21 replies to this topic

[caliban]

The Institute is currently considering the development an additional web- presence away from these forums where scientific (potentially also social sciences) issues of life extension are discussed in a more formal and structured way, potentially also a higher level of (mean) expertise. The aim is to reach out to the 'established' scientific community, publishers and news media.

Some active scientists and the Navigators of these Forums have already expressed an interest to take part in this project.
A consultation on how this new venture should be conducted will be initiated soon.

All those who might have a (be it tentative) interest in participating in such a project: please contact BJKlein or myself ( caliban@imminst.org )!

[susmariosep]

Yes, I think you should have two big sections, one strictly scientific, and the other everything else, like philosophy, religion, science fiction, lifestyles, free speech, etc. And people like me in the second section would not fear that they are talking beyond their horizons or above their heads, because they are just men in the street with their ordinary views which they think are also possessed of relevant wisdom -- and they can do so with more liberty but of course in a civil language and no anger and annoyance.

Susma

[John Schloendorn]

Sounds like an extremely cool idea to me. Count me in! If you guys need a hand in setting this up, be sure to let me know or post here.

[chubtoad]

It might be worth talking to alex83, he mentioned something like this before and he might have some good ideas.

[John Schloendorn]

Although I believe that the interaction of experts from all the different fields with grassroots activists and hypermotivated whatevers is a big strength of the present imminst. I hope it does not get lost when we separate too much.

[ddhewitt]

As I understand the plan the other presence will be complementary to Imminst and I think it will add value by feeding back to the discussions here as well as exploring new territory.

As the success of the book project shows (which was held on track by caliban) focused efforts can take us to new levels of achievement.

Duane

[treonsverdery]

I urge you to create an area that promotes vivid functional applicable lifespan increasing research

[olaf.larsson]

Very good. Now tonight I just thought about the fact that there are so many discussions BBS bords on internet but so very few contributed to lifescience. A good idea would be to have a general big "lifescience" board with only one subdivision of it contributed to immortality research. The good thing with that is that it will make people involved in lifescience interested in immortalityresearch, people who otherwise would never consider to get involved in our area or even be aware of its existence. [thumb]
But what will happen to this board? I mean there is not really an overload of people on this board if both will be the same the visitors will be divided in two diffrent boards. There are allready forums for discussions about social aspects of lifeextension. Why do you think some kind of "elite" media and science people would like to visit the new board but not this one. I would see a general lifescienceboard which will draw people to the antiaging field.

Edited by wolfram, 13 January 2005 - 08:53 AM.

[Cyto]

May make some upset ([pirate]) but I'm wanting to hop in the boat.

[Bruce Klein]

ImmInst_Journal, start:
http://www.imminst.org/journal/

ImmInst/pedia:
http://www.imminst.org/pedia

[John Schloendorn]

Awesome! Where can I submit a paper [tung]? Is there a review board? Is there any plan at all how this is going to function? Did you guys dream this thing up in any thread on the forum that I missed?

[kraemahz]

I love the idea, even if I couldn't participate for a few years (being just a freshman in college and all). But I think in order to make it work at all, there's going to be a lot more of a moderation presence than is currently on this board. Not in a post by post basis but as an effort to ensure the forum is of the highest quality. It comes down to more than just token screening of members for knowledge, but an active effort to ban people who misrepresent themselves and remove disingenuous posts. Actually, I was considering that self moderation based on a slash dot esque style might work. Main, peer reviewed articles submitted and then commented on.

[olaf.larsson]

To my best knowledge there is only one life-science BBS similar to this one on the entire Internet, and its not very much frequented. Where are all the people, which should discuss and exchange diffrent views and aspects of their research with each other? Imagine how diabetes, alzheimer, schizophrenia, genethereaphy or cancer research would improve WorldWide if people working in those and similar fields were organised in a BBS like ours.

The only lifescience BBS I know about is http://www.scienceboard.net. It would not be very hard to create a better one and more frequented. I stongly suspect that many lifescientist don´t like computers to much and have rudimentary knowledge of them. They dont have the imagination or will to go out on for example Google and search for life science BBS´es, becouse they don´t even know they could exist, or that they could be very beneficial to them and their research.
I suggest we create a Big Life Science BBS with diffrent subgroups. Hopefully it will totaly dominate as Lifescience BBS on the net. It should include a pamphlette in .pdf format which every member of the BBS should print out and put on their institutions or companies advertisingboard. The pamphlette should inform about the URL of the boards and the possibilities to discuss lifescience with other lifescientists. Since most of us want to find a job it should include a job-advertising-section, that would attract those who are not acctually interested in the research they are doing, but want to get a steady income. Some kind of weekly life science-news section would also be good to have that would attract visitors who have nothing to do during coffeebreaks. Well you could sure think of more good sections...
The benefits of this boards could be:
*Worldwide lifescience research improvement and exchange of thoughts. We would have the possibility to discuss with for example specialist in genetheraphy which would not come to normal Immist conferance if they are not specialy interested in antiaging.
*Informing and attracting people to the antiaging field who otherwise would never even thought about slowing down or reversing aging.

Edited by wolfram, 22 January 2005 - 08:36 AM.

[caliban]

Things are taking shape in the Full members area.

If you are not a Full member but would seriously like to contribute, please contact BJ for access to the relevant subsection. (or you could just join ) )

[alex83]

This is a great idea! I would be happy to post the pamphlet (that wolfram suggested) on the advertising boards in our biology, chemistry and bioengineering faculties, as well as in some other major universities in my country.

[Mind]

I do not have a degree in life sciences (B.S. Meteorology), but I am willing to moderate, maintain, or organize the "Imminst science focus" page/website/forums.

[olaf.larsson]

Thank you for your support for my idea alex83 but I think i have been overruled by the majority who doesn´t like the idea of a general lifescience board. I would be able to create a board like this but it would take some time. I think we would need people with computerskills to mangage it. Im not sure I have time for a such project myself.

[rillastate]

If a more formal and structured forum is created for experts in the field of science. If the general public is not authorized to post, I would hope we'd be able to at least browse/view the information being discussed by the experts? This is one of the main reasons I frequent the board anyway (to read expert opinions).

Thanks, Derek.

[rshack]

I have a Ph.D. in molecular pathology and am a DO who is currently a third year pathology resident. I have some interest in genomic atbility and aging. Please contact me if you decide to go ahead wth this plan.

[stormheller]

Count me in! I don't have any degrees, but am a longtime reader of Science, Nature and Nature Biotechnology, and would really like to help out.

[John Schloendorn]

Ok guys, since we did not have the human resources to make a dedicated forum, the idea is currently to use the journal club to attract the academia into the discussion at imminst and gradually establish an academic forum there. This takes mainly one thing: People who contribute to a quality discussion. So come over and contribute!
There would also be a great need for a volunteer who would take care of advertising the club in various places in a self-responsible manner. Anyone who has time or even just ideas, please contact me and I'm happy to discuss anything with you. I know it's easier to do as you're told, but what is really needed here is initiative.