2 HONORARY PUBLICITY SECRETARY’S COLUMN Anal. proc., vol. 21 Honorary Publicity Secretary’s Column Conference Format There has been a trend, in recent years, towards the inclusion of a large number of poster presentations at scientific conferences. It has been suggested that the undesirable features of posters can outweigh their advantages, and in view of the fact that the organising committee for SAC 86 (20-25 July, 1986, at Bristol University) is just starting to function, views on the subject of posters at conferences are requested. It would also be of interest to receive views on alternative conference formats such as more streams, shorter oral presentations, more extensive use of preprints, etc. Publications Although the proportion of papers submitted from UK authors to The Analyst remains high, the Editorial Board would like to see still more good papers from the UK, in addition to a good selection from abroad.A special issue of The Analyst containing some of the papers presented at SAC 83 will be published in March 1984. The possibility of collecting the articles concern- ing various aspects of the history of analytical chemistry, published over the years in Analytical Proceedings, into a single volume is being considered by the RSC. The sales of Annual Reports on Analytical Atomic Spectro- scopy have declined slightly. This extremely valuable publication is highly recommended to anyone using analytical atomic spectroscopy of any kind. The modest outlay is easily recovered in saved time and effort and represents only a small fraction of the annual running costs of an atomic spectrometer.The Third Edition of “Official and Standardised Methods of Analysis” will be published in 1984 or 1985. And at the other end of the analytical spectrum, the second book in the RSC series of “paperbacks” will be entitled “Analytical Chemistry” and is to be written by a well known Honorary Publicity Secretary. Meetings and Conferences The February Divisional meeting (on the 8th at the Scientific Societies Lecture Theatre) will concern “The Analysis of Surface Coatings and Raw Materials.” “The Analyst in Court” and the Theophilus Redwood lec- ture, given by Dr. R. L. Williams, are to be seen and heard at the RSC Annudl Congress, April 16th-l9th, in Exeter. While on the subject of Exeter, a meeting in honour of Professor Bishop is to be held there in April 1985, featuring contributions from Professor Bishop’s former students.Such former students are invited to contact the Programmes Secretary, Dr. D. 1. Coomber (via Miss Hutchinson). Professor Bishop remains in the news as he is to present the first L. S. Theobald Lecture, commemorating L. S. Theobald’s long and distin- guished service as a teacher in Analytical Chemistry. This lecture will be given at the Research and Develop- ment Topics meeting, June 26th-27th, at UMIST. This last meeting provides an excellent opportunity to discover the most recent analytical topics being researched in British Polytechnics and Universities. Contributions from younger research workers in industry and Government service are also welcomed. The Divisional AGM and Biennial Formal Dinner will take place in London on March 2nd, 1984, and will feature the retiring President’s address.Future Divisional meetings will include: September 18th-20th, 1984, RSC Autumn Meeting in Hull, AD Symposium on Pharmaceutical Analysis; October, 1984, half-day meeting on Laser Applications; Decem- ber, 1984, Process Control Analysis; and February, 1985, Modified Electrodes. The Scottish Region celebrates its 50th Anniversary in 1984 and is planning a popular lecture to celebrate the occasion. The next in the series of “Flow Analysis” conferences, the third, is scheduled for Birmingham from September 5th-8th, 1985, immediately prior to the IUPAC Congress in Manchester. RSC Awards The Analytical Reactions and Analytical Reagents award (sponsored by BDH Chemicals) has been award- ed to Professor D.T. Burns and the Chromatography and Separations award (sponsored by Whatman) to Professor J. H. Purnell. The Rank Hilger Spectroscopy prize rules are to be revised to allow slightly older candidates to be nominated. Publicity and Public Relations The glossy brochure on Analytical Chemistry, aimed at school students, has been produced and distributed widely throughout Regional and Group membership, teacher centres, etc. Copies can be obtained on request from the Honorary Publicity Secretary. There are still available a small number of the Education and Training Group’s newspaper “Education and Training News,” which was presented at SAC 83. Again these are available free of charge from the Honorary Publicity Secretary. The Schools Lecture programme is well under way and the lecture “Analytical Chemists Make Light Work” will be given at least once in every Region during the 1983/4 session. The lectures will be organised in conjunction with a local student chemical society andor chemistry teachers centre as appropriate. J. F. TYSON