International Scientific Unions Research Articles

Women in science: from images to data

Abstract In recent decades research in the social sciences, including in the history of science, has shown that women scientists continue to be depicted as exceptions to the rule that a normal scientist is a man. The underlying message is that being an outstanding scientist is incompatible with being an ordinary woman. From women scientists’ reported experiences, we learn that family responsibilities as well as sexism in their working environment are two major hindrances to their careers. This experience is now backed by statistical analysis, so that what used to be regarded as an individual problem for each woman of science can now be identified as a multi-layered social phenomenon, to be analysed and remedied as such. Over the last five years, international scientific unions have come together to address these issues, first through the Gender Gap in Science Project, and recently through the setting up of a Standing Committee for Gender Equality in Science (SCGES) whose task is to foster measures to reduce the barriers that women scientists have to surmount in their working lives.

Opening the record of science: making scholarly publishing work for science in the digital era

There is increasing concern about the extent to which the modern system of scientific and scholarly publishing serves the best interests of science. The International Science Council, as the global voice for science, and with its membership of 40 international scientific unions and associations and 144 national members, including national academies and research councils, is pursuing a major new initiative on this topic. This sets out a series of durable principles for scientific and scholarly publishing and analyses the extent to which current publishing regimes are consistent with these principles. It identifies serious deficits in the inhibition of access to the record of science, in global inclusion and innovation, in metrics that stimulate perverse behaviour and in the emerging shift of control of the research cycle into commercial hands. A series of virtual meetings involving the international science community, as represented by the Council’s members, will discuss these issues in September 2020, with the intention of creating an international coalition for action and change that will includes key stakeholders, including the library, funding and university communities. It is vital that the novel capabilities offered by the digital revolution are harnessed to disseminate science more efficiently and effectively to the global public good.

František Nušl, Vice-President of the IAU 1928–1935, and inventor of the circumzenithal telescope

AbstractThe Czech astronomer František Nušl (1867–1951) was professor of mathematics, practical astronomy and geometrical optics at Prague Charles University. His scientific contribution to astronomy consisted mainly of inventing and constructing of new astronomical and geodetical instruments. Together with his friend Josef Jan Frič, founder of the Ondřejov Observatory, he developed and improved the circumzenithal telescope (1899–1903–1906–1922–1932), a portable instrument with a mercury horizon for determining the geodetic position using the Gauss method of equal altitudes. This instrument won the gold medal at theExposition Internationale des Arts et Techniques dans la Vie Modernein Paris in 1937. Nušl, independently of Ernst Öpik, invented the wobbling mirror for determining the velocity of meteors by visual observation, and constructed an unique guiding system for the Ondrejov astrograph etc. The organizational activities of Frantisek Nušl were considerably rich, too: He was one of the founders of the Czech Astronomical Society in 1917, in the years 1922–1948 he served as its president. From 1918 until his retirement in 1937 he was the director of the Ondrejov Observatory, 40 km south of capital city of Prague, lectured astronomy at the Prague university and held many popular lectures including regular courses in radio broadcasting. František Nušl was member of several commisions of international scientific unions; he organized the 3rdGeneral Assembly of IUGG (International Union of Geodesy and Geophysics) in Prague 1927, and in IAU (International Astronomical Union) he was elected as Vice-President in the years 1928–1935. One can conclude that he was the main person who formed the Czech astronomy in the interwar period.

Can creators and curators redefine the scientific record?

