Branch Programming: More than Speakers and Posters

Spring is coming and many of you may be planning your upcoming Branch activities. Programming a Branch event is never simple. Attendees have different interests, needs and expectations. With Web-based tools such as Wikis, blogs, YouTube, Facebook, podcasts, Breeze, and e-surveys, Branches have a convenient way to listen and assess member needs to insure a relevant, valuable scientific program that merits meeting attendance. Some of you may already be familiar with the innovations offered by these Web-based tools. Today, Branches use Facebook to alert and enhance member networking. Zoomerang and other Web-based survey engines help Branches plan their upcoming programs with full member input.

This month I would like to highlight some intriguing program ideas from Branches that you may wish to include in your next Branch meeting. The first is a variation of a Socratic dialog, where a popular movie or book is used as a foil to stimulate discussion about a particular microbiological topic. Case in point, the movie Outbreak. Many of you will recall how Dustin Hoffman and his team were able to generate a sufficient volume of neutralizing antibody to save the world from a devastating viral outbreak through the use of one tiny monkey. A simpler way to phrase this idea in the program might be: "What's wrong or right with the science in this movie/book?" A moderator or panel discussion could highlight the science portrayed and then discuss with the audience why or why not the science portrayed was fiction. Film clips or readings can add stimulation. Thus, the audience is engaged by active, not passive learning. This a popular way to introduce complex topics in the curriculum and, I believe, some dynamism to your next Branch meeting.

The second idea involves food microbiology, one of the great subdisciplines of our science. The wondrous mixed microbial end products can be the facilitators for our discussion. Led by an appropriate moderator, your Branch will be introduced to the subtleties of developing great wines, cheeses, breads, salami, and, of course the experiment of almost every burgeoning microbiologist, beer. You need only pick one, for each of the foods is a science unto itself. To further enrich the discussion, ASM has collected a set of tremendous resources at Microbeworld.org to bring an added layer of complexity to your discussion or discourse on the topic. A recent entry to this collection is a video of a pilot program in Maryland where creameries that produce and sell cheese made from unpasteurized milk is described (http://microbeworld.org/index .php?option_com_library&view_article &id_1546). Whatever your views, this will be sure to generate discussion and reinforce why a Branch meeting is a worthy outing. The overarching goal of any Branch event is to provide the best programming and networking opportunities for members in a convenient venue. I hope these ideas will spur your planning committee to an event that attracts you to your next Branch meeting.

Not a Branch member, and still on the fence as to whether you should join? Use the events tab and other resources within the Community and ASM websites to find your Branch home. Whether you want frequent networking opportunities with peers or you seek interesting and inclusive scientific programming on a smaller scale, the 35 Branches of the ASM offer exceptional membership and professional value. From all of us involved in Branches, we hope to see you at a Branch event very soon. To learn of your next Branch participation opportunity go to http://www.asm.org /Membership/index.asp?bid_23253 or to the ASM website at http://www.asm.org, toggle the dropdown menu Membership/ Branches/Branch Meetings to discover upcoming Branch opportunities.

Michael G. Schmidt

Chair Branch Organization Committee