This address is presented by IUPAC President Dr.
Alan Hayes at the 41st IUPAC Council Meeting on 7 July 2001 in
Brisbane, Australia.
The two years since our last General Assembly have been very active
for IUPAC. The approval by the Council at Berlin of the reorganization
of the management of IUPAC�s scientific work, changing the Union�s
scientific structure from one based on permanent commissions to one
based on projects, has led to changes in the responsibilities of the
Division Presidents and Division Committees, and the establishment
and implementation of project approval and evaluation processes.
We have implemented two new programs that were also approved by Council
at Berlin � the IUPAC Prize for Young Chemists
and the support of conferences
in developing and economically disadvantaged countries. Both programs
address important needs and provide high visibility to IUPAC.
We have undertaken comprehensive reviews of the Union�s activities
in three important areas � systematic chemical nomenclature, chemistry
education, and interaction with the chemical and pharmaceutical industry.
We are now prepared to recommend organizational changes and strategies
for pursuing future work in these areas.
The Union�s regular activities in contributing to the language and
scientific-industrial framework of chemistry continued with the publication
in 2000 of 21 recommendations and reports in our official Journal,
Pure and Applied
Chemistry, publication of 3
books, and the publication of two special issues of Pure and
Applied Chemistry, one on the topic of �Nanostructured Materials,�
the other on �Green Chemistry�. In dissemination of information, the
bimonthly newsmagazine Chemistry
International highlights current activities and general policy
issues, and the informal IUPAC e-News
provides timely updates. The IUPAC web site continues to be a major
source of information for members of IUPAC bodies. It is also becoming
the public face of IUPAC and is regularly accessed for information
about all aspects of chemistry by scientists and students worldwide.
A strategy for CI has been developed that will better integrate
these three approaches and improve the readability of CI.
For the first time IUPAC has published its Biennial
Report in the format of the Strategic Plan and in an attractive
format. We have also recently developed an information brochure with
particular emphasis on the Union�s interactions with industry. The
report that follows is intended to highlight activities and actions
that are important to the Union as a whole. The individual reports
of the Division Presidents and Standing Committee Chairmen will describe
the many varied accomplishments of their respective bodies.
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Content
- MISSION STATEMENT AND THE STRATEGIC PLAN
- CHANGES IN ORGANIZATION AND MANAGEMENT OF IUPAC'S
SCIENTIFIC WORK
- IUPAC CONGRESSES
- NOMENCLATURE
- EDUCATION
- IUPAC-INDUSTRY RELATIONS
- IUPAC'S PUBLICATIONS
- DISSEMINATION OF INFORMATION
- SERVICE OF CHEMISTRY
- IUPAC ACTIVITIES IN LESS -DEVELOPED COUNTRIES
- GLOBALIZATION
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EPILOGUE
In his report to the Berlin Council meeting President Jortner stated
six points that he described as the future message of IUPAC:
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Jortner's report
- Openness to the fast expansion of the borders of the chemical sciences;
- Response to conceptual and structural changes in chemical research
and technology;
- Perpetuation of interdisciplinary unification, high quality, relevance
and the global dimension in activities;
- Contribution to the globalization of the scientific endeavor;
- Adherence to the principles, norms, values and ethics of science;
- Recruiting �Human Capital� for IUPAC.
IUPAC has embarked on a new course for the future. The changes that
have been made and that will take full effect starting in 2002 are intended
to address these six points. IUPAC can only remain important to chemists
by continuing to meet their needs for an organization that helps them
do their work. We must continue to ask the two fundamental questions:
- Why should IUPAC be involved with this activity?
- What does the customer need/want?
ACKNOWLEDGMENTS
I am indebted to all my colleagues in the Union, particularly the present
and former Officers and Members of the Bureau and the Executive Director,
who have given me invaluable assistance and advice. I would like to
extend my deep appreciation to the �IUPAC Family� and all the volunteers
around the world, for their personal commitment to the objectives, goals,
and activities of IUPAC. Their contributions do and will promote, enhance,
and perpetuate the impact of the Union�s activities on the international
level, both in scope and in intrinsic significance. The dedication of
all the officers and members of IUPAC bodies has been especially evident
as we meet the challenges posed by the implementation of our new way
of organizing the work of the Union. It is by the expertise and dedication
of these extensive and intensive voluntary activities that IUPAC has
served and will continue to serve the world chemical research and industrial
community as the outstanding international authority on the Pure and
Applied Chemical Sciences.