1. The main item of business for September is to begin the election process for 2 new at-large RSAI Council committee members for 2009-2011. Potential candidates need to send me a half page CV and need to be supported by an e-mail from a proposer and seconder (both of whom must be RSAI members). Nominations and supporting e-mails please to Graham Clarke at:  rsai@leeds.ac.uk <mailto:rsai@leeds.ac.uk>  by Monday 3rd

November please. If there are more than 2 candidates then an election will be held in November/December.

2. We also invite nominations for the award of RSAI Fellows for 2009. RSAI members are invited to nominate distinguished scholars for consideration to become 2009 Fellows of RSAI. The nomination process can be initiated by any member of RSAI and consists of a letter of nomination, detailing the scientific merit and contribution of the nominee and an up to date curriculum vitae if possible. Current Fellows are not allowed to submit nominations. To ensure full consideration by the committee, these materials should be provided in electronic format (pdf preferred) by January 31, 2009 to Richard Arnott, Chair 2009 Fellows Election Committee at:    richard.arnott@ucr.edu

3. Please also consider nominations for the Nijkamp young scholar from the developing World award and the Kohno award for service to RSAI. Further details are available on the RSAI web site.

4. We are delighted to announce the re-birth of the RSAI newsletter. The editor will be Eveline van Leeuwen from the Free University, Amsterdam. We hope the first edition will be available for members by Christmas 2008. If you have news items (serious or fun) and/or pictures of RSAI events etc then please e-mail to the Exec Dir at rsai@leeds.ac.uk or direct to Eveline at eleeuwen@feweb.vu.nl

Best wishes

Graham Clarke

Exec Dir. RSAI