TRTF: The Round Table Foundation

RTF was created by scientists of different fields. Its var­ious Chapters pro­mote learn­ing and teach­ing, inter­disci­plinary science and research, sup­port academia and inter­cul­tural under­stand­ing, and aid the young:

   Ethics and Philosophy,
   Scientific Communication (Science Voiced),
   EMRF,
   Humanitarian Aid.

TRTF's Mission has been codified in the Foundation's statutes. Its Latin motto is: TRTF • Tabula Rotunda – Tabula Fecunda (sit): A round table should be a creative table. By the way: As the picture shows, a round table need not ne­cess­ari­ly be an oak table, but not any table does.

The President of TRTF, Peter A. Rinck, summarized the main mission features of the Foundation after this year's annual Council Meeting. Read the Letter from the President.

Exemplary Groups

he Pro Academia Prize. In today's science and research, places of quiet discussion free from strife are rare, and, though generally preached, broad-based interdisciplinary exchange usually remains minor-league. Single outstanding scientists have become a rarity.

They still exist; however, in most cases research and academia require teams, organized as a network of groups with a common interest. Leading individuals, with a clear research orientation, forge successful groups and networks with accomplished and com­pe­tent researchers.

The Pro Academia Prize is bestowed on one or several academic groups that serve as an example. The next prize decision is expected in mid-2019. ... more

EMRF: New Structure and Policies

MRF, the European Magnetic Resonance Forum, is the oldest scientific institution in Europe de­vot­ed to inter­dis­ciplinary medical and biological magnetic resonance, bridging the gap between the exact scien­ces and me­di­cine. No com­mer­cial com­panies have any vested interest in EMRF and its mem­ber­ship branch ESMR.

After its incorporation into TRTF in 2007, the or­ga­ni­zation an­nounc­ed the adoption of a new structure and mission stra­te­gy. As a Chapter of TRTF, the Forum has reorganized its acti­vities and extended its teaching program to the internet.

Its Euro­pean Mag­ne­tic Re­so­nance Award has merged into the Pro Academia Prize; in the future, the Award will only be bestowed in very special cases. EMRF's status as an independent institution within TRTF will remain untouched.

   More about EMRF.

Virtual Campus Initiative

–Learning and Interactive e-Teaching. At its annual meeting, the Council of The Round Table Foun­da­tion has decided to discontinue its virtual classroom for teaching scientific English. All other activities in the framework of the Virtual Campus Initiative will be continued. More about this decision will explained by the President in his Letter from the President.

Magnetic Resonance Textbook

–Textbook on the Web. After the tremendous suc­cess of the English e-Learning website Magnetic Resonance, Spanish and Chinese translations are avail­able too as beta versions.

TRTF's magnetic resonance learning website is a complete, independent – and free, open access – basic magnetic resonance textbook, to look up specific questions or to learn the fundamentals step-­by-­step. It includes a glossary and a list of acronyms. The 11th was released in summer 2017 in English, 34 years after this popular textbook of the European Magnetic Resonance Forum (EMRF) was published the first time.

For the time being, the 11th version will be the last web-edition. In spring 2018 (corrected reprint 2019), the 12 edition was published as a completely revised, updated and enlarged printed version. Additional news is given in the Letter from the President.

New Serial Publications

ow there are two publications under the roof of TRTF. In 2015, the learned columns pub­li­cation Rinckside (ISSN 2364-3889) has been incorporated into the chapter structure of TRTF. Its Editorial Board has been enlarged.

The 30-year old column on “Imaging, Science, and Beyond” is published several times per year at irregular intervals both in an electronic and a printed version and is an officially citable scientific journal – small, but present. It is listed by the German National Library as a serial publication, and registered with the ISSN International Center in Paris. For some years, most of the columns are also published by Aunt Minnie Europe, a medical community internet site.

Rinckside was revamped and got a face-lift in 2019 and widened its scope by opening a multilingual daughter site, A Small Café. It is meant to be a plea­sant and inspiring small virtual academic meeting place on literature, philosophy, criti­cism, chron­icles, discourse and debate and open to a wide range of authors.

... more

Groundwork for the Future

n Investment. "There is no finer investment for  any community than putting milk into babies," Winston Churchill once stated. TRTF goes beyond milk; a little breakfast and lunch, teaching how to brush your teeth, and a basis of reading, writing, singing – at TRTF's South American branch in Bogotá, Colombia. ... more