IUVSTA is an international federation of thirty national vacuum organizations. It represents nearly 15,000 physicists, chemists, materials scientists, engineers and technologists who are active in basic and applied research, development, manufacturing, sales and education. The key body in IUVSTA is the Executive Council which comprises a Councilor from each of the national society members, together with seven elected officers. Under the Executive Council are a series of special Committees, which meet at each Executive Council Meeting (ECM), (normally held twice each year in conjunction with a scientific conference of IUVSTA or one of its member
societies), and a set of eight Scientific Divisions, each comprising an electoral college of members nominated by the national society members, and a smaller Divisional Committee elected from this college. The purpose of IUVSTA is to provide a worldwide platform for the promotion, proliferation, and education of vacuum science, techniques, and applications. A list of typical activities reflecting these objectives is given in the document ‘What is IUVSTA?’. Information on the administrative structure of IUVSTA can be viewed by clicking here. The official languages of IUVSTA are English, French, and German. IUVSTA has its legal registered office in Brussels, Belgium, Avenue de la Renaissance 30, B-1040. It is an official international association having scientific aims that is registered in compliance with Belgian law. Registration was approved by Royal Decree of 2 May, 1963. Each of the member countries is represented by a councilor. Individual or private membership is excluded. IUVSTA is a Scientific Associate of the International Council of Scientific Unions (ICSU).
A Brief History . . .
IUVSTA had its origin on June 13, 1958, in Namur, Belgium at a meeting called the “Premier Congrès International pour l’Etude des Techniques du Vide. At this meeting, the International Organization for Vacuum Science and Technology (IOVST) was structured under the leadership of Professor Emil Thomas of Belgium who was its first president. In 1961, the IOVST held its second International Congress in Washington, D.C. in combination with the 8th National Vacuum Symposium of the AVS. An equipment exhibit was held for the first time during this meeting. The meeting and exhibit proved to be very successful from both technical and financial points of view. On December 8, 1962 the IOVST was dissolved and a new organization called the International Union for Vacuum Science, Technique, and Applications (IUVSTA) was formed to represent national vacuum societies of various countries. A new constitution for IUVSTA was drafted, and all the assets and records of the IOVST were transferred to the new organization. Medard W. Welch of the U.S.A., who played a leading role in the formation of the federation, was chosen as the first President of IUVSTA. Ten vacuum groups became charter members of the Union. They represented:
| Belgium | Spain |
| Federal Republic of Germany | Sweden |
| France | Switzerland |
| Great Britain | United States of America |
| Netherlands | Yugoslavia |