12th International Congress on Rock Mechanics (ISRM2011)
Minutes of the 4th Organizing Committee Meeting
 

The 4th organizing committee meeting for the 12th International Congress on Rock Mechanics (ISRM2011) was held on 16 May 2009 in Meeting Room HW612B, 6th Storey, Haking Wong Building, Department of Civil Engineering, The University of Hong Kong. In this meeting, the chairmen of sub-committees reported work progress for the past half year, and discussed technical program, paper submission, website design and publicity and other important issues in details. Professors Qi-hu QIAN, Xia-ting FENG, Chun-an TANG, Hai-bo LI, Leslie George THAM, Man-chao HE, Fa-quan WU, Zhong-kui LI, Yu-yong JIAO, Bing-jun FU, Li-xing HUANG, Shu-cai LI, Wen-li XU, Ju WANG (China NG) and Yingxin ZHOU (Singapore NG) attended the meeting. Mr. Wei HU, Dr. Xiao-jie YANG (China) and Mrs. Cheng Hoon KHOO (Singapore) sit in the meeting as well. The total number of the organizing committee members is 22. Among them, 15 were present, which constituted a quorum. The meeting was chaired by Professor Qi-hu QIAN, the Congress Chairman. 
In the morning session, the meeting was focused on preparation work for ISRM2011 Congress. Professor Qian addressed the meeting and stressed that academic quality is the core in the preparation work, and the economic base is the guarantee; we need to follow the principle of “Unifying opinions and dividing responsibility to individuals”. Professor Zhong-kui LI, Secretary General of the Organizing Committee, briefly summarized and reviewed the establishment and development of the Organizing Committee. He pointed out that, through this meeting, we need to achieve “consistent understanding, clear targets, proper measures and division of responsibility to individual members” for the Congress preparation work. The two core issues of this meeting are: 1) Arrangement on academic issues; 2) Construction and management of Congress website. According to the meeting agenda, the representatives from each sub-committee reported work progress from October 2008 to May 2009. The main points are as follows:
Professor Man-chao HE introduced fund-raising activities in China by the Fund-raising and Financing Sub-committee. He stressed that committee members shall be thrifty and control expenditures strictly.
Dr. Yingxin Zhou, on behalf of Dr. Jun-gang CAI, reported the progress on oversea fund-raising and revised the oversea fund-raising target. The fund-raising projection was adjusted from USD 336K to USD 128K. He also displayed the promotional products designed by the professional conference organizer.
Professor Xia-ting FENG introduced the work progress by the Communication Sub-committee. He explained the relevant international practices and comments and suggestions for ISRM2011 Congress by board members of International Society for Rock Mechanics.    
Professor Fa-quan WU introduced the work progress by the Conference and Reception Sub-committee. He compared the advantages and problems associated with the three conference organizing companies, namely, the International Exchange Center of Chinese Academy of Sciences, the Exchange Center of China Association for Science and Technology, and Congrex (Sweden). As for website design, a network company under Shanghai Tongji University was selected. For conference venue, an agreement has been signed with China National Convention Center to book the conference venue for six days.
Professor Yu-yong JIAO reported the work progress by the Secretariat and Publicity Sub-committee. A secretary majored in English has been appointed for the sub-committee. Conforming to the major idea of yellow for China and green for harmony and considering major Chinese rock engineering projects, typical Chinese elements and the consistency in style, a new version of congress brochure has been designed and printed. The brochures have been shipped to Sinorock conference venue in Hong Kong. He also displayed the first draft of VI promotion system, e-pictures and samples. 
Professor Li-xing HUANG, Chairman of the Sub-committee for Technical Visit and Post-conference Tours, proposed a few selected routes for technical visits and post-conference tours. He indicated that a detailed route plan would be ready by end of Year 2009. 
Dr. Ying-xin ZHOU, Chairman of the Scientific and Publication Sub-committee, introduced the allocation of conference papers and time for special sessions. Proceedings in two volumes with 2200 pages would be required and 500 papers need to be collected from national groups.
As for Chinese advisory committee members, Professor Bing-jun FU introduced the principles for selection and the preliminary list of members.
In the afternoon session, Ms. Wen-li XU and Mr. Wei HU reported the work progress by the Congress Secretariat and the congress website construction, respectively.
The meeting discussed the issues on technical program, paper submission and dates for congress organization work, plan for 50th anniversary celebration, website construction and management. Professors Chun-an TANG, Hai-bo LI, Leslie George THAM and Shu-cai LI expressed their views.