There has always been a crucial linkage between creators and curators of scientific knowledge. The creators need the curators so that they can publish and establish their reputations, and the curators need the steady generation of new scientific knowledge. The advent of the internet has changed the balance of the relationship between the creators and curators, but the interdependency remains. There is also a greater call for open access to publication, and this brings a need for more appropriate controls. In this talk I shall deal with aspects of the relationship from the point of view of a researcher, and also describe steps being taken by the International Council for Science to develop a policy on open access, and the use of metrics for the assessment of quality. Initially, I should like to say a few words about the International Council for Science (ICSU). ICSU was founded in 1931 with 41 National Members and 8 International Scientific Unions, and took over from the International Association of Academies and the International Research Council. The membership in 2014 consists of 120 National Members and 31 International Scientific Unions. The mission of ICSU is to strengthen international science for the benefit of society. One specific way in which this can be achieved is in the formulation and provision of the best available science information to guide policy making by governments and other decision makers. ICSU’s vision is a world where science is used for the benefit of all, excellence in science is valued, and scientific knowledge is effectively linked to policy-making. In such an ideal world, universal and equitable access to scientific data and information would be a reality and all countries would have the scientific capacity to use these. ICSU has a strongly multi-faceted mission to benefit society. It seeks to identify and address key issues for science and society, to foster collaboration amongst scientists across all disciplines and from all countries, to promote the participation of all scientists, regardless of race, citizenship, language, political stance, or gender, in the international scientific endeavour, and to give independent, authoritative advice to link the scientific community with governments, civil society, and industry. ICSU has three organisational themes, namely the Universality of Science, Science for Policy, and International Research Collaboration. The boundaries between these three themes are porous, given the important linkages between them. The Committee on Freedom and Responsibility in the conduct of Science (CFRS) is dedicated to the promotion of freedom and responsibility of scientists, as well as promoting access to data and information as a critical contribution to the conduct of science around the globe. The Principle of Universality (freedom and responsibility) of Science maintains that the free and responsible practice of science is fundamental to scientific advancement and human and environmental

A Brief History of USNCB: Motivation and Formation

A Brief History of USNCB: Motivation and Formation

Research Integrity: Science Community Needs to Address Threats by Research Assessments

The International Union of Pure and Applied Chemistry (IUPAC) has a long-standing commitment to the International Council for Science (ICSU), a non-governmental organization with a global membership of national scientific bodies representing 141 countries and 31 International Scientific Unions, including IUPAC since 1922. Among its three strategic priorities, the Council works to promote the Principle of Universality of Science, enshrined in its Statute 5 and adherence to which is a condition of ICSU Membership.

Outreach, Outreach, Outreach

In the warm afterglow of the magnificent Kyoto Congress, readers of Physiology might well imagine the officers and council of IUPS taking a relaxing break. Certainly, some congratulations are in order. As the documentary videos on the IUPS website show, it was a brilliant event, all the way from the

Revised Statutes and Rules of Procedure of the International Union of Psychological Science

The International Union of Psychological Science (IUPsyS) is a non-profit, international non-government organization. Its legal venue is located in Montreal, Canada where it is incorporated. The Statutes and Rules of Procedure set out the organization's objectives as well as the structure and process by which it operates. For those not already familiar with the IUPsyS, it is important to note that the fundamental entity of the Union is the “National Member”. Similar to many other international scientific unions, IUPsyS does not have individual members. National Members, one per country, are recognized and admitted according to the criteria and procedures found in the Statutes and Rules. Provision is also made for Affiliates, which are also, organized entities. Questions about the Statutes and Rules should be addressed to the Secretary-General, Pierre L.-J. Ritchie, Secretary-General, E-mail: pritchie@uottawa.ca

Ionospheric electron content: the European perspective

The electron content of the ionosphere is an important quantity which indicates overall ionization. It is measured by means of propagation effects on radio signals which penetrate the ionosphere. In Europe relevant investigations started after the launch of the first artificial satellites. Soon the necessity arose to organize international cooperation: the regional as well as the global geographical distribution of ionization parameters is important knowledge for any meaningful geophysical interpretation of ionization parameters. Despite the fact that international scientific Unions and Committees existed and had proven their usefulness and potential, private initiatives were taken to organize cooperation in the field of research based on transionospheric propagation effects. Only in 1971 three international groups joined together to form the "Beacon Satellite Group"as a "Working Party" of COSPAR. The "Beacon Satellite Group" still exists but is now a Working Group of URSI, the International Union for Radio Science. This contribution tries to summarize the European perspective with special emphasis on the long standing cooperation between the Istituto di Ricerca sulle Onde Elettromagnetiche (IROE) at Firenze and the Institut für Meteorologie und Geophysik of the University of Graz. Examples are given of important results.

