International Chemical Congress of Pacific Basin Societies

International Chemical Congress of Pacific Basin Societies
Name	International Chemical Congress of Pacific Basin Societies
Abbreviation	ICCPBS
Formation	1984
Headquarters	Honolulu, Hawaii
Region served	Pacific Basin

International Chemical Congress of Pacific Basin Societies is a multinational forum connecting chemists from across the Pacific Rim, bringing together delegates from academic institutions, national laboratories, and industrial research centers such as University of California, Berkeley, University of Tokyo, Tsinghua University, Australian National University, and University of São Paulo. The Congress fosters collaboration among societies like the American Chemical Society, Royal Society of Chemistry, Chemical Society of Japan, Chinese Chemical Society, and Korean Chemical Society while engaging policymakers from entities such as the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization, Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation, and the World Health Organization. Its activities intersect with major scientific events including the Nobel Prize in Chemistry ceremonies, symposia hosted by the Gordon Research Conferences, meetings of the International Union of Pure and Applied Chemistry, and regional initiatives led by the Pacific Islands Forum.

History

The Congress originated in 1984 with founding meetings that included delegations from institutions such as University of Hawaii at Manoa, National University of Singapore, Peking University, Seoul National University, and University of British Columbia, building on earlier exchanges like the Pacific Science Congress and bilateral programs between United States Department of Energy laboratories and the Japanese Society for the Promotion of Science. Early sessions featured keynote speakers affiliated with California Institute of Technology, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, École Normale Supérieure, and Max Planck Society, and topics echoed priorities from landmark reports by International Energy Agency and panels convened by the Royal Society. Over successive decades the Congress expanded its geographic reach to include delegations from Chile, Peru, Philippines, Malaysia, and New Zealand, responding to global challenges highlighted in forums such as the Rio Earth Summit and the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change.

Organization and Governance

Governance structures mirror those of international bodies like the International Union of Pure and Applied Chemistry and the International Council for Science, with an executive committee composed of representatives from member societies including the American Chemical Society, Canadian Chemical Society, Chinese Chemical Society, Chemical Society of Japan, and Royal Society of Chemistry. Administrative duties have been hosted by universities and institutions such as University of Hawaii, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Korea Research Institute of Chemical Technology, National Taiwan University, and Australian Academy of Science, while advisory boards have included members affiliated with Stanford University, ETH Zurich, Imperial College London, University of Toronto, and Peking University. Financial oversight and sponsorships have involved partnerships with organizations like the National Science Foundation, Japan Society for the Promotion of Science, China Scholarship Council, and multinational companies headquartered in regions represented by AstraZeneca, BASF, Bayer, Dow Chemical Company, and Samsung.

Conferences and Scientific Programs

Biennial congresses have been hosted in cities including Honolulu, Beijing, Tokyo, Seoul, Vancouver, Sydney, Singapore, and Santiago with plenary lectures, poster sessions, and specialized symposia that align with themes from conferences such as the Gordon Research Conferences, Materials Research Society meetings, American Association for the Advancement of Science annual events, and workshops by the Royal Society. Scientific programs encompass areas represented in awards like the Nobel Prize in Chemistry and the Wolf Prize in Chemistry, featuring sessions on catalysis linked to research at Max Planck Institute for Coal Research, energy materials reflecting agendas from the International Energy Agency, and biomedical chemistry resonant with initiatives at National Institutes of Health and Wellcome Trust. Collaborative sessions have involved consortia such as the Human Genome Project, climate science groups affiliated with the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change, and industry-academia partnerships exemplified by Toyota Research Institute and Pfizer.

Membership and Participating Societies

Member and affiliate societies include the American Chemical Society, Royal Society of Chemistry, Chinese Chemical Society, Chemical Society of Japan, Korean Chemical Society, Australian Chemical Society, Canadian Society for Chemistry, Sociedade Brasileira de Química, Indian Chemical Society, Philippine Society of Chemistry, and numerous national academies such as the Chinese Academy of Sciences, Academia Sinica, Australian Academy of Science, National Academy of Sciences (United States), and Royal Society (United Kingdom). Institutional participation spans universities like University of Tokyo, Tsinghua University, University of Sydney, University of Auckland, University of Chile, and research organizations including Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, Argonne National Laboratory, Riken, CSIRO, and SINTEF.

Awards and Recognitions

The Congress presents prizes and recognitions analogous to distinctions such as the Nobel Prize, Wolf Prize, Priestley Medal, Davy Medal, and Tetrahedron Prize, honoring early-career scientists, lifetime contributions, and best poster or oral presentations; recipients have often held appointments at institutions like Harvard University, Stanford University, University of California, Berkeley, University College London, and Max Planck Society institutes. Awards ceremonies have featured prominent figures affiliated with the Royal Swedish Academy of Sciences, National Academy of Sciences (United States), Japanese Society for the Promotion of Science, and funding agencies such as the European Research Council and National Science Foundation.

Publications and Proceedings

Proceedings and special issue publications have been issued in collaboration with journals and publishers including Journal of the American Chemical Society, Angewandte Chemie, Chemical Communications, Nature Chemistry, Science Advances, ACS Omega, Royal Society of Chemistry, Elsevier, and Wiley, with edited volumes drawing contributors from institutions like California Institute of Technology, ETH Zurich, Peking University, Imperial College London, and University of Toronto. Proceedings archive formats reflect standards used by the International Union of Pure and Applied Chemistry and indexing services such as Science Citation Index, Scopus, and CrossRef.

Impact and Outreach

The Congress influences research agendas across regions represented by bodies like the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation, United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization, and national funding agencies including the Japan Society for the Promotion of Science, National Natural Science Foundation of China, National Science Foundation (United States), and Australian Research Council, fostering collaborations that have led to joint grants, multinational consortia, and technology transfer involving companies such as Shimadzu Corporation, Panasonic, Hitachi, BASF, and Dow Chemical Company. Outreach activities include public lectures, teacher workshops, and partnerships with museums and institutions like the Smithsonian Institution, California Academy of Sciences, Miraikan, and Science Museum (London), aiming to connect scientific communities across the Pacific Basin and contribute to agendas highlighted at summits such as the Auckland Leaders' Meeting and regional science policy forums.

Category:International learned societies