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40th IUPAC COUNCIL Meeting
Berlin, Germany: 13-14
August 1999
Implementation
of the IUPAC Strategic Plan: An Interim Report
The IUPAC Strategic Plan - 1998-99 was written deliberately
in a general format in order to describe the broad scope of IUPAC activities.
In order to relate the Plan to current activities within the Union each
Division and Standing Committee provided a summary of its activities
in the context of the Strategic Plan. There are two purposes for developing
such a document:
- To provide a document useful to the Divisions,
Bureau and EC for planning, allocating future resources and establishing
long-term strategies
- To communicate an overview of IUPAC's current
activities both within and outside the Union.
This is an interim report for the Bureau
and Council. This document will be updated to produce a final report
covering the biennium 1998-99.
Current IUPAC Activities Summarized by Strategic Goals
Goal 1. IUPAC will serve as a
scientific, international, non-governmental body in objectively addressing
global issues involving the chemical sciences. Where appropriate,
IUPAC will represent the interests of chemistry in governmental and
non-governmental forums.
The strategic thrusts under Goal 1 pertain primarily to broad
issues that often involve extensive interdisciplinary activities outside
the chemical sciences.
One of the Union's principal mechanisms for addressing global issues
is the CHEMRAWN Program [CHEMical Research Applied to World Needs),
which has acted through a series of world conferences. To date ten
such conferences have taken place and conferences are now planned
in Education, Clean Energy and Green Chemistry. The conferences are
international and interdisciplinary, involving participation by world
leaders from science and technology and also government, industry,
and the concerned public. Each conference develops and distributes
to decision-makers throughout the world a set of recommendations complete
with planned follow-up actions through a Future Actions Committee.
In 1995, IUPAC formed a Division of Chemistry and the Environment
and a Division of Chemistry and Human Health, in order to develop
programs on chemical aspects of these important areas. Environmental
projects range from extensive critical evaluation and compilation
of basic data on the kinetics of processes occurring in the atmosphere
(with recent publications covering some 650 pages) to a special publication
on the potential problem of endocrine disrupters in the environment.
The latter project, carried out in collaboration with the International
Unions of Pharmacology and Toxicology, with additional financial support
from the International Council of Scientific Unions (ICSU), was designed
to bring together objective technical and non-technical information
to support sound public policy discussions of the subject. The document
appeared as the September 1998 issue of IUPAC's official journal Pure
and Applied Chemistry and has been widely disseminated. As a result
and in collaboration with ICSU and SCOPE [Scientific Committee on
Problems of the Environment], IUPAC has initiated a further evaluation
of the state of the art and needed research in this area.
With the aim of providing a set of recommendations that can lead to
the guidelines for international cooperation in the utilization of
bioresources, IUPAC has initiated a new series of International Congresses
on the topic of Biodiversity. The first meeting was held in Phuket
Thailand (1997), at which an IUPAC Declaration concerning the conservation
and sustainable utilization of biological diversity was adopted. Further
meetings will be held in 1999 and 2000.
The Ad Hoc Committee on Chemical Weapons Destruction Technologies
plans to complete and disseminate a report on the advantages and disadvantages
of various technologies in an effort to provide scientific background
to policy-makers on this highly significant topic.
Goal 2. IUPAC will contribute to the advancement of research in the
chemical sciences throughout the world.
IUPAC does not have the resources to conduct or support experimental
research projects per se. The projects carried out by the Union's
Divisions and Operational Committees provide information and networks
that furnish important support for research. The universal language
of chemistry that has been largely developed and maintained by IUPAC
its symbols, nomenclature and terminology are essential for worldwide
communication and progress in the chemical sciences. Values of physical
data, from atomic weights to thermodynamic quantities, are likewise
accepted throughout the world because of the IUPAC label of quality
and the participation of prominent scientists from physics and other
sciences, as well as chemistry. Similarly, IUPAC sponsorship of meetings
and symposia is a hallmark of scientific quality. Published lectures
and proceedings of such meetings bring the information to a worldwide
audience.
During the current biennium, the IUPAC Congress, which is organized
by the Gesellschaft Deutscher Chemiker, will be held in Berlin in
August, with the theme Frontiers in Chemistry: Molecular Basis
of the Life Sciences. A high level International Advisory Board
(chaired by Prof. Dr. Robert Huber and including three other Nobel
Laureates) has planned an excellent program that is expected to draw
large international participation. The theme is particularly relevant
to IUPAC's recently expanded programs in biomolecular chemistry and
biotechnology.
During 1998-99, IUPAC has sponsored 45 symposia, held in 24 countries
and covering subjects that range over the whole gamut of chemistry.
