CSM Sections Applied and Environmental Microbiology Molecular Genetics and  Cellular Microbiology Infections and Immunity

Mandate

The Canadian Society of Microbiologists seeks to advance microbiology in all its aspects and to facilitate the interchange of ideas between microbiologists. The membership includes honorary, emeritus, ordinary, student and sustaining members.

The society is divided into three sections and is governed by a Council comprising Officers of the Society and Councillors elected from within the general membership. The Officers include the President, the First and Second Vice-Presidents, the Secretary-Treasurer and the immediate Past President. Society business is facilitated by a monthly conference call including all officers of the Society, the Meetings Secretary, a Graduate Student representative, and the CSM Secretariat.

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The Council is composed of the Officers of the Society as well as the Meetings Secretary, Chairpersons and Vice-Chairpersons of the sections. Council meets formally once a year. A meeting of the entire membership is called once a year (Annual General Meeting), usually in June.

The CSM maintains several active committees undertaking activities in various areas. The CSM is financed by annual dues from the membership as well as from the proceeds of the Annual General Meeting or other meetings which it sponsors. It is a non-profit organization.

Representation and Interaction

At the national level with government agencies, umbrella organizations for several societies and other Canadian biological societies; at the international level with international federations with an interest in microbiology. At the academic level, the CSM has University Faculty and Student representatives.

The roles of the University Faculty Representatives are:

1. to obtain the nomination of a microbiology graduate student CSM representative within the university;
2. to encourage CSM membership within the university;
3. to provide CSM with information on microbiology activities within the university for the annual directory;
4. to organize the university's nomination for the Gold Medal - Canadian Graduate Student Microbiologist of the Year competition;
5. to receive pre-addressed correspondence to CSM members within the university for placement in the university internal mail system;
6. to liaise with the graduate student representative in promoting CSM activities among microbiology graduate students;
7. to convey the interests and concerns of the university's microbiology community to CSM's executive.

The roles of the University Student Representatives are:

1. to liaise with the university member and to publicize CSM student award competitions;
2. to encourage student membership in CSM;
3. to encourage participation of graduate students at the AGM;
4. to encourage input from graduate students to the activities of CSM;
5. to monitor progress of the internal university selection process for identifying the university's nominee for the Canadian Microbiologist of the Year Award;
6. to liaise with the CSM Graduate Student Executive member.

Size

The CSM is large enough (approximately 450 members in 2000) to have its opinions sought by Federal or Provincial Governments, and other agencies and small enough that your opinion matters and your participation is valued.

Publications

The CSM Newsletter is published three times a year (now available on this site); the Call for Abstracts booklet published once a year in advance of the Annual General Meeting (November/ December); the Programme & Abstracts published once a year for the Annual General Meeting (May); the Graduate Studies & Membership Directory published every two years (summer); and Careers in Microbiology, a small brochure that is used by Career Centres across Canada.

Annual Conference

Held at different locations across Canada. Members are invited to present scientific reports of their own work and to participate in special symposia with invited speakers of international stature. Exhibitors are invited to display. Click here to learn more about our annual conferences.