In 2022 the IMA President Group (former, past, present, future) decided
to create a "Mediation Committee" to be composed of colleagues
who have experience in IMA affairs and who are known for their diplomatic
and balanced approach to addressing potential problems. Any significant
concern involving nomenclature, the ratification of new minerals, or any
issue related to one of the other Commissions and Working Groups, or even
of a general nature, can now be addressed in this way. Representing a consortium
of well-known scientists, this committee will then discuss the problem
at hand, will ask one or more independent experts/referees for a written
expertise/report if necessary, and will then communicate the results to
the group of IMA Presidnets with a suggestion on how to solve the issue.
Any colleague who feels that a problem has arisen during interaction with
one of the groups constituting IMA can consult the Mediation Commitee.
This committee will then try to solve the problem with that particular
group. Please note that this committee is not a "decision-making committee"
and that prior to any consultation of the Mediation Committee, the IMA
group involved must first be contacted in order to attempt to find a solution.
The current members of the Mediation Committee, consisting of former medalists,
former presidents and other independent well-known scientists, are:
Christian Chopin (ENS, Paris)
Jane Gilotti (University of Iowa)
Catherine McCammon (Bavarian Research Institute)
Walter Maresch (Ruhr-University Bochum)
Please submit your concerns to: ima-mediation@mineralogy-ima.org
In case one of the members of the committee should retire, a new member
will be designated after discussion between the group of presidents of
IMA mentioned above and the remaining committee members.