In addition, IUPAC has recently established a program of workshops
on New Directions in Chemistry, each of which will highlight
a particular area in which chemistry plays an important role. This
series is intended to augment the Congress and traditional IUPAC-sponsored
symposia in emphasizing the Union's commitment to encouraging research
in broad areas of contemporary importance. The first such workshop,
on Advanced Materials, was held in Hong Kong in July 1999,
and is timely in view of IUPAC's current initiative on materials chemistry,
which builds on existing programs in solid state chemistry, high temperature
chemistry and physical properties of synthetic polymers.
In collaboration with the International Union of Pure and Applied
Physics, IUPAC has formed a Task Group to establish priority of discovery/synthesis
of elements 110-112 prior to the naming of these elements following
IUPAC procedures.
A number of projects related to chemical nomenclature and terminology
have been completed during the past two years, ranging from a revision
of the basic nomenclature books in inorganic chemistry to glossaries
of basic terms in polymer chemistry and theoretical physical chemistry,
along with updated nomenclature and terminology in analytical and
organic chemistry. In addition, recommendations have been published
on the use of available computer programs for calculating electronic
structure and properties of molecules to ensure meaningful presentation
of results. Organic and inorganic nomenclature have long been among
the best known outputs of IUPAC's programs; a project on Nomenclature
in the 21st Century is exploring entirely new concepts in the field.
Goal 3. IUPAC will assist chemistry-related industry in its contributions
to sustainable development, wealth creation, and improvement in the
quality of life.
From IUPAC's inception the inclusion of the word "Applied"
in its title signaled a strong tie to the chemical industry. IUPAC
has long had a formal program of Company Associates and a Committee
on Chemistry and Industry (COCI), which concentrates its efforts on
programs and issues pertinent to industrial interests and concerns.
During the last two years the Union has begun a concerted effort to
interact with leading chemical and pharmaceutical companies and especially
with national and regional organizations that represent the chemical
industry, such as the Chemical Manufacturers Association (CMA) in
the USA, Association of European Chemical Trade Associations (CEFIC)
and the Chemical Industry Association (CIA) in the UK and the Verband
der Chemischen Industrie (VCI) in Germany. These discussions are designed
to provide a framework for close cooperation between IUPAC bodies
and relevant groups from industry, to establish areas in which IUPAC
programs might benefit industrial development and to suggest ways
in which industry might appropriately participate in mutually important
projects.
Some examples of IUPAC programs that are particularly attuned to the
worldwide chemical industry are:
- COCI's Workshops on Safety in Chemical
Production, which have been held in developed countries. A Workshop
is being planned for 2000 in one of the eastern European countries.
- The Training Program for Safety and
Environmental Protection, in conjunction with UNIDO and UNESCO,
which involves hands-on training for several weeks in the developed
countries of experts in industrial plant safety from developing
countries.
- Two workshops on Reactions, Pathways,
and Processes in Green Chemistry held during 1998, and
- The planned CHEMRAWN Conference on Green
Chemistry in 2001
The special publications on Chlorine and Environmental
Estrogens (mentioned under Goal 1) address problems that are of particular
importance to industrial processes. IUPAC has been asked to collaborate
with ICCA (the International Council of Chemical Associations) to establish
criteria for persistent organic pollutants to be regulated internationally.
An ongoing project on the Characterization of Carbonaceous Materials
is assembling the various national standards for this important and
widely used industrial material, while other projects are directed toward
analysis of automobile catalysts and of trace elements in plastics,
in natural water and in human serum.
Several IUPAC projects of broad scope have important applications in
the chemical industry. For example, a Task Group on the Redefinition
of pH scales is completing its work. Participation on the Task Force
by representatives of industry and several national metrology laboratories
will assure wide acceptance of the forthcoming IUPAC recommendations
on this internationally important metric. Similarly, an Interdivisional
Working Party on Harmonization of Quality Assurance Schemes has made
significant contributions towards reaching international agreement on
guidelines affecting industry.
The large-scale compilation of evaluated thermodynamic data, often supported
by IUPAC, finds widespread application in industry. Also, a number of
IUPAC projects, carried out jointly by industrial and academic chemists,
are devoted to synthetic polymers for example, work on recycling of
polymers; the influence of reprocessing on structure-property characteristics
of PVC; studies on the biodegradable fibers made of poly(-caprolactone);
methods of characterizing molecular weights and molecular weight distributions
in commercial and other polymers; polymers for microelectronic devices;
and biomedical polymers.
