Download high-res print ready photo

Positions Held

Dean of Agriculture, University of Kentucky, January 2001- present

Administrative Head for:

Kentucky Cooperative Extension Service

Kentucky Agricultural Experiment Station

Acting Dean, College of Human Environmental Sciences, 2002-2003

Interim Provost, University of Kentucky, May 2005- August 2006

Associate Dean for Research, Associate Director of the Experiment Station,

College of Agriculture, 1999-2000

Department of Agronomy, University of Kentucky

Chair, 1989-1999

Professor of Soil Biology, 1988-

Associate Professor, 1983-1988

Assistant Professor, 1978-1983

Education

B.A., Cornell University, 1971, biology

M.S., Cornell University, 1975, soil science

Ph.D., Michigan State University, 1978, soil microbiology

Personal Data

Born: July 7, 1949; Laconia, New Hampshire

Married: Susan Durisek Smith

Three daughters:  ages 25-31

Administrative Responsibilities

Dean and Director, College of Agriculture, University of Kentucky (appointed 1/1/01)

This position holds integrated administrative responsibilities for research, instruction and extension.  The dean also leads the Kentucky Agricultural Experiment Station and the Kentucky Cooperative Extension Service.  The total college budget from all sources approximates $150 million.  The college includes approximately 250 faculty, 400 county agents and almost 2,000 total employees.

The Cooperative Extension Service has offices, agents and support staff in all 120 Kentucky counties.  Kentucky extension continues to receive strong public support and enjoys levels of participation, volunteer support, and local extension funding among the highest in the nation.

Undergraduate enrollment is approximately 2,100 with controlled growth of 2-4% per year.  Graduate enrollment is approximately 400.  Innovative interdisciplinary majors in Biotechnology, Natural Resources Conservation and Management, and Equine Science and Management represent growth areas and have had significant positive impact on many academic aspects of the college.

The College of Agriculture has assumed a central position in several broad-based and visible research and technology-related initiatives.  College programs in plant science, equine and animal health, bioengineering, and community/economic development have figured prominently in, and been substantially supported by, the various state and national initiatives.  The college is a lead partner in Kentucky's massive investment in agricultural development (tobacco transition efforts and master tobacco settlement funding), leading us to a renewed emphasis on support for agricultural diversification and entrepreneurship.

In 2003, the College of Human Environmental Sciences merged with the College of Agriculture under my leadership.  Academic programs formerly in this college now operate within the School of Human Environmental Sciences.

Broadly defined administrative priorities include:

• Enhancing and more efficiently delivering support for local level extension programs
• Clearly defining appropriate areas of opportunity and need in research
• Sustaining quality of instructional programs while increasing diversity and productivity
• Expanding a more diverse base of funding support for all elements of our mission
• Building partnerships beyond the college to more responsively meet the rapidly changing needs of our constituents

Associate Dean for Research, Associate Director of the Experiment Station (1999-2000)

This position is responsible for day to day administration of all research and experiment station functions in the College of Agriculture.  I held the office for slightly less than two years.  Responsibilities, areas of emphasis and issues faced included:

• Grants development and administration
• Building competitive and non-competitive federal research funding
• Sustaining and upgrading research facilities
• Intellectual property issues and private sector relationships
• Transitions in commodity (particularly tobacco) supported programs
• Research faculty mentoring and professional development
• Communications and marketing of the college research mission

Professional Activities and Service

National and State

Chair and Chair-Elect, Budget and Advocacy Committee, Board on Agriculture Assembly, NASULGC/APLU, 2005-2009

Southern Region Chair, Administrative Heads of Agriculture, 2004-2005

Kentucky Agricultural Development Board (responsible for approximately $200 million to date in tobacco master settlement funds), 2001-

Kentucky Fair and Exposition Center Board of Directors (includes Kentucky International Convention Center), 2001-

Kentucky Farm Bureau Board of Directors, 2001-

University of Kentucky HealthCare Advisory Board 2004-2005 (all hospital, clinical enterprises)

Member of numerous additional state boards, advisory groups, and authorities, e.g.:

Kentucky Agricultural Resource Development Authority

Kentucky Board on Agriculture

Board on Purchase of Acquired Conservation Easements

Southern Association of Agricultural Experiment Station Directors,

Chair-Elect, 2000.

