Introduction of the Asia-Pacific Association of Catalysis Societies (APACS)

Abstract

The International Association of the Catalysis Societies (IACS), the North American Catalysis Society (NACS), and the European Federation of Catalysis Societies (EFCATS) have strongly promoted the development of the catalytic science and technology and related fields by the organization of International Congress on Catalysis (ICC), North American Meeting (NAM), and European congress on catalysis (EuropaCat), respectively. However, in the Asia-Pacific area, although there are several successful international meetings on catalysis, including China– Japan–US symposium on catalysis, Tokyo Conference on Advanced Catalytic Science and Technology (TOCAT), and later on Asia-Pacific Congress on Catalysis (APCAT), there had been still no Asia-Pacific catalysis association until 2004, to function as an organization similar to NACS and EFCATS. Suggested by regional catalysis colleagues from Japan, China and Korea, Prof. E. Kikuchi, the chairperson of the Fourth Tokyo Conference on Advanced Catalytic Science and Technology (TOCAT-4, July 2002), invited some representative scientists to discuss the possibility of organizing an Asia-Pacific catalysis association, during the period of TOCAT-4. The representative scientists agreed to this initiative and asked Professor Can Li, the chairperson of APCAT-3 (Oct. 2003, Dalian), to prepare for the regional catalysis association. In this meeting, the representatives also discussed the possibility of combining APCAT with TOCAT in the future after organizing the Asia-Pacific Catalysis Association. 2 Preparation of APACS