The IUVSTA is a Union of national member societies whose role is to stimulate international collaborations in the fields of vacuum science, techniques and applications and related multi-disciplinary topics, including solid-vacuum and other interfaces. For all the IUVSTA activities, the reports heard during General Meeting gave you a flavour of them; details can be found on our website.

How did I come to be connected to the Union? Let’s go back, more than 15 years ago, when I was asked by my former PhD advisor to help with the IUVSTA, as no councillor from Belgium did attend the regular Executive Council Meetings for a long time, in flagrant violation of the Statutes. Convinced that IUVSTA has worldwide specific and valuable scientific output for my field of research, I joined the Union, as Councillor, as Alternate Councillor, as guest; I’ve been responsible for relations to the Belgian Ministry of Justice (for modifications of the Union Statutes), to the Belgian Ministry of Finances (for the income taxes), as the IUSTA is a Belgian non profit organization.

Today, I’m deeply honoured to be able to serve as the IUVSTA President until IVC19 –Paris in 2013; and I’m very grateful to all of you who have given to me the opportunity to do so. Be confident: I will make all possible efforts to maintain - better increase -the momentum that drives our Union, from my base camp, Namur University, Belgium!

Namur, Belgium, 10-13 June 1958 : these were the time and location of the FIRST IVC conference ! A big success ! Hundreds of participants ! Excellent science !– Have a look to the Proceedings for recognizing (famous) names, and strong topics {Advances in Vacuum Science and Technology, ed. E. Thomas (Pergamon, Oxford, 1960). 2 volumes}. At that opportunity, the scientific community felt strong and coherent enough to work out in 1959 the foundation of an international association that will become the IUVSTA.

What could be done ? what has to be done ?, more than 50 years later. As already mentioned, keep the momentum ; but I want to do more, with your help.

Change the routine work, change the routine meetings! Electronic communication has gained a strong influence on our lives and work; it is easy to maintain continuous contact… but people do work now by the deadlines. This is not good for long term planning and vision. Very seldom, people do meet in person… they can’t find time and opportunity to exchange and elaborate about visions. We should arrange for time for discussions. We should encourage meetings of the scientific divisions, at any opportunity; revitalize the work in the divisions; facilitate the engagement of the divisions members; improve communication with National vacuum societies, voting members of the Union. The ECM (Executive Council meeting) is the opportunity for the delegations of the national vacuum societies (and through these delegations, the large communities of scientists they do represent) to feed in ideas (nominations for the IUVSTA Prizes, for the scientific divisions, for the Presidency, for co-organisation of international events). Feedback and better interactions within the ECM and the Councillors are sought to increase return on investment, for the benefit of the international scientific community

From my first “electoral Statement”(2003), I copy
-new ways to involve (new) people and invest our resources…
National societies could be invited to share some resources to co-organise events. The Union should continue to approach emerging countries, and offer them a new palette of educational materials, audiovisual teaching modules, schools and technical training events
-visibility of the Union should be increased…
But money will be less abundant with the recent economy crisis. Indeed, most of the Union scientific and educational activities are financed by interests from reserve funds. As a consequence, we’ll have to strive for quality. Continuing to promote Workshops, Schools and Technical Training Courses, I will support the Scientific Director and the Scientific Secretary in developing excellence in these activities.

A new initiative of the Long Range Planning Committee has been the discussion of the World Transfer Programme (WTP). Its purpose is to call for scientific projects of young scientists who are willing to work 3-12 months in another country, and to allocate travel grants to the best of these projects. I’m personally very pleased to see that this WTP will be launched under my Presidency.

But we must explore new ways, new activities, in order to increase international collaboration, and strengthen our visibility. The Strategy business plan of Bill Rogers should be kept in front of our eyes; the projects and their metrics should be regularly re-evaluated.

From next year, we’ll be working with new Statutes. Why? This is imposed by Belgian law. But our scientific work will continue as usual; there will be no profound change in our everyday life. Except for a new budgetary vision: instead of working with a 3 year budget, we’ll go with one yearly budget, with annual auditing in a General assembly. I count on the Treasurer and the Finance committee for implementing a smooth transition.

It is with great pleasure that I thank Bill Rogers, now past-president, for all his continuous work for the Union; I also thank the “ team” (the Secretary General, the Officers and yje STD members, the Councillors, the Chairs of Divisions and Committees…) who have brought the IUVSTA to the present situation, and who brought me here, now.

Belgium has a long tradition of an open and welcoming country and … a tradition to find compromises to solve problems…I will face problems if they present, but I count on all of you to work out , with me, the objectives of our business plan. A captain has to work closely with his crew members; I ask the Officers, Councillors, Chairs of Divisions and Committees to communicate openly opinions and suggestions for improvement. Let’s work enthusiastically together!

Welch Scholarship

World Transfer Programme

WTP Flyer