ESCOP Committee on Advocacy and Marketing, 2000.

Southern Region Advisory Committee (SRAC-1, Agronomy Chairs)

Secretary, 1995-6; Chair, 1996-1998

Wharton School, Univ. of Pennsylvania - Institute for Research on Higher Education,

Completed the Executive Education Program, 1998

Visiting Professor, Univ. of California, Berkeley 1984-1985.

Fellow, Soil Science Society of America, 2002.

Division Chair, Soil Sci. Soc. Am. S-3, 1987-1988.

Technical Editor, Soil Sci. Soc. Am. J., 1991-1996.

Associate Editor, Soil Sci. Soc. Am. J., 1988-1990.

Fellow, American Society of Agronomy, elected 1990.

Over 50 university-level committees or appointments

More than 250 invited speeches and presentations in Kentucky since 2000.

More than 50 invited presentations or panels related to scientific activities, in Kentucky and elsewhere

Professional international experience: Indonesia, Dominican Republic, France

Instructional and Academic Activities

Undergraduate

Courses:

• AGR 566, Soil Microbiology, 1978-1989
• GEN 104, Plants and People, Fall 1983
• GEN 300, Natural Resource Conservation, Junior Seminar, Spring 1991-1995

Co-originator and first Steering Committee Chair, major in Natural Resource Conservation and Management, 1993-1995.

Co-directed merger of Agronomy and Horticulture majors to form new Plant and Soil Science major.

Graduate programs

Directed formation, first Director of Graduate Studies, Plant and Soil Science Program, 1994-1999.

Director of Graduate Studies, Soil Science, 1985-1989

Degrees completed as advisor or co-advisor: 5 Ph.D., 4 M.S. Service on committee for over 25 students.

Instructor: AGR 660, Advanced Soil Biology, alternate years through 1989.

Extramural Funding and Development

As Dean and Associate Dean

Lead college development and advancement efforts

Second UK college to reach campaign goal of $100 million

Value of college endowment peaked in 2008 at $99 million

Coordinate Federal Special Grants and earmarked funding programs.  I conceptualized research areas, designated faculty PIs, and provided administrative leadership.  Prior to FY 2000 there was no college funding in this category.  Current value at approximately $45 million/year

Administer college and station extramural funding programs.  Grant awards increased from approximately $6 million in 1996 to about $34 million in 2008.

Principal Investigator: The Kentucky Natural Products Alliance, National Science Foundation, 2002-2004, $600,000.

Brought about the re-establishment of a USDA-ARS FAPRU Laboratory

As Chair or Faculty member

Co-Fund Raiser: Star Scientific Endowed Chair in Plant Biochemistry, 1999-2000

Principal Author: "Plant Sciences: Research, Graduate Education, and Technology Transfer for Kentucky's Future," 1998-(recurring funding), $400,000/yr new funds, $400,000 reallocated funds, $715,000 non-recurring, Kentucky Research Challenge Trust Initiative

Initial Proposal Coordinator: "Plant Biotechnology Initiative," 1997, $50,000, UK Research and Graduate Studies

Coordinated Fund Raising: "Brown and Williamson Endowment," support of applied research for benefit of Kentucky family farms, $500,000 endowment, 1998-1999

Principal Investigator:  "Graphite Furnace Atomic Absorption Spectrophotometer," University Major Equipment Competition, 1994, $35,000

Principal Fund Raiser:  "Initiative in Burley Tobacco Production and Management," 1992-1995, $169,000, Industrial Funding Sources

Fund Raiser:  Gifts to Support A New Position in Turfgrass Teaching and Research," 1994-1996, $65,000 committed, Kentucky Turf Council

Principal Investigator: "Germplasm Improvement of Tall Fescue," USDA Cooperative Agreement, 1991-1993, $150,000

Principal Investigator: "Ecology of Soil Denitrifiers" NSF 1986-1989, $180,000

Co-investigator: "Automated Mass Spectrometer," NSF Major Equipment Grants, 1989-1990, $95,000

Principal Investigator:  "Abatement of Nitrate Pollution from Cropland Using Legume Cover Crops with No-Till Corn,"  Water Resources Institute, 1985-1986, $15,000

Co-investigator:  "Nitrogen Dynamics under No Tillage and Chisel Plow Soil Management," TVA, 1987-1990, $36,000