Goal 4. IUPAC will facilitate the development of effective
channels of communication in the international chemistry community
IUPAC's constituency consists of the entire world of chemistry, both
organizational and individual. Because IUPAC activities impact chemical
organizations as well as individual chemists, it has a unique communications
challenge. Continuing contacts are maintained with the Union's formal
Members, the National Adhering Organizations , and through them IUPAC
is in touch indirectly with national chemical organizations, industrial
companies and individual chemists. While channels of communication have
been established to these constituencies much effort is underway to
improve them.
The Secretariat is concentrating on development of means for effective
international electronic communication. Additional staff resources have
been employed to develop the IUPAC Web Site as a reliable source of
information, not only about IUPAC, but also as a facile means to link
to other World Wide Web sites of interest to chemical scientists. This
facility will be of particular value and importance to scientists and
engineers who have inadequate access to institutional libraries containing
the print editions of IUPAC publications. Through implementation of
e-mail list servers, means have been provided for two-way communication
among scientists involved in IUPAC programs and for dissemination of
news in chemistry that is of interest within and outside IUPAC.
Descriptions of the activities of a number of IUPAC bodies are available
on the IUPAC Web page with cross-links to other specialized Web pages
maintained by individual Commissions and other groups. In addition to
published material from Pure and Applied Chemistry and Chemistry
International, other publications, such as the International
Newsletter on Chemical Education (published by IUPAC's Committee
on Teaching of Chemistry), are beginning to appear on the Web site,
as well as in printed form.
The use of print and electronic publication is being explored as an
inexpensive complement to conventional scientific meetings. For example,
two Symposia in Print [Physical Organic Chemistry for 21st Century
and Highlights in Bio-organic Chemistry] have appeared in
Pure and Applied Chemistry. The CHEMRAWN Committee is also considering
the use of computer- and TV-based "virtual conferences" to
obviate the need to travel to one location and thus reduce the high
costs of CHEMRAWN conferences.
Efforts are underway to develop more effective communications with the
National Adhering Organizations and through them the national chemical
organizations and industrial companies within member countries.
At the individual chemist level, for example, since 1983 IUPAC has had
direct contact with several thousand interested individuals in 45 countries
through the Affiliate Member Program. During the last two years new
programs and better means of communication have substantially augmented
the traditional mechanisms.
The IUPAC Fellows Program was established with individuals who completed
service on IUPAC bodies in 1997, and Fellowship has been offered to
other former IUPAC volunteers via Chemistry International and
the IUPAC Web Site. As additional scientists complete their terms on
various IUPAC bodies and the number of Fellows increases, the program
is expected to provide a means for two-way communication on important
issues in which IUPAC might make a significant contribution.
Goal 5. IUPAC will promote the service of chemistry to society in
both developed and developing countries.
In addition to the consideration of broad problems of societal interest,
as discussed under Goal 1, IUPAC has obligations to society in general,
outside the immediate realm of chemistry. In developed countries such
obligations frequently take the form of participation in broad-based
organizations devoted to science, metrology and standardization, as
well as the provision of chemical information of general value to the
public. In developing countries, IUPAC can sometimes best contribute
to the development of chemistry by means of advice and assistance in
improving organizational structures and/or the physical infrastructure
on which scientific advances depend.
In July 1998, IUPAC organized a joint meeting with the African Association
of Pure and Applied Chemistry (AAPAC) to investigate topics on which
the two organizations can cooperate in improving the climate for chemistry
in Africa, particularly in developing countries. An initiative in electronic
communication is underway, with the intent of disseminating relevant
information and possibly current publications in chemistry to individuals
who have strong background in chemistry but are working in areas where
they have only limited access to world literature and infrequent intellectual
contacts with their peers throughout the world. In this effort, IUPAC
will work closely with other international organizations and build upon
the broader electronic communication networks being put in place.
Three other examples of specific activities designed to benefit developing
countries might be noted: (i) Conferences and workshops have
recently been held in developing countries or aimed at attendees from
developing countries, for example a workshop on Bioorganic Chemistry
(December 1998, Egypt), a Postgraduate Course in Polymer Science (Czech
Republic, 1999) and a workshop on environmental analytical chemistry
(Czech Republic, 1999). (ii) The problem of chemistry lab work
in developing countries is now being addressed effectively by the global
microchemistry program mounted by IUPAC's Committee on the Teaching
of Chemistry and UNESCO. (iii) Efforts are being made to produce
and certify a standard reference material with contributions from many
Latin American analytical chemists in several countries. The aims are
twofold: to produce a standard material of particular importance to
Latin American economies and to improve the competence of Latin American
analytical chemists.
