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Report of IUPAC Activities
2002

  1. INTRODUCTION
  2. MEMBERSHIP
  3. VITAL STATISTICS
  4. ORGANIZATIONAL MATTERS
    4.1. MEETINGS
    4.2. FINANCES
    4.3. SECRETARIAT
  5. ACTIVITIES UNDERTAKEN DURING 2002
    5.1. SCIENTIFIC MEETINGS AND ACTIVITIES
    5.2. ADVISEMENT IN GOVERNMENTAL MATTERS
    5.2. ENVIRONMENTAL ACTIVITIES IN CONJUCTION WITH ICSU
    5.4. PUBLICATIONS
    5.5. PROJECTS
    5.6. IUPAC PRIZE
  6. CONCLUSIONS

1. INTRODUCTION
The International Union of Pure and Applied Chemistry (IUPAC) was formed in 1919 by chemists from industry and academia. Over eight decades, the Union has succeeded in fostering worldwide communications in the chemical sciences and in uniting chemistry - academic, industrial, and governmental - in a common language. IUPAC is recognized as the world authority on chemical nomenclature, terminology, standardized measurement methods, atomic weights, and other critically evaluated data. The Union sponsors major international meetings ranging from specialized scientific symposia to meetings with societal impact.

The year 2002 was a period of assessment of the changes initiated and implemented in 2000 and 2001. The changes in the IUPAC system allow the Union to be responsive to the current needs of chemistry. The scientific work of IUPAC is now focused on the ever-changing needs of the global chemical community. The new project approval system continues to be effective, and there is increasing focus on chemistry and its impact on society, as well as on chemistry education. The Divisions now have an active role in project recruitment, assessment, approval, and implementation. The IUPAC website is a source of information for IUPAC activities, and is regularly updated with the most recent news and events.

2. MEMBERSHIP
The members of IUPAC are National Adhering Organizations (NAOs). The organizations may be National Academies of Science, National Chemical Societies, or associations of Chemical Societies. The NAOs pay National Subscriptions and may name delegates to the IUPAC Council, the Union's highest governing body. To encourage broad input and involvement, IUPAC has Associate National Adhering Organizations, Associated Organizations, Company Associates, and Affiliate Members. Former members of IUPAC bodies become IUPAC Fellows, and remain informed of IUPAC activities via a free subscription to the newsmagazine, Chemistry International.

3. VITAL STATISTICS
IUPAC has 44 National Adhering Organizations, 21 Associate National Adhering Organizations, 32 Associated Organizations, 94 Company Associates, nearly 5100 Affiliate Members, and over 1000 Fellows. IUPAC sponsored 32 scientific meetings in 2002.

The journal of Pure and Applied Chemistry (PAC) is published monthly and is distributed worldwide, and has an Impact Factor ranking of 31 out of 118 Journals (Institute for Scientific Information, 2001. The Impact Factor is based on the frequency of citation by outside sources). IUPAC publishes a bimonthly newsmagazine, Chemistry International (CI), which is available both in print and online editions. The IUPAC web site, www.iupac.org, contains substantial information on involvement and activities.
- see section 5.4 for description.

4. ORGANIZATIONAL MATTERS

4.1. MEETINGS
The IUPAC General Assembly is held biennially. Planning is underway for the 2003 General Assembly, scheduled for 9-17 August in Ottawa, Canada. Meetings of the Union's bodies in 2002 were held at various times and places, in some cases in conjunction with an international conference concerning that specific field of interest.

4.2. FINANCES
During 2002, IUPAC's operating expenses were approximately USD 1.6 million. The primary sources of income were the National Subscriptions paid by the NAOs and IUPAC publications. The work of various IUPAC bodies and operation of the Secretariat comprise the bulk of IUPAC's expenses.

4.3. SECRETARIAT
The IUPAC Secretariat is located in Research Triangle Park, North Carolina, USA. Five individuals provide support for IUPAC Officers and IUPAC bodies, and also manage the Union's publication activities and website.

5. ACTIVITIES UNDERTAKEN DURING 2002

5.1. SCIENTIFIC MEETINGS AND ACTIVITIES
The 32 IUPAC-sponsored meetings during 2002 were held in 25 countries throughout the world. These conferences were organized by international advisory boards, included the participation of chemists from countries worldwide, and covered topics ranging from polymer chemistry to natural products chemistry. The results of the Union's projects are apparent through the appended list of reports and recommendations published in PAC.