Co-investigator:  "Effects of DCD, and Depth of N Placement on Nitrogen Use Efficiency with No-Tillage Agriculture," 1982-1984, $30,000

Principal Investigator:  "Tillage and Inoculation Effects on Grain Legumes in the Dominican Republic," USDA-AID Competitive Grant: 1982-1984; $42,000

Principal Investigator:  "Movement of Bacteria Through Macropores to Groundwater," Supported by Water Resources Research Institute: 1982-1983; $11,000

Co-investigator:  "Modeling of Soil Nitrogen Mobility and Transformations Under No-Tillage and Conventional Tillage Systems," USDA-SEA Cooperative Agreement: 1981-1983; $47,000

Principal Investigator:  "Microbial Reduction of Nitrate and Production of Nitrite in Tobacco,"  USDA-SEA Cooperative Agreement:  1981, 1983; $46,000

Principal Investigator:  "Soil Nitrogen Transformations Under No-Tillage and Conventional Tillage,"  Supported by USDA-SEA: 1980-1984; $65,000

Principal Investigator:  "Quality of Soybean Inoculants and Methods of Their Application," Kentucky Soybean Fund Association: 1980-1981, extended 1982; $19,000

Publications

In Refereed Journals (* indicates student or staff first-author under my direction)

Smith, M.S., A.J. Francis and J.M. Duxbury.  1977.  Collection and analysis of organic gases from natural ecosystems.  Environmental Science and Technology 11:51-55.

Smith, M.S., M.K. Firestone and J.M. Tiedje.  1978.  The acetylene inhibition method for short-term measurement of soil denitrification and its evaluation using Nitrogen-13.  Soil Sci. Soc. Amer. J. 42:611-615.

Smith, M.S. and J.M. Tiedje.  1979.  Phases of denitrification following oxygen depletion in soil.  Soil Biol. Biochem. 11:261-267.

Tiedje, J.M., R.B. Firestone, M.K. Firestone, M.R. Betlach, M.S. Smith and W.H. Caskey.  1979.  Methods for the production and use of Nitrogen-13 in studies of denitrification.  Soil Sci. Soc. Am. J. 43:709-716.

Firestone, M.K., M.S. Smith, R.B. Firestone and J.M. Tiedje.  1979.  The influence of nitrate, nitrite and oxygen on the composition of the gaseous products of denitrification in soil.  Soil Sci. Soc. Am. J. 43:1140-1144.

Smith, M.S. and M.J. Tiedje.  1979.  The effects of roots on soil denitrification.  Soil Sci. Soc. Am. J. 43:951-955.

Smith, M.S. and J.M. Tiedje.  1980.  Growth and survival of antibiotic-resistant denitrifier strains in soil.  Can. J. Microbiol.  26:854-856.

Smith, M.S. and K. Zimmerman.  1981.  Nitrous oxide production by non-denitrifying soil nitrate reducers.  Soil Sci. Soc. Am. J. 45:865:871.

Smith, M.S.  1982.  Dissimilatory reduction of N02- to NH4+ and N20 by a soil Citrobacter sp. Appl. Environ. Microbiol. 43:854-860.

Vincent, J.E.* and M.S. Smith.  1982.  Evaluation of inoculant viability on commercially inoculated and coated legume seed.  Agronomy J. 74:921-923.

Rice, C.W.* and M.S. Smith.  1982.  Denitrification in no-till and plowed soils.  Soil Sci. Soc. J. 46:1168-1173.

Blevins, R.L., G.W. Thomas, M.S. Smith, W.W. Frye and P.L. Cornelius.  1983.  Changes in soil properties after 10 years non-tilled and conventionally tilled corn.  Soil and Tillage Res. 3:135-146.

Smith, M.S.  1983.  Nitrous oxide production by Escherichia coli is correlated with nitrate reductase activity.  Appl. Environ. Microbiol. 45:1545-1547.

Blevins, R.L., M.S. Smith, G.W. Thomas and W.W. Frye.  1983.  Influence of conservation tillage on soil properties.  J. Soil Water Conserv. 38:301-307.

Rice, C.W.* and M.S. Smith.  1983.  Nitrification of fertilizer and mineralized ammonium in no-till and plowed soil.  Soil Sci. Soc. Am. J. 47:1125-1129.

