April 30, 2003                                 

Dear ISMRM Colleagues:

I am delighted to report that the Board of Trustees of our Society has voted to hold our rescheduled annual meeting in July of this year.  This decision reflects the wishes of our members, registrants, and exhibitors, who have encouraged us to serve the MR community with a strong scientific and education meeting in 2003. 

The 11th Annual Scientific Meeting and Exhibition will now be held July 10-16 at the excellent Metro Toronto Convention Centre.  The Scientific program will begin on Saturday, July 12 and extend through Wednesday, July 16.  This will be preceded by a two-day educational program on Thursday and Friday, July 10-11.

In the weeks leading up to our originally-planned meeting date in May, many factors have predicted a highly-successful program.  There have been record-breaking numbers of abstract submissions, preregistrations, and metrics of exhibitor participation.   The superb plan developed for the May meeting will serve as the template for the revised meeting.  Over the coming weeks, our Scientific Program Committee and Education Committee will be working intensively to renew that plan, with the goal of making the scientific, educational, business, and social events of the new program even better.

Please check the ISMRM website frequently over the coming days for constantly updated information about the Annual meeting.  You will be find instructions for rebooking or obtaining refunds of registration and hotel deposits, and a description of plans for reconfirming the participation of scientific, educational, and plenary participants.

I would like to personally thank the staff of our central office, the members of our Executive Committee and the members of our Board, who have been incredibly responsive.  They have worked tirelessly to respond to the challenges that we have faced.  The leadership of the Society is also grateful to the many scientific delegates, program faculty, and corporate sponsors who have contacted us with messages of support and encouragement to press ahead and to hold the best ISMRM Annual meeting ever!

Richard L. Ehman
President