Association for the Development of Aerospace Medicine

HISTORY OF ADAM:

In July 1999, the Third United Nations conference on the Exploration and Peaceful Uses of Outer Space (UNISPACE III) took place in Vienna, Austria. The Space Generation Forum (SGF) was a youth conference associated with UNISPACE III, involving 160 young delegates from 60 countries. Brainstorming sessions were held at the SGF to generate recommendations to the United Nations for peaceful uses of space. One of these sessions was on the topic of space medicine. Approximately ten people from around the world (Croatia, Hungary, Australia, Sri Lanka, Austria, Ireland, Canada, and the U.S.) took part in the discussions which led to the recommendation that an international centre for space medicine be created.

Three of the Canadian delegates from SGF (Marlene Grenon, Carol Chahine, and Rachel Zimmerman) returned home to Montreal after the conference and began implementing this recommendation by founding an organization at McGill University called ADAM, the Association for the Development of Aerospace Medicine. In September 1999, ADAM became a full status club under the Students' Society of McGill University (SSMU) and was also officially recognized by the Faculty of Medicine at McGill University.

ADAM lapsed in 2003, and was revived in November 2004.

ADAM's original founders:

Marlene Grenon, Carol Chahine, and Rachel Zimmerman

ADAM MISSION STATEMENT:

In the interest of promoting space medicine and its applications for the benefits of humankind, on Earth and in space, we commit to providing an international, intercultural, and interdisciplinary approach to the dissemination of knowledge in aerospace medical sciences and to the development of state-of-the-art space medicine in support of future space exploration.

OBJECTIVES:

* To provide a forum for lectures given by its members on both fundamental and clinical research in the field of space medicine and on other related issues.
* To organise lectures with guest speakers including astronauts, flight surgeons and other leading experts in the field of space.
* To make aerospace medicine and space issues more available to children and the public in general through a space education program.
* To encourage the formation of ADAM chapters at universities and centers around the world.
* To participate in the coordination of regional, national and international conferences on space medicine with other University chapters.
* To encourage all of its members to attend meetings and conferences held by outside organisations in the field of space medicine.
* To collaborate with other organisations including the United Nations Youth Advisory Council to the United Nations Committee On the Peaceful Uses of Outer Space, UNCOPUOS.
* To establish a discussion forum on the ADAM webpage, thus allowing researchers/scientists from around the world to transfer ideas, brainstorm and collaborate on issues in the field of space medicine.