Rice, C.W.* and M.S. Smith.  1984.  Short-term immobilization of surface applied nitrogen in no-till and plowed soils.  Soil Sci. Soc. Am. J. 48:295-297.

Kitur, B.K., M.S. Smith, R.L. Blevins and W.W. Frye.  1984.  Fate of 15N-depleted ammonium nitrate applied to no-tillage and conventional tillage corn.  Agron. J. 76:240-242.

White, R.E., G.W. Thomas and M.S. Smith.  1984.  Modeling water flow through undisturbed soil cores using a transfer function model from 3HOH and Cl transport.  J. Soil Sci. 35:159-168.

Rice, C.W.*, M.S. Smith and J.M. Crutchfield.  1984.  Inorganic N analysis of soil extracts by automated and distillation procedures.  Comm. In Soil Sci. Plant Anal. 15:663-672.

Smith, M.S., G.W. Thomas, R.E. White and M.D. Ritonga.  1985.  Transport of Escherichia coli through intact soil columns. J. Environ. Quality 14:87-91.

Smith M.S. and L.L. Parsons.  1985.  Persistence of denitrifying enzyme activity in dried soils.  Appl. Environ. Microbiol. 49:316-320.

Smith, G.B. and M.S. Smith. 1985.  Symbiotic and free-living denitrification by Bradyrhizobium japonicum.  Soil Sci. Soc. Am. J. 50:349-354.

Huntington, T.G.*, M.S. Smith, G.W. Thomas,R.L. Blevins and A. Perez. 1985.  Response of Phaseolus vulgaris to inoculation with Rhizobium phaseoli under two tillage systems in the Dominican Republic.  Plant and Soil 95:77-85.

Rice, C.W.*, M.S. Smith and R.L. Blevins.  1986.  Soil nitrogen availability after long-term continuous no-tillage and conventional tillage corn production.  Soil Sci. Soc. Am. J. 50:1206-1210.

Parsons, L.L.*, M.S. Smith, J.L. Hamilton and C.T. MacKown. 1986.  Nitrate reduction during curing and processing of burley tobacco.  Tobacco Science 30:100-103.

MacKown, C.T., P.D. Brooks and M.S. Smith.  1987.  Diffusion of nitrogen-15 Kjeldahl digests for isotope analysis.  Soil Sci. Soc. Am. J. 51:87-90.

Rice, C.W.*, J.H. Grove and M.S. Smith.  1987.  Estimating soil net nitrogen mineralization as affected by tillage and soil drainage due to topographic position.  Can. J. Soil Sci. 67:513-520.

Germann, P.F., M.S. Smith and G.W. Thomas.  1987.  Kinematic wave approximation to the transport of Escherichia coli in the vadose zone.  Water Resources Research 23:1281-1287.

Martin, K.*, L.L. Parsons, R.E. Murray and M.S. Smith.  1988.  Dynamics of soil denitrifier populations:Relationships between enzyme activity, population counts and actual N gas loss.  Appl. Environ. Microbiol. 54:2711-2716.

Varco, J.J., W.W. Frye, M.S. Smith and C.T. MacKown.  1989.  Tillage effects on nitrogen recovery by corn from a N15-labelled legume cover crop.  Soil Sci. Soc. Am. J. 53:822-827.

Smith, M.S., C.W. Rice, and E.A. Paul. 1989.  Metabolism of labeled organic nitrogen in soil: Regulation by inorganic nitrogen.  Soil Sci. Soc. Am. J. 53:768-773.

Parsons, L.L.* and M.S. Smith.  1989.  Microbial utilization of 14-C glucose in aerobic vs. anaerobic denitrifying soils.  Soil Sci. Soc. Am. J. 53:1082-1085.

Murray, R.E.*, L.L. Parsons and M.S. Smith, 1989.  Kinetics of nitrate utilization by mixed populations of denitrifying bacteria.  App. Environ. Microbiol. 55:717-721.

McCracken, D.V.*, S.J. Corak, M.S. Smith, W.W. Frye and R.L. Blevins.  1989.  Residual effects of winter cover cropping and fertilization on nitrogen availability Soil Sci. Soc. Am. J. 53:1459-1464.

Potter, D.A., A.J. Powell and M.S. Smith. 1990. Decomposition of turfgrass thatch by earthworms and other soil invertebrates. J. Econ. Entomol. 83:205-211.

