Young Scientist Bylaws - DGMS Young Scientists

The following document is a translation of the Young Scientist Statutes. For legal cases, the words of the German bylaws take priority. Changes compared to the last version are highlighted in yellow. The changes will go into effect after a positive member vote at the 2026 Fall meeting. The current Bylaws (amended 11.03.26) can be found below.

Bylaws of the DGMS Young Scientists, a Subgroup of the German Mass Spectrometry Society e. V.

§1 Scope

These bylaws apply to the divisions of the German Society for Mass Spectrometry (DGMS).
The currently valid DGMS bylaws are hereinafter referred to as the “Bylaws” (last amended in 2021).

§2 Purpose of the Division

In accordance with § 2 (Purpose of the Association, para. 4, sentence 6) and § 12 (Specialized Groups) of the Bylaws, specialized groups may be formed from among the members of the DGMS. These groups serve to carry out and further advance work in specific fields of mass spectrometry. Applications to establish specialized groups may be submitted to the Society’s Executive Board. They operate in accordance with these Rules of Procedure.

§3 Specialized Group Assets

Section 3 of the Bylaws (Association Assets) applies to the assets of a specialized group, and the following provisions apply in addition:
Specialized groups shall not generate profits. However, care must be taken to cover costs when organizing events. In doing so, it is essential to ensure that funds are used in accordance with the Bylaws.
Accounts of the specialist groups must be maintained as association accounts of the DGMS and form part of the DGMS’s accounting records. If a specialist group maintains its “own” account, the account and the corresponding accounting records must be audited annually by the elected DGMS auditors prior to the DGMS General Meeting. The account holder must be the DGMS e.V.
If the credit balance in a specialist group’s account exceeds €2,500, the surplus must be transferred to the DGMS. The cutoff date is December 31 of each year.
A statement of income and expenses, along with a cash balance report for each fiscal year, must be submitted to the DGMS treasurer by January 31 of the following year at the latest, without being requested.
Responsibility for the section’s assets and reporting lies with the section spokesperson and cannot be delegated.

§4 Membership

Only members of the DGMS may be members of a section.
“Young Scientists” refers to all scientists at the beginning career stage, based on the definition for R1 First Stage Researcher of the European Commission. After this, the scientists continue to be Young Scientists until their graduation is more than 3 years ago. Care and nursing periods are taken into account.
Membership in a section automatically expires upon the DGMS member’s resignation or if the member does not fit the Young Scientists definition anymore in accordance with §4 of the Bylaws (Membership).

§5 Membership Dues

Pursuant to §12(5) of the Bylaws, membership dues may be collected by the professional sections. However, this is not currently planned and requires separate approval by the DGMS Executive Board.

§6 Special Interest Group Spokesperson and Representatives

In accordance with §12(4) of the Bylaws, the General Assembly of the Special Interest Group elects a Special Interest Group Spokesperson, a representative to the DGMS Executive Board, and up to three alternates. These individuals are hereinafter collectively referred to as the “Young Scientists’ Representatives.”
The representative on the DGMS Executive Board represents all matters concerning the Section vis-à-vis the rest of the DGMS Executive Board. The Section Spokesperson is a member of the Extended Executive Board in accordance with § 8 (1) of the Bylaws.
All representatives of the Young Scientists serve in an honorary capacity and receive no compensation.
All representatives of the Young Scientists are elected by the general assembly of the section for a term of two years. However, the section spokesperson, the representative on the DGMS Executive Board, and the alternates remain in office until the next election. New elections are held every year at the Young Scientists Conference. The section chair, the representative on the DGMS Executive Board, and the vice chairs must be elected individually; re-election is permitted once consecutively, for a maximum of four years.
The section chair and/or vice chairs may be removed from office by the DGMS Executive Board in the event of gross or repeated violations of the DGMS bylaws or the rules of procedure of the sections.
The section chair and his or her deputy are jointly and severally liable for all immediate and direct damages that they culpably cause in the course of their duties as section chair.

§7 General Meeting of the Section

A general meeting must be convened at least for the purpose of electing a representative of the Young Scientists.
The general meeting of the section shall take place during a section conference.
The section chair shall convene the general meeting in writing or by email at least four weeks in advance, including the agenda.

§8 Minutes

Minutes must be kept regarding the conduct of section meetings, general meetings, and elections in accordance with § 12(4) of the Bylaws. The minutes must then be signed by the section spokesperson and forwarded to the Chair of the DGMS.

§9 Dissolution of the Section

The dissolution of the Section may be decided by the Section’s General Assembly with a two-thirds majority of the votes cast. The dissolution must have been announced in a timely manner as an agenda item in the invitation to the Section’s General Assembly.
The dissolution of the Section may be decided by the Executive Board of the DGMS if the Section has too few members or if the purpose of the Section no longer complies with the DGMS bylaws.
In the event of dissolution, the chairperson of the DGMS shall act as liquidator.
Upon dissolution of the section, any remaining assets of the section after all liabilities have been settled shall be transferred to the DGMS.

§10 Amendment of the Bylaws, Entry into Force

1. These bylaws were adopted in consultation with the DGMS Executive Board on ___________. Amendments may only be adopted by the Section in cooperation with the DGMS Executive Board. A simple majority of the votes cast by the members is required for an amendment.

2. All members of the DGMS Executive Board (both the core and extended boards) must be notified of any amendments to the bylaws.

3. These bylaws were last amended on 11.03.26.