National Chapters

National chapters are country-wide activity groups of InterPore. Currently, InterPore has active national chapters in

and more chapters are currently being formed. Each current and new national chapter will have a webpage on InterPore website and an email address. A name and logo will be attributed by InterPore.

 Organization and structure of national chapters

National chapters are considered as an InterPore committee and operate within the by-laws of InterPore. Separate registration in their own country is not mandatory. The formation of new national chapters must be approved by the InterPore Executive Committee. A guideline providing help for a chapter creation is available here. National chapters should prepare a protocol that explains how they operate (number of Steering Committee members and their attribution, how they are elected, how decisions are made, duties of chair and vice-chairs, etc.). The Steering Committees of national chapters are the decision-making bodies and have the right to make decisions on the running of the chapter. An annual report is requested from all chapters. This is the basis of the National Chapter Award that is attributed yearly. Assistance can always be obtained from the National Chapter Committee.

National chapters should be financially self-sufficient as much as possible. Expenses of annual meetings of National chapters should be financed through participation fees, sponsorship, or contribution by member institutes of the chapter, if possible. However, any national chapter of InterPore can apply for helping funds to the InterPore Executive Committee in order to support an annual national meeting. If there are other activities that require financing, a request should be sent to InterPore Executive Committee and it will be decided on a case-by-case basis.

National Chapters from developing countries can get the status of an institutional member at a reduced rate for up to 35 individuals. For more details, see here.

Aims and scopes of national chapters

In principle, Aims and Scope of national chapters are the same as those of InterPore. The specific additional goals and contributions made by the chapters could include the following:

• Liaison with InterPore
• Providing input for InterPore Newsletter (e.g. list of porous media workshops and conferences or PhD research opportunities in the country). One member of the chapter steering committee person (the Communication Officer) should hence be appointed as the Newsletter reporter. He/she will have to collect the input related to porous media conferences, workshops, short courses, etc. as well as jobs, and send them to the InterPore newsletter
• Preparing a list of porous media research groups in the country; the Communication Officer should ask various groups to prepare a Research Spotlight for publication in the Newsletter (see http://www.interpore.org/research-spotlight for examples)
• Preparing a list of porous media companies in the country; the Newsletter reporter should ask them to prepare a Research Spotlight for publication in the Newsletter.
• Providing input to WikiPore
• Recruiting individual members for InterPore; members of the Steering Committee should actively promote InterPore and try to identify and invite potential members
• Identifying research institutes or companies that could be potential institutional members of InterPore and try to raise their interest to become InterPore members.
• Identifying companies who might be interested to sponsor InterPore Annual meetings and/or to participate as exhibitors.
• Providing input to the Annual Meetings of InterPore: propose mini-symposia and suggest speakers.
• Organizing national meetings at least every two years.
• Active national chapters will receive an award during the InterPore annual meeting and one free registration at the Annual Meeting will be allocated to them.

Steps for forming national chapters

• A group of interested researchers form a founding committee. Help can be obtained from the National Chapters Committee.
• They propose the formation of the national chapter to the InterPore Executive Committee. In that proposal, they should give an indication of the size of porous media research in their country, their plan of activities, and what kind of support they need from InterPore.
• They should plan the kick-off meeting of the national chapter, including a one-day symposium. InterPore may arrange for inviting a well-known scientist participating in and giving a lecture at the kick-off meeting.
• The steering committee of the national chapter should be elected at the kick-off meeting.
• Prepare input for the webpage of the national chapter on InterPore website.