We are mid-way at the first session (April-June) of the Internet Conference on Integrated Bio-Systems (ICIBS) and today we will start the 7th paper discussion and with 5 more to go (http://home2.swipnet.se/~w-25860/icibs/prog-reg.htm). This is based on the published paper in Ecological Engineering (vol 6, 109-136, 1996) on "The design of living technologies for waste treatment" by John Todd and Beth Josephson. Dr. John Todd is an eminent Canadian scientist and operates through a non-profit research organization called  "Ocean Arks International" at Falmouth in Massachusetts, USA. Unfortunately I am unable to introduce Dr. Beth Josephson since I was not provided with any information about her, so I look forward for her self-introduction to the mailing list. In the audience, we also have some colleagues of John Todd, they are Rebecca Hill and Richard Boylan and I look forward to their support during the paper discussion too.

The uses of greenhoused and controlled-environment task-oriented mescocosms will definitely increase in number especially in countries that dont have year-round warmth and sunshine. The design of vertical systems will also be a prominent feature in the future as land becomes scarce and expensive due to extensive urbanization; such complexes will eventually be designed on the roof-top of a multi-stored  building or even be located in the middle of it. As the resources or wastes are generated in cities, such mesocosms will probably be an urban feature of the future.

We are therefore privileged to have the authors at the Internet Conference and I am sure we can also look forward to an interesting paper discussion.

welcome
Jacky Foo
ICIBS Secretariat