Re: Discussion on ABRF Bylaw changes

StvTindall@aol.com
Thu, 28 May 1998 11:06:45 EDT

Geeeze, you'd think we were talking about the merits of baby killing
here. At least the proposed name wasn't "The Association of Biomolecular
Research and Mass Spectrometry". The proposed name "ABRT" is acceptable and
is sure better than any suggestion that I made. "ABRT" does reflect where the
organization is today and the direction the organization is moving in. All
things considered, "ABRT" is a good compromise and I am really tired of
hearing about "A-Barf".

History has a lot to teach us about this subject. A few years back, ASBC
(which was founded in 1906 under a name that I don't know) became ASBMB
because of new technologies and may become something else in the future. Was
that change bad? Knowing what "biological chemist" of the time thought of
"molecular biologist" and vice versa, I am sure that dire consequences of a
name change were predicted. Didn't happen.

"ABRF" served the organization very well at its inception, but continuing
the use of "Facilities" in the name is out of alignment with where we are
today and where we are going. As I recall, at our first gathering at the
second Protein Society Symposium, the room was full of researchers engaged in
protein sequencing, amino acid analysis and a scattering of other protein-
related technologies. We were all isolated in our research and needed a
mechanism to exchange ideas and technologies. Things have changed a lot since
then and the ABRF had a lot to do with it, but "Facilities"? Its time for a
change and has been for a while.

Steve
====================
Stephen Tindall
Argo BioAnalytica, Inc.
Phone: 1-973-605-2100
Fax: 1-973-605-2104
StvTindall@aol.com
====================