Murray, R.F.*, L.L.Parsons and M.S. Smith. 1990. Aerobic and anaerobic growth of rifampicin-resistant denitrifying bacteria in soil. Appl. Environ. Microbiol. 56:322-328.

Parsons, L.L.*, R.E. Murray and M.S. Smith. 1991. Soil denitrification dynamics: Spatial and temporal variations of enzyme activity, populations, and nitrogen gas loss. Soil Sci. Soc. Am. J. 55:90-95.

Corak, S.J., W.W. Frye and M.S. Smith. 1991. Legume mulch and nitrogen fertilizer effects on soil water and corn production.  Soil Sci. Soc. Am. J. 55:1395-1400.

Varco, J.J., J.H. Grove, W.W. Frye, and M.S. Smith. 1991.  Nitrogen availability from alfalfa suppressed or killed for no-till production.  Commun. Soil Sci. Plant Anal. 22:1527-1535.

Corak, S.J.*, M.S. Smith and C.T. MacKown. 1992. Fate of 15N-labeled legume and ammonium nitrogen sources in a soil-plant system.  Commun. Soil Sci. Plant Anal. 23:631-642.

Murray, R.E.*, L.L. Parsons, and M.S. Smith. 1993.  Competition between two isolates of denitrifying bacteria added to soil.  Appl. Environ. Microbiol. 58:3890-3895.

Varco, J.J., W.W. Frye, M.S. Smith, and C.T. MacKown. 1993.  Tillage effects on legume decomposition and transformation of legume and fertilizer nitrogen.  Soil Sci. Soc. Am. J. 57:750-756.

McCracken, D.V.*, M.S. Smith, J.H. Grove, C.T. MacKown, and R.L. Blevins, 1994.  Nitrate leaching as influenced by cover cropping and nitrogen source.  Soil Sci. Soc. Am. J. 58: 1476-1483.

Mundy, V., L.J. Grabau, and M.S. Smith, 1999. The evaluation of teaching: I. Methods of assessment in plant and soil science and agricultural economics departments. J. Nat. Resour. Life Sci. Educ. 28:31-36.

Bhavsar, V. M., L.J. Grabau, and M.S. Smith, 2000.  Peer review of teaching: Lessons learned from the University of Kentucky. J. Nat. Resour. Life Sci. Educ. 29:36-40.

Book Chapters

Tiedje, J.M., M.K. Firestone, M.S. Smith, M.R. Betlach and R.B. Firestone.  1978.  Short-term measurement of denitrification rates in soils using N and acetylene inhibition methods.  In M.N. Loutit and J.A. R. Miles (ed.) Proc. Life Sciences - Microbial Ecology, Springer-Verlag; pages 132-137.

Blevins, R.L., G.W. Thomas and M.S. Smith.  1984.  Changes in soil properties under no-tillage.  In R.E. Phillips and S.H. Phillips (eds.) No-tillage Agriculture:  Principles and Practices.  Van Nostrand Reinhold Co.; pages 190-230.

Doran, J.W. and M.S. Smith.  1987.  Organic matter management and utilization of soil and fertilizer nutrients. In Soil Fertility and Organic Matter as Critical Components of Production Systems.  S.S.S.A. Spec. Pub. no.19.

Smith, M.S. and C.W. Rice.  1984.  Soil Biology and biochemical N transformations in no-till soils.  In W. Lockeretz (ed.) Environmentally Sound Agriculture, Praeger.

Smith, M.S. and C.W. Rice.  1985.  The role of microorganisms in the soil nitrogen cycle.  In M.J. Mitchell (ed.) Microfloral and Faunal Interactions in Natural and Agro-ecosystems.  Martinus-Nijhoff.

Blevins, R.L., W.W. Frye and M.S. Smith  1985.  The effects of conservation tillage on soil properties.  In F.M. D'Itri (ed.) A Systems Approach to Conservation Tillage.  Kellogg Biological Station, MI.

Smith, M.S., W.W. Frye and J.J. Varco.  1987.  Legume winter cover crops.  In B.A. Stewart (ed.) Advances in Soil Science, Springer-Verlag.

Smith, M.S., W.W.Frye, S.J.Corak and J.J. Varco. 1987. Abatement of nitrate pollution in groundwater and surface runoff from cropland using legume cover crops with no-till corn. In F.M. D'Itri and L.G. Wolfson (eds.) Rural Groundwater Contamination. Lewis Publishers Inc.