In the more developed world, IUPAC's contributions to society are embodied
partially by the appointment of formal representatives to many organizations
outside chemistry, some dealing with other sciences, but others involved
with metrology and regulatory development, which impinge on every aspect
of individual and commercial society (e.g., the International
Standards Organization, the International Committee on Weights and Measures,
and various committees of ICSU). The names of chemicals, which are often
ignored by chemists in using chemical formulas and computer-generated
tables, are important in the legal and regulatory arenas, and the standardization
of chemical measurement and analytical methods are of crucial importance
to commerce and society.
Goal 6. IUPAC will utilize its global perspective to contribute
toward the enhancement of education in chemistry and to advance the
public understanding of chemistry and the scientific method.
Scientists everywhere recognize the critical role played by formal
and informal education at all levels, from kindergarten through graduate
school, not only for future scientists but also for the general public.
Educational systems, administration and curricula vary drastically by
country, locality and individual school and teacher. IUPAC cannot hope
to make an impact on detailed curricula or outreach activities in individual
countries and localities, but it may be able to complement the efforts
of national chemical societies and to coordinate exchange of information.
IUPAC is exploring the roles it can realistically play in international
science education with the aim of developing appropriate long-range
policies. However, many effective programs are already underway and
are illustrated in the following examples.
In addition to the long established programs of trying to improve the
teaching of chemistry at the primary and secondary levels, particularly
in developing countries, IUPAC bodies are engaged in educational activities
at other levels. Plans are being drawn for CHEMRAWN X: The Globalization
of Chemical Education: Preparing Chemical Scientists and Engineers for
Transnational Industries. At intermediate levels, a report giving
details of twenty-one tested and evaluated "Teaching Experiments
in Solid State Chemistry" will shortly be made available to interested
users on the Web through the IUPAC Website. This educational resource
is complemented by a bibliography on solid state chemistry to aid faculty
seeking to add material on the solid state to introductory and inorganic
chemistry courses.
Some specific recent projects relevant to education include a series
of teaching tutorials of solution equilibria with contributions from
analytical chemists in many countries; the creation of standard curricula
and recommendations for minimum topics for lecture courses in polymer
science; and a book on the Principles of Nomenclature which provides
an easy-to-understand and usable overview of official IUPAC recommendations
across the length and breadth of chemistry.
Goal 7. IUPAC will make special efforts to encourage the career development
of young chemists.
This Goal recognizes that the future development of the chemical
sciences lies largely in the hands of the younger generation of scientists,
who often encounter severe obstacles in an era of constrained resources.
IUPAC is trying to develop programs that are perceived by "younger
chemists" to be helpful to them and feasible for the Union to undertake
within its resources.
The Bureau has recommended the establishment of the IUPAC Prize for
Young Chemists to encourage young outstanding research scientists
at the beginning of their careers. If approved by the Council, the prize
will be given for the most outstanding Ph.D. thesis in the general area
of the chemical sciences, as described in a 1000-word essay. Up to four
prizes will be given annually, with each prize consisting of $1000 cash
and travel expenses to the next IUPAC Congress. In keeping with IUPAC's
status as a global organization, efforts will be made to assure fair
geographic distribution of prizes.
A special fund has been established by IUPAC, the Gesellschaft Deutscher
Chemiker and UNESCO to permit young scientists from developing countries
to attend the IUPAC Congress in Berlin in 1999. A program has been designed
by the GDCh to provide local hosts for the awardees and to develop long-range
scientific collaborations. Other National Adhering Organizations are
providing special funding for young chemists from their countries to
attend the General Assembly and Congress in Berlin.
Where possible, special funding is sought for the attendance of young
chemists at CHEMRAWN conferences. Often workshops for young chemists
are held in conjunction with the conferences. IUPAC encourages financial
support for young scientists at other symposia and conferences.
The program now underway to restructure the organization and management
of IUPAC's scientific programs is aimed partially at encouraging the
participation of more young scientists. Some Divisions have been making
special efforts to rejuvenate their membership and to recruit younger
scientists.
Goal 8. IUPAC will broaden the geographical base of the Union and
ensure that its human capital is drawn from all segments of the world
chemistry community.
Currently 43 countries are members of IUPAC, and an additional 19 countries
have Observer status. While this representation is very good, there
are still a number of countries with major chemical enterprises that
do not participate in IUPAC activities. The principal strength of IUPAC
lies in its broad, almost global, coverage, and its programs will be
strengthened by inclusion of chemists from all countries that have significant
activities in the chemical sciences and in the chemical industry.
Following successful regional meetings during 1996-97 in North America,
Europe and Asia in order to facilitate interactions between the Union
and chemists and their societies, IUPAC held a very productive meeting
with the African Association of Pure and Applied Chemistry in July 1998.
