Electrochemical Society

Electrochemical Society
Name	Electrochemical Society
Founded	0 1902
Headquarters	Pennington, New Jersey
Focus	Electrochemistry, solid-state science, related technology
Website	https://www.electrochem.org

Electrochemical Society. The Electrochemical Society is a leading global professional association dedicated to advancing the theory and practice of electrochemical and solid-state science and technology. Founded in the early 20th century, it fosters interdisciplinary research and knowledge exchange among scientists and engineers worldwide. Its activities encompass scholarly publications, major international conferences, and the recognition of outstanding scientific achievement.

History

The society was established in 1902, initially as the American Electrochemical Society, reflecting its origins and early membership base within the United States. Its formation coincided with a period of rapid industrial advancement in fields like electroplating, battery technology, and electrometallurgy. Early influential figures included Edward G. Acheson, inventor of carborundum, and Charles F. Burgess, a pioneer in electrochemistry. A significant early publication was the Transactions of the American Electrochemical Society. Over decades, its scope expanded dramatically beyond its original American focus to become a truly international body, mirroring the global growth of fields such as semiconductor science, corrosion engineering, and energy conversion.

Organization and governance

The society is governed by an elected Board of Directors and led by an executive director. Its operations are supported by a headquarters located in Pennington, New Jersey. Technical work is organized through numerous Divisions and Groups, each focused on a specific sub-discipline such as batteries, corrosion, dielectric science, and sensors. These divisions are central to planning the technical content of meetings and publications. The society also maintains sections in various regions, including Japan, Europe, and India, to support its international membership.

Publications

The society publishes several prestigious, peer-reviewed scientific journals. Its flagship publication is the Journal of The Electrochemical Society, a high-impact journal covering fundamental and applied research. Other key periodicals include the ECS Journal of Solid State Science and Technology, ECS Sensors Plus, and ECS Advances. It also publishes the magazine Interface, which provides technical news and overviews for a broader audience. The society's publishing arm, ECS Transactions, disseminates peer-reviewed papers from its major meetings, including those from the ECS Meeting and specialized ECS conferences.

Meetings and conferences

The society organizes a major biannual gathering, the ECS Meeting, held in the spring and fall, which attracts thousands of researchers from around the world. It also sponsors numerous focused, topical conferences, such as the International Conference on Solid State Ionics and the International Symposium on Molten Salts and Ionic Liquids. These events, often held in collaboration with other organizations like the International Society of Electrochemistry, are critical forums for presenting cutting-edge research, networking, and fostering collaborations across academia, national laboratories, and industry leaders like IBM and Toyota.

Awards and recognition

The society administers a comprehensive awards program to honor scientific excellence. Its highest honor is the Edward Goodrich Acheson Award and Prize. Other major awards include the Olin Palladium Award, the Allen J. Bard Award, and the Walter J. Hamer Award. Many awards are division-specific, such as the Battery Division Research Award and the Corrosion Division H. H. Uhlig Award. The program also includes early-career recognitions like the ECS Toyota Young Investigator Fellowship and student awards presented at meetings.

Notable members

Throughout its history, the society has counted numerous luminaries among its members. Early influential members included Theodore William Richards, the first American Nobel laureate in Chemistry, and Willis Rodney Whitney, founder of the General Electric Research Laboratory. Later, key figures in the development of modern electronics were members, such as Gordon K. Teal, a pioneer of the silicon transistor. Many recipients of the Nobel Prize, including Stanley Whittingham, John B. Goodenough, and Akira Yoshino for their work on lithium-ion batteries, have been closely associated with the society's activities and publications.

Category:Scientific organizations based in New Jersey Category:Engineering societies Category:Electrochemistry Category:Organizations established in 1902