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Re: Fwd: Wrap-up of IPC?

Dear COMCIFS members (that's everyone receiving this email by the way!)

On Fri, 13 May 2022 at 20:16, Brian McMahon via comcifs
<comcifs@iucr.org> wrote:

[edit]

> I've noticed the possible interest in a new CIF dictionary
> for quantum crystallography in a number of presentations at
> the Prague Congress, and hope that progress can be made there.
> I think also the relatively recent topoCIF and magCIF
> dictionaries would benefit from some more fanfare (they
> will get their own chapters in the 2nd edition of Volume G;
> I wonder if they might feature in the IUCr Newsletter?),
> and I'm hopeful that the high-pressure initiative will make
> progress.

My recent experience with (bi)-monthly online meetings for a set time
period (e.g. 6 months) suggests that this could be a good mechanism to
turbo-charge dictionary development. A workshop at the IUCr could be
the culmination of such online meetings to hash out the final details
or to present the new standard. I drafted up some ideas on how such a
working group could be formed and operate, see
http://comcifs.github.io/draft/dictionary_working_groups . A workshop
at the IUCr could also be the kick-off for such a group, to see how
far such a group could get given half a day. I think people
overestimate how long developing a niche dictionary takes if the
domain concepts have already been standardised, representatives of all
stakeholders are in a room, and a CIF expert is nearby.

>
> Another potential mechanism for COMCIFS exposure during the
> Congress could be an Open Meeting (in the spirit of the
> Open Commission Meetings). These usually take place in the
> lunchtime slot, and are unlikely to draw a big audience, but
> I wonder if the time is ripe to propose one in order to
> encourage "birds of a feather" discussions among anyone
> sufficiently interested.

> There is usually also a business ("closed") COMCIFS meeting,
> though Prague established the precedent of having this as
> a virtual meeting after the main Congress, which I thought
> went very well last time.

I think an open meeting at the IUCr congress is worthwhile. I imagine
it as an informational "this is what is going on" meeting and an
opportunity for discussion of issues that both we and the broader
community bring along. A subsequent online business meeting to bring
members unable to attend up to speed and to formally resolve any
issues arising then makes sense. What do others on this list think
about having the business meeting take place online after IUCr 2023?

all the best,
James.
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