In addition, the Officers and other members of the Executive Committee
have been making concerted efforts to attend national and regional meetings
that provide an opportunity to meet with chemists from countries not
now represented in IUPAC. Examples of meetings already attended are
the Mendeleev Congress in Russia, the International Conference in Commemoration
of the 100th Anniversary of the Discovery of Polonium in Poland, the
Federation of Latin American Chemical Societies, the First International
Conference of South-East European Countries and the Federation of European
Chemical Societies. During the last biennium four countries have been
granted Observer status: Cuba, Cyprus, Kenya and Tanzania. Turkey hopes
to return to the full Membership that it held prior to 1997.
Efforts are also being made to increase the number of Company Associates
and of participating countries/regions, with particular reference to
recent IUPAC projects of interest to the chemical industry, such as
the special publication on Chlorine and Environmental Estrogens.
Following the first meeting of the Presidents of the world's Regional
Chemical Federations and Societies at the IUPAC Secretariat in January
1998, there will be a second such meeting in conjunction with the General
Assembly in Berlin in August 1999. This forum provides an opportunity
to debate issues of international scope and to permit IUPAC and the
regional groups to develop cooperative programs.
Goal 9. IUPAC will encourage worldwide dissemination of information
about the activities of the Union.
Much of the valuable work done by IUPAC bodies is published only
in Pure and Applied Chemistry or in specialized books and journals.
Greater efforts are being made by individual IUPAC bodies and the Secretariat
to distribute this information as early and as widely as possible to
the relevant scientific community. Where possible, republication of
reports in specialty journals continues, and in addition, the IUPAC
Web site and ancillary sites operated by individual IUPAC bodies now
provide an additional dimension to enhance dissemination. Provisional
Recommendations as well as final Recommendations are now available on
the IUPAC web site, and its visibility is being increased by encouraging
other organizations to provide links to the IUPAC site. Three mirror
sites have been set up in the UK, Germany and Japan.
During the last year, special efforts have been made to present the
public face of IUPAC in invited articles for national chemical news
magazines and related publications. Examples already completed include
articles or editorials in Nachrichten aus Chemie, Science
International and Chemistry and Industry.
The Officers and other members of the Executive Committee have met with
officials of major national chemical societies to discuss opportunities
for cooperation and for making the work of the Union more widely known
within their constituencies. Such contacts have already been made with
the American Chemical Society, the Royal Society for Chemistry, the
Gesellschaft Deutscher Chemiker, and the Chemical Society of Japan.
Goal 10. IUPAC will assure sound management of its resources to provide
maximum value for the funds invested in the Union.
IUPAC is a volunteer organization. It accomplishes its goals through
both the volunteer expertise and time of its scientific members and
the stable financial support of its National Adhering Organizations,
its Company and Individual Associates. IUPAC expenses are used primarily
to support the work of its committees, their meetings and publications.
IUPAC has a continuing responsibility to demonstrate to its sponsors
that all relevant management tools, including the use of modern information
technology, are employed to maximize productivity in the administration
of the Union.
The comprehensive program to modify the organization and management
of IUPAC's scientific work, approved by the Bureau in September 1998,
is aimed at utilizing the Union's resources more efficiently and effectively.
The project-driven system will ensure that each proposal is evaluated
objectively before resources are committed, and the level of
resources required can be monitored as the project progresses. The targeting
of funds to active projects and the ability to provide funding as needed
in a given time period will improve accountability and accelerate the
completion of high priority projects.
Almost all IUPAC bodies are increasingly finding it possible to minimize
travel by using e-mail and Web communications. The ability to post documents
for comment and modification on the IUPAC Web site and/or other sites
has greatly increased the speed and efficiency of carrying out projects,
while decreasing the costs in time and money.
IUPAC continues to obtain funds for specific projects from outside sources,
such as ICSU and UNESCO, and expects to seek additional funds under
the project-based system. In addition, significant partial support of
a number of Commissions and other IUPAC bodies is provided by sources
outside IUPAC. The greatest indirect fiscal contribution to IUPAC's
work continues to be derived from the employers of the members of IUPAC
bodies, who cover salaries and often ancillary administrative expenses.
The Executive Director has made significant improvement in the efficiency
of operation of the Secretariat, which has resulted in appreciable reductions
in the cost of administration and is now permitting improvement in the
operational support of IUPAC's scientific programs. Additional savings
are anticipated under new publications contracts, which will permit
enhancement of IUPAC's publications with equivalent or increased net
income to the Union.
The finances of the Union are in excellent condition based on policies
put in practice during the early 90's. The IUPAC financial plan will
support the strategic thrusts outlined in this document.
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