Call Number:

600.002

Repository:

Science History Institute Archives

Extent:

150 photographic prints (2 boxes)

Language:

English

Preferred Citation:

Photographs from the Records of the International Union of Pure and Applied Chemistry (IUPAC), Science History Institute Archives, Philadelphia, PA.

Date:

1925-1995 (bulk 1980s) (inclusive)

Creator:

International Union of Pure and Applied Chemistry

Form:

Photograph collections and Photographs

Abstract:

Print photographs documenting the officers and activities of the International Union of Pure and Applied Chemistry (IUPAC) between 1925 and 1995.

Founded in 1919, the International Union of Pure and Applied Chemistry (IUPAC) is a union of national chemical associations (National Adhering Organizations or NAOs), which represent the chemists of different member countries. IUPAC's roots can be traced to a series of international meetings first organized by August Kekulé in 1860, which aimed to foster communication between nations and encourage the evolution and adoption of standardized nomenclature and methodologies. The International Association of Chemical Societies (IACS), which first met in Paris in 1911, was the direct antecedent to IUPAC, whose areas of focus historically included the coordination of nomenclature in inorganic and organic chemistry, standardization of atomic weights, and establishing commissions for the review of work and formats of publication. During the Cold War, IUPAC served as an important instrument for maintaining technical dialogue among scientists throughout the world and became an active sponsor of international conferences and symposia. As of 2014, IUPAC consists of sixty NAOs and its work is divided into eight divisions: Physical and Biophysical Chemistry, Inorganic Chemistry, Organic and Biomolecular Chemistry, Polymers, Analytical Chemistry, Chemistry and the Environment, Chemistry and Human Health, and Chemical Nomenclature and Structure Representation.

This collection consists of print photographs documenting the officers and activities of the International Union of Pure and Applied Chemistry (IUPAC), primarily dating from the 1980s and 1990s. A significant portion of the collection is made up of formal portraits of past IUPAC officers and presidents, most notably former Executive Secretary Maurice Williams. The remainder of the collection consists of photographs from various IUPAC meetings, conferences, committees, and symposia in the 1980s and 1990s. These snapshots effectively highlight IUPAC's growth and global reach during these decades, documenting meetings and conferences in Amsterdam, Poland, India, Japan, and Shanghai, among other international locales. Other items of note include two early photographs of the International Committee on Organic Nomenclature dating from 1925 and 1936 respectively.