The meeting is the 4th organizing committee meeting for ISRM2011 Congress. The meeting was focused on the preparation of ISRM2011. All the attendees participated actively in the discussion and expressed their views and suggestions. Professor Qi-hu QUAN made the concluding remarks and the following resolutions were reached:
1. The meeting approved in principle the technical program proposed by the Scientific Committee and the revisions. The overall framework of the technical program is almost fixed. (see attachment)
The major revisions were:
a) For keynotes, as China has the largest number of international members and Japan has the second largest, one keynote was added for Japan national group. It needs to be adjusted according to quota allocation by ISRM board meeting eventually. The list of keynote speakers will be finalized by the organizing committee meeting next year.
b) The special session for China is to highlight the major engineering projects in China, and most importantly, to emphasize on the rock engineering and technology in China.
c) The technical program shall be adjusted so that the minimum usage time for meeting rooms is not less than half a day.
d) The 50th anniversary celebration activities shall be arranged in the first evening of the Congress. The special session for China is held before the closing ceremony.
2. The meeting appraised the secretariat for the work on congress website construction since the organizing committee meeting in Wuhan in Year 2008. The basic principle for website construction is to provide necessary information, function and management platform for a successful congress. The website should be improved as soon as possible and meet the requirements. The relevant issues are as follows:
a) The current task is to publicize congress theme, program overview and relevant project information (in charge by Wei HU), tour information (in charge by Li-xing HUANG) and etc.
b) Sub-committees shall provide the relevant information by June 2009. Advertisements can be available online (in charge by He-hua ZHU).
c) The Publicity Sub-committee shall make full use of ISRM2011 website to promote the Congress and the achievements in rock engineering projects and technology in China and Singapore. Yu-yong JIAO is responsible for the relevant contents for China.
d) The sub-committees shall update relevant online information once every month (Hai-ying BIAN to check).
e) To promote ISRM2011 congress in relevant international conferences. 
3) The financial work shall be strengthened. The following decisions were made:
a) It is suggested that the Chinese Society for Rock Mechanics and Engineering (CSRME) shall designate a financial officer specially for the ISRM2011 congress. Fa-quan WU is responsible for this matter.
b) From September 2009, the financial report shall be submitted quarterly. Reimbursement shall strictly follow the procedures. The fund will be allocated according to the annual expenditure plan.
c) It was restated that the Secretary General is authorized to sign for reimbursement not more than RMB5,000, the financial director is authorized to sign for reimbursement between RMB5,000 and 30,000 and the chairman for the organizing committee sign for reimbursement more than RMB30,000.
d) The meeting approved the fund-raising plan in China and oversea proposed by the Fund Raising and Financial Sub-committee. The spending plan needs further adjustment.
e) The registration fee for ISRM members and non-members are USD 600 and 700, respectively.
f) The start-up fund for each sub-committee shall be in place not later than September 2009.
4. Regarding the congress publicity, the services and work provided by the conference organization company shall be clearly defined.
It is determined that:
a) Yu-yong JIAO is responsible for the overall plan for congress publicity, including style design for brochures, website and conference venue.
b) Places for corporation advertisements shall be added in VI products, which is a channel for fund raising. Jun-gang CAI and He-hua ZHU are responsible for the advertisement program and contact and recommendation of potential corporations.
c) The congress service call number shall be printed on the back of the name badge.
5) 18 October 2009, two years to the opening of ISRM2011 Congress, is selected as the symbolic day for congress organization. On that day, the online countdown will be launched. From October 2009, promotion of ISRM2011 congress will be launched in CSRME activities and journal. The Secretariat and Publicity Sub-committee is responsible for providing promotional contents and submit to the Secretary General for publication. It was decided that CSRME and the organizing committee will send letters to journal editors to discuss the way of implementation (in charge by Fa-quan WU and Zhong-kui LI).
6. The number of Chinese advisory committee members is tentatively 27. Professor Bing-jun FU will further check and the name list will be finalized in next meeting.
7. In order to enhance the sponsorship package and scheme, Ms. Wen-li XU is responsible to send the exhibition scheme in the conference venue to Singapore in October 2009.
8. Professor Xia-ting FENG is responsible for reporting the organization progress to ISRM board.
9. The 5th organizing committee meeting will be held in mid December 2009.
The organizing committee handbook was distributed during the meeting. After thorough and detailed discussion, the sub-committees had better understanding on the focus of future work and the details of the preparation work. After the meeting, each sub-committee shall divide responsibility to individual members and proper measures shall be in place to ensure the organization work to be carried out in an efficient and orderly manner. 
 
Recorded by Yu-yong JIAO, vetted by Zhong-kui LI and finalized by Qi-hu QIAN on 07 June 2009
The Organizing Committee
 for the 12th International Congress on Rock Mechanics
9 June 2009