5.2. ADVISEMENT IN GOVERNMENTAL MATTERS
IUPAC, as a non-governmental body, was asked to undertake a review of the impact of scientific developments on the Chemical Weapons Convention. This project included the organization of a workshop to explore these issues, held in Bergen, Norway, from 1-3 July 2002, with nearly 100 attendees. An International Advisory Board, with representation from 17 countries, aided the Program Committee in formulating the program and obtaining the best international scientific input.
In November, 2002, IUPAC provided a report to the Organization for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons, in which scientific and technological advances in the chemical sciences were evaluated. This report is expected to assist the OPCW and the States Parties in preparing for the First Review Conference of the Convention, scheduled for The Hague in April 2003.

5.3. ENVIRONMENTAL ACTIVITIES IN CONJUNCTION WITH ICSU
The International SCOPE/IUPAC Symposium on Endocrine Active Substances (EASs), held 17-21 November 2002 in Yokohama, Japan, was a major milestone in the project, Environmental implications of endocrine active substances: Present state-of-the-art and future research needs, coordinated by the Chemistry and the Environment Division and led by the late Dr. Junshi Miyamoto (SCOPE is the Scientific Committee on Problems of the Environment of the International Council for Science). The objectives of the project are to critically evaluate issues relating to the effects of EASs on humans and the environment, to prioritize research needs, and to offer manageable actions facilitating risk assessment and communication.
Overall, this project demonstrates IUPAC's focus on current issues and will result in authoritative reviews, conclusions, and recommendations for all topics related to understanding the significance of EASs. The results are expected to be published in Pure and Applied Chemistry in 2003.

5.4. PUBLICATIONS
IUPAC publishes a journal, Pure and Applied Chemistry, a newsmagazine, Chemistry International, and books. PAC contains lectures from IUPAC-sponsored conferences and reports and recommendations from IUPAC bodies. Over 850 copies are printed each month and sent both to paying subscribers and to individuals and institutions in many countries. In 2002, the lectures of 7 conferences and 23 reports and recommendations were published in PAC (see Annex). Two Special Topic Issues were published in 2002, including a July issue on the Science of Sweeteners and a September issue on the Theme of Nanostructured Advanced Materials. Chemistry International is published bimonthly and is sent to approximately 9000 subscribers, including several hundred copies sent at no cost to chemists in developing and economically disadvantaged countries. It is also freely accessible on the IUPAC web site. The Solubility Data Series is published four times a year in special issues of the Journal of Physical and Chemical Reference Data. The Committee on Chemistry Education recently introduced an online journal, Chemical Education International, that presents facts, figures, opinions, and essays and is compiled through the efforts of Committee volunteers. Eight volumes of the series Macromolecular Symposia were published in 2002, and contain proceedings of IUPAC-sponsored meetings in the area of macromolecular chemistry.

5.5. PROJECTS
IUPAC operates under a project system, through which projects are actively solicited. In 2002, 75 projects were approved, demonstrating both the awareness and effectiveness of the system. The projects cover a wide range of areas, such as chemical education, nomenclature and terminology, human health, and environmental chemistry - including 2 CHEMRAWN projects. IUPAC also participated in inter-union activities and projects, including the First Inter-Union Workshop on Science Education, "New Directions in the Teaching and Learning of Science" in Beijing, the IUPAC/IUPAP Joint Recommendation and Report on the Recongnition of the Discovery of Element 110, and the IUPAC-IUBMB Joint Commission on Biochemical Nomenclature.

5.6. IUPAC PRIZE
The IUPAC Prize for Young Chemists was established to encourage young research scientists at the beginning of their careers, and is given for the most outstanding Ph.D. thesis in the general area of the chemical sciences. The winners receive a monetary award and are invited to present posters at the IUPAC Congress, with travel and accomodation expeneses covered by IUPAC. In 2002, prizes were awarded to chemists from the Netherlands, United States, Germany, and India. Additionally, honorable mentions were awarded to chemists from the United States, Hungary, Japan, and Poland.

6. CONCLUSIONS
As IUPAC's strategy is to address the evolving needs of chemistry, the Union will continue to change in response to the demands of the scientific community, industry, and the public. IUPAC recognizes changes in chemistry and has the flexibility in structure to respond to these changes.

John W. Jost
IUPAC Executive Director


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