ISMRM now has a 500-seat licence with Adobe Connect to offer this service, so you should henceforth never have a problem joining the online conversation, especially if you use the VJC events as a group educational experience, as we do in Oxford. And if you do miss a VJC event then you can find them in the ISMRM archive. These truly are an outstanding opportunity for you to learn about the latest trends in our field by. . .read more

Spotlight on ISMRM Online Education

We are happy to announce a new online learning system, provided free to members for both ISMRM and SMRT Education. This new website, developed and maintained by the ISMRM, offers members the ability to track attendance and evaluate events like the ISMRM and SMRT Annual Meetings, store and save copies of credit certificates issued for Society activities, and engage in new learning opportunities through a Catalog of new online courses.  This is a milestone marking years of development from both organizations and is offered as part of your member benefits through a strategic partnership with Learning Management software developer DigitalIgnite. All users can keep track of their learning history and customize searches for new courses based on content area, Society membership or CE credit offered.

The ISMRM is currently offering five courses free to members, and many more are in development. Members can login and begin learning today.

ISMRM members should visit www.ISMRM.org/ismrmeducation
SMRT members should visit www.ismrm.org/smrt/smrted

CME and SA-CME offerings
The ISMRM is also announcing our first online CME-certified educational course. . .read more

Helium Crisis Averted (at least for now!)

Many members of ISMRM will already be aware of another recent congressional crisis that had the potential to affect our field adversely. But for those who did not follow the story, here is a short summary:

Despite helium being the second most abundant element in the universe, it is a valuable commodity here on earth. It is extracted as a by-product of natural gas production, and of course has found use in NMR and MRI because of its low boiling temperature, making it ideal for use in cooling superconducting wire contained in magnets.

In the 1920s the US Government created a reserve of helium in Amarillo, Texas, anticipating its strategic importance in the new fashion of airship travel. However, that use never took off (so to speak!) and by the 1990s Congress was concerned that the debt accumulated by creating and storing this helium should be paid off. In 1996 it was decided that the Federal Helium Reserve should be sold off until such time as the debts incurred had been paid off.

Earlier in 2013 the costs of the facility were paid off, and so under the original legislation the facility was obliged to cease providing helium to commercial sources on October 7^th this year. Since the Government source of helium represents about 30% of the world’s supply at present (and over 40% of the US domestic supply), and since there are . . .read more

Rising Stars

Spotlight on ISMRM Workshop on Dynamic MR Imaging & Spectroscopy of Psychiatric Illness

Events Showcase

Preparations are underway for the 2014 Joint Annual Meeting ISMRM-ESMRMB to be held in Milan, Italy, 10-16 May 2014.  The meeting site is now open at http://www.ismrm.org/14 where you will find the Letter from the Program Chair, Derek K. Jones, as well as Important Dates & Deadlines. . .are you preparing for the 13 November 2013 abstract deadline?  We are only two weeks away!  The Preliminary Program at a Glance, outlining the education which has been carefully constructed by our Vice Program Chair, Christine Chung, and her team of organizers, is also available.  Housing & Registration are also now open.  We encourage you to start planning early. 

There are a lot of new initiatives this year, so please take some time and review the website as well as monitor it as new information is being added regularly.

We look forward to seeing you in Milan!