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3.THE INTERNATIONAL
ORGANISATION FOR
VACUUM SCIENCE AND
TECHNOLOGY (IOVST)
Immediately after the First International Congress
on Vacuum Technology, an international secretariat
was set up in Brussels under E. Thomas to handle
daily operations and coordinate the work of the
Executive Committee created at the Congress.
The Executive Committee wrote a draft
constitution and by-laws which, as agreed,
were submitted to the participants of the
First Congress and to many societies and
to persons interested in vacuum science
and technology who had not attended the
Congress. Their comments and suggestions
were incorporated in the drafts with minor
changes. The new organisation, called
the International Organisation for Vacuum
Science and Technology (IOVST), was
constituted in conformity with the Belgian
laws for international scientific organisations
seated in Brussels.
The IOVSTwas officially
registered and granted civil rights by a
Belgian Royal Decree on 7 August 1959.
Themembership of the IOVSTwas composed
of individual and corporate members, inclu
ding non-profit institutions and scientific
organisations as well as commercial and
industrial corporations and businesses. The
finances of the organisation were derived
from membership dues and grants from
institutions. The IOVST was administered by
a General Meeting, an Executive Committee
and the Secretariat in Brussels. The General
Meeting represented all the membership and
was vested with broad powers to make deci
sions on all aspects of the organisation. An
Executive Committee, made up of twelve
members, served as the administrative arm
of the General Meeting and was assisted by
an Advisory Committee. A News Bulletin was
published, and several standing committees
were organised: A Congress Committee, a
Standardisation Committee and an Education
Committee.
By the end of November, 1959, the
organisation had 32 Corporate Founder
Members and 418 Individual Founder
Members from 24 countries.
The IOVST Executive Committee
consisted of the following officers
and members:
President
E. Thomas (B)
Vice President
M. W. Welch (USA)
Secretary
A. S. D. Barrett (GB)
Treasurer
G. Lovinfosse (B)
Executive
G. Brogren (S),
Committee
K. Diels (D),
Members
J. Dunoyer (F),
A. Venema (NL)