SCIENCE BODY EXPANDS ROLE

The International Council of Scientific Unions (ICSU)—often called world body of science—took major steps in September at its 25th General Assembly toward a more active and visible role as spokesman for the global scientific community and adviser to the public and governments on diverse science-related issues. A nongovernmental organization founded in 1931, does not have individual scientist members. It is, rather, an umbrella body consisting of 25 international scientific unions—such as the International Union of Pure & Applied Chemistry—plus 95 national members (the National Academy of Sciences represents the U.S.) and 28 scientific associate organizations (such as the International Institute for Applied Systems Analysis). is hardly a household word. But members of the ICSU family have created major international interdisciplinary programs. They jointly sponsor environmental and other programs with the United Nations Educational, Scientific & Cultural Organization (UNESCO) and other UN...

World science body to push more active role

The International Council of Scientific Unions (ICSU)—often called world body of science—is taking steps toward a more active and visible role as spokesman for the world scientific community and adviser to society on diverse sciencerelated issues. A nongovernmental organization formed in 1931, ICSU has no individual members. It is umbrella organization composed of 25 international scientific unions—such as the International Union of Pure & Applied Chemistry—plus 95 national members (the National Academy of Sciences represents the U.S.) and 30 scientific associate organizations. ICSU's General Assembly, its highest governance unit, drew about 250 scientists to its triennial meeting, held late last month in Washington, D.C.—its first meeting in the U.S. in 20 years. The main item on the agenda was a just-completed report by a high-level assessment panel that urges major expansion and strengthening of ICSU activities. The panel envisions ICSU as an incubator of 'entrepreneurial' activities at the n...

EXCON '94: Inaugural address

Abstract

The middle atmosphere after the Middle Atmosphere Programme (MAP)

The Middle Atmosphere Programme (MAP) took place in the period 1 January 1982-31 December 1985. It was a period designated by the International Council of Scientific Unions (ICSU) for an international cooperative programme of study of the atmospheric region from about 10 to 100 km above the Earth’s surface. It was administered by a steering committee under the Scientific Committee on Solar Terrestrial Physics (SCOSTEP), made up of representatives of ten international scientific unions and committees. The main work of MAP was done by 17 projects, each proposed, developed and coordinated by an individual scientist. In this paper, the main achievements of these projects are outlined, and the status of our understanding of the middle atmosphere in 1986 is compared with that in 1976, when the original planning conference of MAP was held.

Summary of the Colloquium

I have rarely had the pleasure of attending a conference in which the sheer volume of information has been so impressive and the contributions have been so diversified. Ordinarily, an I.A.U. colloquium is quite specialized, but this one might easily have been sponsored by half a dozen commissions and several international scientific unions. Astronomers from many sub-disciplines, atomic physicists, plasma physicists, aerodynamicists and applied mathematicians have come together to unite solar and stellar physics and to learn one another's scientific language. In principle, my task is to summarize more than 100 papers, which is clearly impossible even if I had had two evenings to prepare instead of one. The best I can do is to mention a few of the papers which seem to me to have conveyed the flavor of the conference and to ask the forgiveness of the remaining authors.

COSPAR

The Nineteenth Annual COSPAR Meeting and five associated symposia were held in June 1976 in Philadelphia at the invitation of the National Academy of Sciences. Nearly 500 papers were presented during the open sessions of COSPAR working groups and panels and during the specialized symposia. Total participation was 634 from 33 countries. Of the 34 national scientific institutions in COSPAR, 32 were officially represented, as were 9 international scientific unions of the 12 in COSPAR. Fourteen invited intergovernmental and nongovernmental international organizations sent official representatives.

Sixteenth Meeting of COSPAR

The Sixteenth Cospar Plenary Meeting and specialized symposia, organized jointly with International Scientific Unions and other international bodies, were held in Constance, Federal Republic of Germany, during the period of May 23 to June 5, 1973, at the invitation of the Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft under the high patronage of the President of the Federal Republic of Germany, Gustav W. Heinemann. There were 630 participants from 36 countries.The various Cospar bodies held their meetings as follows: the Bureau met on May 25 and June 2 and 4; Executive Council met on May 26 and June 4; the Plenary met on May 28 and June 5; the Working Groups, their Panels (business and open meetings), and the Advisory Committee on Data Problems and Publications met between May 26 and June 2; and a special meeting between representatives of national institutions and bureau members wasorganized on May 30.

