Women’s Increasing Responsibilities in IUPAC since 1975

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Abstract IUPAC was founded in 1919, but it was in 1911 that the International Association of Chemical Societies, IACS, considered as the precursor of the Union, was created. A look at the picture of the third meeting of IACS, held in 1913 in Brussels [1], makes obvious the absence of any woman—and the quasi-absence of any man without a beard or a moustache! A look at the population of women in IUPAC fifty years later showed the same situation, although by then beards and moustaches had lost ground. A thorough examination of the composition of IUPAC’s Divisions and Committees reveals a few women members before 1975 [2]. In the 70s and early 80s, the presence of a few women become noticeable. The names of these women, with their position and years of membership are tabulated here in chronological order by their initial membership on Divisions or Committees. Until 1990, all women are included in the table. From 1990 to 2010, only those with Titular Member (TM) status are listed, and after 2010 only those involved in the Bureau (BU), either as division president (DP), standing committee chair (SCC), or elected member (EM) and officer.