New Student Society

[gaudiano@bucasb.bu.edu]

This is the first official announcement of the:

		Neural Networks Student Society
		-------------------------------

	The purpose of the Society is to (1) provide a means of
exchanging information among students and young professionals within
the area of Neural Networks; (2) create an opportunity for interaction
between students and professionals from academia and industry; (3)
encourage support from academia and industry for the advancement of
students in the area of Neural Networks; (4) insure that the interest
of all students in the area of Neural Networks is taken into
consideration by other societies and institutions that promote Neural
Networks; and (5) lay down a solid, UNBIASED foundation upon which the
study of Neural Networks will be developed into a self-contained
discipline.

	The society is specifically intended to avoid discrimination
based on age, sex, race, religion, national origin, annual income or
graduate advisor.

	An organizational meeting was held at the Washington IJCNN
meeting. We had about 60 students and other interested bodies there,
and later that evening many of us went out to get to know each other
over some fine ales. Many of the participants came from outside of the
US, and the general consenus is that this is a society whose time has
come.

	We have many action items on our agenda, including:

1) a quarterly newsletter
2) an e-mail newsgroup
3) a resume exchange service for neograduates in the field
4) summer co-ops with NN companies
5) a database of existing graduate programs in NNs
6) an ftp site for NN simulation code and other info
7) corporate sponsorships to support student travel expenses
		.
		.
		.
n) many, many more activities and ideas

	A booth for our Society has been donated by the organizers of
the Paris INNC conference (July 90), and we may also get one at the
San Diego IJCNN conference. We will use the booth to advertise our
society, and to promote student ideas and projects. More details will
be given in the first newsletter, which is scheduled to come out March
21. It will include our official bylaws, and other introductory
information. 

		WHO TO CONTACT:
		--------------

	If you'd like to be on the mailing list to receive newsletters
by surface or electronic mail, and you did not already give us your
name at the IJCNN Washington meeting, send a note to:

nnss-request at thalamus.bu.edu  (Newsletter requests)

with your name, affiliation, and address. The first issue will contain
all the necessary information to become a member for the rest of the
year. Once the Society becomes official, there will be a nominal
annual fee (about $5) to help with costs for publications and
activities, but for now you can get our info to see what it's all
about at no cost. You will only remain a member if you are interested
in the society and send in the official membership form.

	In the meantime, if you are thinking about a job in NNs in the
near future, and would like information about our resume exchange
program, send a message to:

khaines at galileo.ece.cmu.edu

and if you have general questions about the society (other than a
request for the first newsletter, or about the resume service), send
mail to:

nnss at thalamus.bu.edu

Also, if you are willing to volunteer some time to help with the
society, send a note to:

gaudiano at thalamus.bu.edu

we will definitely need some help at the upcoming conferences, and may
also need some assistance with other odds & ends before that time.

	Finally, we will soon circulate a proposal for a new USENET
newsgroup, so if you read usenet news keep your eyes open for an
opportunity to vote in the next few weeks.
	
		Karen Haines and Paolo Gaudiano
			co-founders, NNSS