This address is presented by IUPAC President Professor
Joshua Jortner at the 40th IUPAC Council Meeting on 13 August
1999 in Berlin, Germany.
-
- MISSION STATEMENT AND THE STRATEGIC
PLAN
- INTERDISCIPLINARY ACTIVITIES
AND HORIZONTAL PROGRAMS
- CHANGES IN ORGANIZATION AND
MANAGEMENT OF IUPAC'S SCIENTIFIC WORK
- SCIENTIFIC CORE ACTIVITIES
- IUPAC'S PUBLICATIONS
- INITIATIVES OF INTEREST TO INDUSTRY
- DISSEMINATION OF INFORMATION
- SERVICE OF CHEMISTRY
- IUPAC ACTIVITIES IN LESS -DEVELOPED
COUNTRIES
- GLOBALIZATION
EPILOGUE
The future message of IUPAC should rest on:
- 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;
- Recruiting "Human Capital" for IUPAC;
- Adherence to the principles, norms, values, and ethics of science.
Chemistry historically emerged and developed as an interdisciplinary
scientific field, with a broad definition of its borders. Paraphrasing
Linus Pauling's definition of the chemical bond "whatever is convenient
to the chemist to define as a bond", chemistry can be defined as a discipline
encompassing all areas which are of interest for chemists and where
molecular science makes significant contributions. The rich and diverse
world of modern chemistry encompasses remarkable intellectual accomplishments,
scientific creativity and originality, and the generation of new knowledge.
The quality, relevance, and remarkable scope of modern chemistry all
point toward a bright future of the chemical sciences as a central scientific
discipline.
IUPAC serves the international scientific endeavor in the dual function
of a basic science and a mission-oriented Union. The Union is in a unique
position to contribute to the central interdisciplinary chemical sciences.
Strengthening international chemistry, striving toward inspiring high
standards of excellence and relevance in academic and industrial research,
and promoting the service of chemistry to society and to global issues--these
are the visions that shape IUPAC's activities toward the 21st century.
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. It is a privilege
to extend deep appreciation to the "IUPAC Family" and to all the volunteers
all 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. It
is by the expertise and dedication of these extensive and intensive
voluntary activities that IUPAC served and will continue to serve, with
the proper necessary modifications in its structure and function, the
world chemical research and industrial community as the outstanding
international authority on the Pure and Applied Chemical Sciences.