Convenor: Norman Zinner
Scientific Chair: Art Sterling
This was the first joint meeting of ICS and the Urodynamics Society (UDS).
Norm noted: “At the time, the Century Plaza Hotel was a leading hotel in the country. It was beautiful and seen on TV news broadcasts throughout the world. It was a venue for many Hollywood events. US Presidents and notables had banquets there for various functions, etc. A key rule we imposed on ourselves was that we would keep the meeting inexpensive for the attendees. This prestigious hotel gave us one complimentary room for every 20 purchased, and this was used to accommodate the East Europeans without fee. This was in the cold war times and for them getting to overseas meetings was a real hurdle. Arrangements were also made at nearby less fancy hotels for those seeking more modest accommodations.”
The meeting in LA was organized by Norman Zinner’s wife Nancy. There were no professionals involved. The Women Volunteers of Torrance Memorial Hospital assisted with paperwork and at the meeting itself and their help was acknowledged at the meeting.
The social events included a Mexican Fiesta and a Welcome Ceremony at Monte Montana’s Ranch.
Special features
• First joint meeting of the ICS and the UDS (Urodynamic Society – since renamed Society for Urodynamics and Female Urology, SUFU)
• First major Urogynaecological meeting held in the US in which a large number of attendees were from overseas
• First time that submissions were made anonymously (Scientific Committee members did not know who authored the abstracts before selecting papers to be presented)
• First time that posters were moderated and not just posted on a board
• First on-stage formal debate about a controversial subject
• First time an independent scientist unfamiliar with the subject of urodynamics attended the entire meeting and at the end provided a half hour formal presentation of his impressions of the meeting with a focus on the scientific theme of the meeting --“Where have we been?” “Where are we?” and “Where should we go from here?”
• First time the proceedings were published in book form containing chapters written by moderators, and containing versions of the original contributions from all presenters that went beyond the abstracts.
• The concept of holding interactive workshops introduced by Norman Zinner in 1980, was agreed for future years with chairmen who are experts in the particular field.
Eric Glen remembers that “like all the other Chairmen of ICS meetings, he was a generous host and entertained us in his home during the 10th ICS meeting Los Angeles in 1980. He also introduced us to restaurant life in LA, and on another occasion to a diner in New York with great food whose owner seemed to find us very funny. The joint meeting in LA was an outstanding success, both scientifically and socially. One highly original event was the traditional style Rodeo to which we were driven thorough acres of nodding oil donkeys- previously I had seen these only in films. David Rowan and I were driven into the Rodeo arena in a stagecoach. To my surprise it was a very comfortable well sprung carriage. Several attractive female acrobatic riders gained much applause with their daring bare- back equestrian prowess. From that historical event we went to the other extreme hearing from the astronaut Jerry Carr who addressed us at the Annual Gala Dinner.”