has been like a successful miniature United Nations and the revision of our Constitution embodied much of the give and take that unfortunately national governments are unwilling to risk.  Scientific world federations are models of global cooperation, and while they may not offer all of the membership advantages of our national and regional societies, they serve as examples to politicians of how global cooperation can be fruitful. 

I hope all of you will pay frequent visits to the web site of the Federation which tries to keep track of the meetings and activities of all our member societies and make efforts to attend some of those meetings in faraway places.  The travel can be fun, the quality of the science will amaze you, and best of all, you will cultivate the kinds of international friendships that I have cherished over 35 years of practice.  I know that Professor Picard is a true internationalist and will continue to advance the mandate set forth by Derek Harwood –Nash in 1993.  The Constitution provides me with an additional four years as a member of the Executive Committee and I will do all within my power to help him and the Federation realize those goals.