Memory Research Network (MRN) - a proposal
Martin A. Conway and others
Thursday, July 14, 2016
Given the huge response to the 2016 ICOM, over 1000 registrations, it seemed to us that our field should perhaps have it’s own society and ways of communicating, hence this proposal. Below are some preliminary details.
Key at this point is that if you would be interested in joining such a group please register using the application form at the bottom of this page. If there is sufficient interest we will go ahead.
Why now?
There are several reasons. One is that the ICOM is now 25 years old and the journal Memory is 23 years old. At some point both of these are going to have to have new organizers and editors respectively. We have thought for some years that in order to ensure their continuity and maintain scientific standards it would be best if they were linked to an academic/learned society.
What will it do?
The main function would simply be to promote memory research. It would do so through future ICOMs, which might be more frequent, by creating new and perhaps smaller more specialized meetings, by fostering relations with other groups, e.g. MDRS, Psychonomics, EPS, SARMAC, etc., through special issues of Memory, and, most of all, by providing a forum for memory researchers to exchange news and ideas through a dedicated member-only web site. It would also promote, as well as mainstream memory research, important associated areas in clinical, law, etc.
How will it be organized?
There would be a Board of Directors with a revolving Chair, an MRN membership, and various special types of membership for graduate students, emeritus members, etc.. There would also have to be some sort of ‘office’ although this might be virtual, i.e. in the Cloud, rather than physically in a University on the other hand the latter has much to recommend it. Whatever the case, it will largely be on the web.
How will it be funded?
The ICOM generally makes a small profit (which we usually distribute as research grants to the organizers in recognition of the time they have put into organizing it) but a small sum every 5 years will clearly not be enough. We (Mark Howe and I) intend in the very near future to open discussions with the publishers of Memory as to how some of the profit from the journal might go to the MRN. However, the main source of funding would be a (very) modest annual membership fee.
We look forward to hearing from you and if you have any suggestions then please email them to Martin () and put ‘MRN’ in the title of your email.