Report of the Committee on Meteorites

Several monographs and collections of papers were published in Meteoritics during 1967 to 1969 (Chirvinskij, 1967; Vdovykin, 1967; Wood, 1968; Cikulin, 1969; Anders et al, 1967; Stanjukovič, 1968). Extensive work on meteorites is continuing in the Meteorite Committee of the Academy of Sciences of U.S.S.R. Fesenkov and Krinov continued publishing the journal Meteoritika, where most of the papers of scientists of the U.S.S.R. are published. Hoffleit continued publishing Meteoritics of the Meteorite Society. Javnel’ continued editing a bibliography on meteorites. A bibliography on the isotopic and chemical composition of meteorites was published by Kielbasinski and Wanat. The UNESCO working group on meteorites under the chairmanship of Orcel edited the Directory of Meteorite Collections and Meteorite Research in 1968.The Meteorite Committee of the Academy of Sciences of the U.S.S.R. organized its 13th meteorite conference in 1968. The Meteorite Society had its 30th to 32nd annual meetings during 1967 to 1969. The International Atomic Agency in cooperation with UNESCO and five other international scientific unions and organizations including the IAU represented by Millman, prepared a Symposium on Meteorite Research in Vienna, Austria, 7-13 August, 1968, initiated by the UNESCO Working Group on Meteorites. More than 70 papers were presented at this Symposium, showing the interests of various sciences in meteorites. The Symposium volume appeared very soon after the sessions were closed in the series Astrophysics and Space Science Library, published by D. Reidel Publishing Company, Dordrecht, Holland, under the title Meteorite Research edited by P. M. Millman (1969, 940 pages).

Year one of the International Hydrological Decade

Considerable efforts by hydrologists throughout the world during the past 5 years or more have culminated in the formal declaration by Unesco of the International Hydrological Decade, 1965–1974. Some 78 countries have appointed national committees for the Decade; 75 nations have submitted working documents outlining national programs for the IHD. More than a dozen international meetings either have been directed solely to the affairs of the IHD or have had major IHD implications. A large number of international scientific and technical unions and associations have endorsed the IHD, and many are making plans for active participation. The list of international intergovernmental agencies expressing interest is mounting.

International Agreements on the Measurement of Physical Quantities

Underlying all international agreements on standards for physical measurements and on the definition of physical constants is the Treaty of the Meter. By their adherence to this treaty, most of the countries of the world have identical systems of measurement for mass, length, time, and temperature. From this base, there has developed a superstructure of international agreement on many of the quantities that are of basic importance to the physical sciences. These agreements, which are almost universally accepted by scientists, are usually reached through the work of groups of experts operating within the framework of international scientific unions. Illustrations are given of a number of such operations.

IX General Assembly of the International Council of Scientific Unions

At the invitation of the Royal Society the IX General Assembly of the International Council of Scientific Unions (ICSU) was held in London from 25 to 28 September 1961. The last occasion when the Council held a General Assembly in London was in 1946, the IV Assembly of this body to which fifty-one nations now adhere and fourteen international scientific unions constitute the scientific members. The General Assembly was preceded by meetings of the Bureau and of the Executive Board which took place in the rooms of the Royal Society, but the number of delegates who came to this country for the plenary sessions of the International Council was well over 100 and it was necessary to find accommodation for them beyond the limits of Burlington House. Meetings were held in the School of Pharmacy of the University of London. After registration in the morning of Monday, 25 September, the delegates were welcomed by Sir Howard Florey, P.R.S., and the opening session on Monday afternoon was presided over by the President of the International Council of Scientific Unions, Sir Rudolph Peters, F.R.S. The newly formed International Union of Geological Sciences was admitted to ICSU as a general union and became the fourteenth scientific member of the Council. The Council admitted as national members the Hungarian Academy of Sciences, the Academy of Sciences of the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea, the Korean Academy of Sciences, the Ghana Academy of Learning, the Ceylon Association for the Advancement of Science and the German Academy of Sciences in Berlin.