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+ + + Reflections on TSG - and thanks + + + The TSG annual meeting at Leicester UK, this week, was terrific! On behalf of everyone, I'd like to thank the organisers, Dickson Cunningham, Richard England, Steve Temperley & co who made it work so well. Anxieties have been expressed recently about attendance, and we no longer see the 200+ people of the late 1980s, because of a reduced population in structure and tectonics. But instead of looking backwards to former big meetings in large lecture theatres, where not everyone could speak, isn't it better to think of some of the positive advantages of small meeting, that have been demonstrated so well at Leicester? For those of you unable to attend, you missed one of the friendliest and most constructive TSG AGMs for years, all held in a single comfortable venue. The untiered lecture room and comfy chairs had the effect of producing some of the best (as well as good-natured and unintimidating) discussion I have experienced at any conference. Somehow, it seemed to be the ideal number and mix of people, so that everyone - whatever their 'rank' - had a chance to talk to each other and discuss their science. You might wonder why I'm writing this at all. But several people (including those who didn't attend this time) have reported that their senior colleagues now urge them NOT to go to local specialist study group meetings, but instead should go to big international meetings (AGU, AAPG, GSA, EUG, etc.). That seems to me to be bad advice, which we need to guard against. In terms of time, money and scientific content, the Leicester TSG wins as a "best buy". The total costs were less than the GSA meeting registration at the Boston, which I attended last November. I generally find the interesting science spread quite thinly at big meetings, whereas at TSG Leicester we had two and a half days of tip-top talks on structure and tectonics, plus posters, and socialising (networking) in between and into the night. This is also a meeting where people can participate, even if they do not have a formal lecture to give, as demonstrated by John Ramsay and others. So I say to all those folk in the UK and elsewhere, who have dropped off from going to TSG conferences in recent years, or have been persuaded that "bigger is better", please think again. Small can be beautiful. I think we need to maintain the TSG AGM as the priority meeting for researchers in structure and tectonics in Britain, and a definite "must" for all our research students. If we can get funding for big international meetings, all the better: but don't let's make it either/or. Another point worth making is the value people from abroad place on our style of TSG annual meetings. And I hope I speak for everyone in saying how much we value their attendance and participation, too. Although the numbers from the UK have been slowly decreasing in recent years, to some extent this has been offset by increased attendance from mainland Europe. At Leicester we welcomed and enjoyed contributions from Czechoslovakia, Belgium, Germany, Sweden, Italy, and many other countries. You will soon hear about the plans for next year's AGM at Liverpool, for a change to be held at the Adelphi Hotel (as seen on TV), organised by Dave Prior and others. I hope some of the comments above may persuade a few old faces to return, especially if this message is passed on to colleagues. Best wishes for 2002, Sue Treagus Dr S.H. Treagus Department of Earth Sciences University of Manchester Manchester M13 9PL U.K. Tel: 0161 275 3822 Fax: 0161 275 3947 (from overseas: 44 161 275 3947) Email: [log in to unmask] (Using Pegasus Mail)