Meeting Minutes
Torch Club of the Fox Valley
12 February 2015
Atlas Coffee Mill & Café
Notes taken by: Jude Kuenn, secretary
Attendees: Jim Baumbach, Nancy Bodway, Janet Wullner-Faiss Cloak, David Debbink, Marcia Debbink, Mary Flanagan, Paul Freiburg, Walt Hedges, Jean Jepson, Barbara Kelly, Bill Kelly, Jude Kuenn, Cam Maurice, Amy Oberg, Mary Paulson, Richard Schoenbohm, Webb Shaw, Jan Smith, Bob Swain, Helen Thiel, Peter Thiel, Scott Valitchka, Donna Weis
Guests: Katie Shaw, Marge Swain
BUSINESS MEETING
Meeting called to order at 6:45pm.
- Guests: Marge Swain and Katie Shaw were welcomed.
- Minutes from 01/08/15 meeting were accepted, motioned and approved.
- Treasurer’s report: 1/24/15 balance is $1,639.72. New member fee plus second half of the IATC annual dues was paid in January. Report was accepted, motioned and approved.
- New Business:
A: The Office Nomination Committee submitted this letter on 2/13/15:
“Madame Secretary, the Nominating Committee of the Torch Club of the Fox Valley submits the following office nominees for 2015-2016 year, and to be voted at the March 12, 2015 business meeting. The nominees are: Richard Schoenbohm-President, Paul Freiberg-Vice president, Barbara Kelly-Treasure, and Jude Kuenn-Secretary. Nominations can also be made from the floor.
The nominees named above need to appear on the agenda for the March 12th Torch meeting. The election of officers will be held at that meeting. The Nominating Committee consists of Peter Thiel, Chairman, Janet Cloak, and Dwight Easty.
Respectively submitted,
Peter Thiel, Chairman”
B. There was full approval of Marge Swain and Katie Shaw membership applications. Both were accepted as new members. - Announcements:
a. Annual IATC Convention will be 6/24-28/15, Holiday Inn Downtown, Lincoln, NE. This year’s theme is “Great Plains, Great Ideas”. Let Richard know if you are interested in representing us at the Convention. Delegate discussion will be on March meeting agenda. (Registration must be made by 6/01/15. Fees per person payable at time of registration are: $340 before 3/01/15; $350 before 4/01/15; $365 after 4/01/15.)
b. Amy shared the non-profit organization 501 (C) (3) application has changed, with a qualifying questionnaire (short form). Criteria for short form is <$5,000 annual income, and Articles of Incorporation in place. This type of non-profit status allows fundraising; and contributions are tax deductible. Filing cost is $400. Designation as 501 (C) (3) is immediate upon online completion, unless application is denied. Barb commented we are under IATC’s 501 (C) (7). Richard advised Board would review if (C) (3) would be advantageous for our Club.
c. Peter shared Helen and his valet experience at the PAC.
d. Jan advised “Beauty Beyond Nature: The Glass Art of Paul Stankard” exhibit concludes 2/15/15 at the Bergstrom-Mahler Museum of Glass. - Business segment adjourned at 7:00pm for dinner.
Amy Oberg presented “The Future of the Brain”
Called the ‘Age of the Brain’, Medicine and Science have learned more than ever about the brain in the last 10-15 years.
Research includes:
- BRAIN Initiative – U.S. 10 year research effort to revolutionize our understanding of the human mind and uncover new ways to treat, prevent, and cure brain disorders like Alzheimer’s, schizophrenia, autism, epilepsy, and traumatic brain injury.
- Human Brain Project (HBP) – Europe’s 10 year effort to create and use a computer simulation of brain function, recording the electronic behavior of each cell.
Human Connectome Project
Systems-based Neurotechnology for Emerging Therapies (SUBNETS)
Allen Institute for Brain Science - Current MRI – brain imagining which can predict a person’s human behavior
- Brain Implants – electronic devices to restore or supplement brain health
- Brain Machine Interface (BMI) – data picks up a person’s thought to execute
- Brain Gate – reads electrical impulses from brain
- Neural Dust – can read outside the brain
- Optogenetics- uses light to control brain’s neurons, manipulates brain circuitry
- Brain to Brain Interface (BBI) – allows thought exchange without verbal communication
- Synthetic Brains – Artificial Intelligence (AI) – predicting by 2045, AI will surpass organic brain activity
- Robots with self-awareness – a 2012 robot recognized itself in the mirror; by the end of the century, there will be a fully functional robot with emotive thought.
- Growing Brains – tissue engineers working on growing brain tissue
- Brain Transplants – raises ethical and moral questions: who is the person?
The Future of the Brain – its secrets will be revealed.
Next meeting is 3/12/15; speaker will be Jan Smith.