Smith, M.S. and R.L. Blevins.  1987.  Effect of conservation tillage on biological and chemical soil conditions: Regional and Temporal variability.  In T.J. Logan, J.M. Davidson, J.L. Baker and M.R. Overcash (eds.)  Effects of Conservation Tillage on groundwater Quality.  Lewis Publishers.

Frye, W.W., J.J. Varco, R.L. Blevins, M.S. Smith and S.J. Corak.  1988.  Role of annual legume cover crops in efficient use of water and nitrogen.  In W.L. Hargrove (ed).  Cropping strategies for efficient use of water and nitrogen.  American Society of Agronomy, Madison.

Thomas, G.W., M.S. Smith, and R.E. Phillips.  1989. Impact of soil management practices on nitrogen leaching.  In R.E. Follett (ed.) Nitrogen Management and Groundwater Protection. Elsevier.

Duxbury, J.M., M.S. Smith, and J.W. Doran.  1989.  Organic matter as a source and a sink of plant nutrients.  In D.C. Coleman, J.M. Oades, G. Uehara (eds.) Dynamics of Soil Organic Matter in Tropical Ecosystems. U. of Hawaii Press.

Samples of  additional publications

Smith, M.S. (ed.) Agronomy Research Report. 1990, 1992, 1994.

Smith, M.S.  Guide to Graduate Programs in Plant and Soil Science.  1995.

Wells, K. and S. Smith (ed.).  Agronomy Extension Programs.  1995

Sims, J.L., D.B. Egli and M.S. Smith.  Inoculation of soybeans.  U.K. Extension Publication AGR-80.

Smith, M.S.  1981.  Review of "Denitrification, Nitrification, and Atmospheric Nitrous Oxide." (Invited book review).

Giddens, J.E. et al.  1982.  Legume Inoculation in the Southeastern U.S.A.  Southern Cooperative Series Bulletin No. 283.

Smith, M.S.  1982.  Nitrogen Value from Plowing a Sod.  Soil Science News and Views.

Smith, M.S. and V.P. Evangelou.  1982.  Improving water quality in sediment ponds:  Consequence of neutralizing acidity with ammonia.  Reclamation News and Views.

Smith, M.S., K.L. Wells and G.W. Thomas.  Fertilization and Liming of Corn.  U.K. Extension Publication AGR-105.

Smith, M.S.  1983.  Quality of legume inoculants.  Soil Science News and Views.

Smith, M.S.  1983.  Inoculation of legumes used in reclamation.  Reclamation News and Views. 1(a)

Phillips. R.E., K.L. Wells, W.W. Frye, R.L. Blevins, M.S. Smith, G.W. Thomas, and S.H. Phillips.  1985.  No-Tillage:  An old idea with new life.  Science of Food and Agriculture 3:23-27.

Corak, S.J., W.W. Frye, M.S. Smith, J.H. Grove and C.T. MacKown.  1987.  Fertilizer nitrogen recovery by no-till corn as influenced by a legume cover crop.  In J.F. Power (ed.).  The Role of Legumes in Conservation Tillage Systems:Proceedings of a National Conference Athens, GA.

Thomas, G.W., R.L. Blevins, R.E. Phillips, W.W. Frye, J.H. Grove,

and M.S. Smith.  1982.  Concerning the "Long-Term Tillage Effects of Interrow Runoff and Infiltration."  Soil Sci. Soc. Am. J. 46:884-885.

Varco, J.J., W.W. Frye, M.S. Smith and J.H. Grove.  1987.  Legume nitrogen transformation and recovery by corn as influenced by tillage.  In J.F. Power (ed.).  The Role of Legumes in Conservation Tillage Systems:Proceedings of a National Conference.  Athens, Ga.

Smith, M.S. 1987.  A Review of "Microbial Autecology" A.S.M. News.  53:521.

Smith, M.S. and J.Taraba. 1991. Water Quality in Kentucky. Video, approximately 25 minutes.

Wells, K.L.,G.W. Thomas, J.L. Sims and M.S. Smith. 1991. Managing soil nitrates for agronomic efficiency and environmental protection.  AGR-147.

Also, about 50 abstracts or papers read at national meetings.