Chemistry International
Vol. 21, No. 6
November 1999
IUPAC:
2000 and Beyond
The IUPAC Council took an historic step in Berlin when
it confirmed the holistic, integrated program adopted by the Bureau
a year ago to improve the quality, relevance, international impact,
and effectiveness of the Union's scientific work. The decision by the
Council to convert IUPAC from an organization dependent largely on a
rather static Commission structure to a more dynamic project-driven
system will permit us to address the challenges of serving chemistry
in the modern world.
The Bureau and Council made it very clear that in modifying
its structure and ways of operating, IUPAC is not in any way interrupting
or discontinuing the activities in nomenclature, critical data evaluation,
and other areas on which the international reputation of the Union has
been established. Also, the discontinuance of all the current Commissions
after 2001 does not mean the termination of work for many scientific
volunteers around the world on whom IUPAC depends. In fact, the new
project-driven system, together with the IUPAC Fellows program, will
make it easier for active workers to continue service to the Union without
arbitrary time limits. Concurrently, the new system opens up participation
to the entire worldwide community of chemists. I anticipate that the
competition of ideas for new projects and the influx of new workers
to join more experienced IUPAC veterans will improve the vitality and
relevance of our work in coming years.
The last two years have been very productive for IUPAC,
as I described in my State of the Union message, published in Chemistry
International in September [To view this material, leave CI and
enter IUPAC
News Section]. I am particularly pleased that the Strategic
Plan adopted last year has set out a broad road map for IUPAC and
that the structural changes now provide the means for effectively carrying
out our work. The challenge now for all of us is to channel our efforts
into the most useful, productive, and appropriate activities for IUPAC
to benefit the chemical sciences.
Professor Joshua
Jortner
President of IUPAC
See also:
40th Council Highlights
(To view this material, leave CI and enter IUPAC
News Section.)