The
Frontiers in Immunology Research Network (FIRN) is a USA-based entity
filed in Massachusetts
Contents: Mission, Board of Trustees, Code of
Ethics / Conduct, Policies (Privacy, Media, Exhibitors, Advertisers)
MISSION
The Frontiers
in Immunology Research Network (FIRN) is an international entity, which
facilitates the exchange of information
and
collaboration among scientists in academic and non-academic organizations as
well as business and government. It encourages
and
supports the advancement of immunology in all aspects of research, scholarship
and clinical practice for the benefit of human
and
animal well-being.
BOARD OF TRUSTEES
FIRN is
governed by The Board of Trustees. The Board,
·
advises the conference
organizers, and serves as the ultimate authority, on all matters that relate to
FIRN’s
conferences, publications and activities;
·
elects members for the
Board of Trustees out of nominees submitted by current FIRN Members;
·
elects, when the need
arises, the Editor-in-Chief of the International Journal of Immunological
Studies (FIRN’s journal)
out of nominees submitted by the current Members. The
elected Editor-in-Chief, in collaboration with the journal's Editorial
Board Members, may design editorial policy and act
independently from the Board of Trustees. The Editor-in-Chief may
request advice from the Board of Trustees at any time.
Trustees are expected to serve for at least two (2) years and every two years they elect a Chair and a Lieutenant Chair.
The Chair calls Board of Trustees meetings, which
may take place in cyberspace and/or in person.
Registration fees to attend FIRN’s conferences as well as annual membership
dues are waived for all current Trustees.
In alphabetical order, the 2009-10 Trustees of FIRN
are:
·
Stuart Berzins, The University of Melbourne, AUSTRALIA.
·
Aaron Bertrand (Randy)
Brill, Vanderbilt University Medical
Center, USA.
·
Stephen Cose, University of Bristol, UK.
·
Francesca Ferrera, University of Genoa, ITALY.
·
Francesco Indiveri, University of Genoa, ITALY.
·
Anthony Quinn, University of Toledo, USA.
· Steven J. Theroux, Assumption College, USA.
·
Robert T. Woodland, University of Massachusetts Medical School, USA.
CODE OF ETHICS/CONDUCT
FIRN
recognizes that its members have a responsibility to act in accordance with
recognized ethical norms in their interactions with each other and with
external individuals and institutions. Accordingly, it has approved the
following code.
CODE OF
CONDUCT
(1) As
individuals engaged in research:
Members of FIRN accept the following
guidelines for their research efforts:
(a)
Any research effort submitted to FIRN shall conform to
accepted standards of academic integrity. Originality is
expected
to the degree that the sources of information and ideas drawn from
existing works are to be given full credit.
(b)
Authors are expected to accurately represent all ideas,
data, etc., that are either derived from other sources or developed
through original research.
(c)
Members are expected to maintain objectivity to the extent
that any personal or professional bias is to be clearly set out
in the
oral or written presentation of any research effort. In the presentation of
conclusions, the author must make clear the
assumptions on which such conclusions are
based. If research is funded by any person or organization, that fact shall be
noted.
(d) Authors
and presenters are responsible for protecting the confidentiality of any
sources of materials used as research for
papers
or presentations in FIRN’s conferences. Neither FIRN nor any member of FIRN, other than the author or presenter,
bears
this responsibility.
(2) As
members of a professional organization:
(a)
Members, in their interactions with each other and in the
administration of FIRN’s affairs, are
expected to behave
according
to the principles of openness and honesty, honoring commitments among
themselves.
(b)
Members engaged in administrative activities such as serving
on various committees of FIRN, or in editorial
activities, should endeavor to carry out
agreed-upon tasks or to formally withdraw from activities that they feel unable
to
continue.
(3)
Non-discrimination
FIRN
is committed to non-discrimination among its members and with respect to
application for membership. Evaluation
of materials submitted for FIRN’s consideration, such as papers,
presentations, and proposals for such, is to be solely on the basis of
merit of those materials.
(4)
Conflict Resolution
Should conflict arise with respect to any
activity of FIRN, the members involved in such a conflict agree to submit their
views
to an
impartial arbiter appointed by the Board of Trustees for resolution. Any party
that is dissatisfied with the arbiter’s resolution
may either withdraw from the activity from
which the conflict arose or request that the activity be reviewed by a panel of
members
appointed by
the Board of Trustees. A
determination by such a panel shall be final as far as FIRN is concerned.
POLICIES
PRIVACY
FIRN is
committed to protecting the privacy of its visitors, members, subscribers,
conference participants and associates. The information
provided
is not sold, rented or shared with any organization or individual.
MEDIA
FIRN welcomes
ID carrying members of the media to its annual conference subject to
registering upon arrival. In such cases fees shall be
waived.
Journalists and their associates cannot record or take pictures during the
conference sessions and they must get permission for quotations directly from
conference participants; picture taking and recording are allowed only during
breaks.
EXHIBITORS
For the
displaying of promotional materials (leaflets, catalogues, journals and books)
please consider the following alternatives:
Alternative
1: Materials Displayed by FIRN on
Exhibitor’s Behalf.
$200
per one square meter table payable as indicated in the Exhibitors’ Registration Form.
Post
non-returnable materials directly to the conference site for display at Divani Caravel Hotel.
Alternative
2: Exhibit Representative(s).
$180
registration fee* for each representative plus $200 per one square
meter table payable as
indicated
in the Exhibitors’
Registration Form.
Alternative
3: Exhibition Booth.
$180
registration fee* for each exhibition booth representative payable
as indicated in the
Exhibitors’ Registration Form
plus exhibition booth rental costs, which are to be paid directly to the
conference
hotel. If interested, please contact the conference hotel Divani Caravel Hotel.
_______________________________________________
* Registration fees for exhibit representatives include access
to all conference presentations, sessions, exhibitions, activities,
nutritional and coffee/tea breaks.
HELP FOR ADVERTISERS AND SPONSORS
The Frontiers in Immunology Research Network (FIRN) makes available advertising space on its web page. More specifically, it offers premier placement of Homepage Logo Buttons on its web page such as the ones below.
FIRN is
visited by about 12,000 to 15,000 researchers and practitioners per year from all
over the world. The annual fee for a Homepage Logo Button (**), created by the
client, is $500 and it includes the following two additional benefits:
(1) A one page, black and white, camera-ready advertisement
(margins in inches: top=1.75, bottom=1.75, left=2, right=2) to be
printed
in the Society's publications (International
Journal of Immunological Studies and International Journal of Behavioral
(2) Free display of non-returnable brochures and / or books
or other promotional materials during the annual FIRN Conference.
If
interested, please post or fax the Advertiser’s Form and
for additional information contact FIRN as follows:
FIRN,
64 Holden Street, Worcester, MA 01605-3109, USA
TELEPHONE:
(508) 852-3937, FAX: (508) 595-0089
EMAIL:
hkan@firnweb.com
____________________________________________________
(**)
The Button will appear daily and the client, subject to approval for content,
may include anything that relates to the mission of FIRN.