History

The history of IAPSO dates from the early years of the 20th century.

Modern oceanography had its beginnings in the 18th century voyages of James Cook and others which carried scientific observers. Those voyages were followed by oceanographic research cruises in the 19th century financed by various governments. Prince Albert I of Monaco had an early interest in the sea and had entered into a naval career as a young man, serving in both the French and Spanish Navies. After seeing the results of voyages of the "Travailleur" and the "Talisman" in an exhibition in the Paris Natural History Museum, Prince Albert made a decision in 1884 to devote his time and resources to oceanography. Over the next 30 years he financed the construction or acquisition of a series of four vessels which he used for oceanographic cruises. Prince Albert's initial main collaborator was Baron Jules de Guerne, joined in 1887 by Dr. Jules Richard. Maurice Leger and Paul Portier assisted Prince Albert in developing scientific equipment. John Young Buchanan joined the group as an oceanographer after serving as chemist to the Challenger expedition. Prince Albert's last voyage ended in 1914 with the outbreak of World War I.

1900

Prince Albert I always had a strong interest in international cooperation. In 1900, he had granted his patronage to the establishment of the short-lived International Marine Association which ended meetings after 1904. With the encouragement of Buchanan, he sought to establish a new international organization after the end of the war.

1919

The opportunity for that arose when the International Union of Geodesy and Geophysics (IUGG) was established in Brussels, Belgium, on July 28, 1919 during the Constitutive Assembly of the International Research Council (predecessor of the International Council of Scientific Unions which was created in 1931, that became the International Science Council (ISC) in2018). At the meeting in Brussels, a Section of Physical Oceanography was formed with Prince Albert of Monaco as its first President, Professor Horace Lamb of Great Britain as the Vice President, and Professor G. Magrini of Italy as the Secretary. Prince Albert I also founded a biological oceanography section in the International Union of Biological Sciences.

1922-1927

The first IUGG General Assembly was held in Rome, Italy, in May 1922. Prince Albert died in July of that year, and Vice- Admiral Sir John Perry of Great Britain, elected Vice President in Rome, carried on until the next General Assembly held in Madrid in 1924 where Professor Odon de Buen of Spain was elected President. Vice-Admiral Perry continued as Vice President (he died in 1926). Professor Magrini continued as Secretary. Both de Buen and Magrini were re-elected to their positions at the third IUGG General Assembly held in Prague, Czechoslovakia in 1927, where Dr. J. Schmidt of Denmark became Vice President.

1929-1933

At an Assembly in Seville, Spain, in 1929, held separately from IUGG, the Section of Physical Oceanography became the Association of Physical Oceanography. At the fourth IUGG General Assembly held the following year in Stockholm, Sweden, Prof. Martin Knudsen of Denmark was elected President of the Association, Ing. E. Fichot of France became Vice President, and Prof. Rolf Witting of Finland became Secretary. Profs. de Buen and Magrini continued as members of the Association's Executive Committee. At the fifth IUGG General Assembly held in Lisbon, Portugal, in 1933, Knudsen and Fichot were re-elected to their positions and Prof. J. Proudman of Great Britain became Secretary (he would hold that position until 1948). Magrini and de Buen continued on the Executive Committee (Magrini died in 1935).

1936-1948

General Assemblies were held in 1936 in Edinburgh, Scotland, and in September 1939 in Washington, DC. Prof. B. Helland-Hansen became President of the Association in 1936 and held that position until 1946. Due to the disruptions of World War II, the following General Assembly was not held until 1948 when it was in Oslo, Norway. In the meantime, Prof. H. U. Sverdrup became President, continuing in that position until 1951. In 1948 Prof. Proudman became Vice President and Prof H. Mosby of Norway became Secretary. At that General Assembly the Association became the International Association of Physical Oceanography (IAPO).

1951-1957

Prof. Proudman became President of the Association at the General Assembly in Brussels, Belgium in 1951, Professor Sverdrup continued as a member of the Executive Committee, and Prof. Mosby continued as Secretary until being elected President of the Association at the General Assembly in Rome, Italy in 1954. At that time Dr. R. H. Fleming of the United States became Secretary General. Profs. Proudman and Sverdrup continued as members of the Executive Committee (Prof. Sverdrup died in 1957). At the next General Assembly in Toronto, Canada, in 1957, Prof. Mosby continued as President, Prof B. Kullenberg of Sweden became Secretary, and Prof. Proudman continued on the Executive Committee for an additional term.

1960-1963

At the 1960 General Assembly in Helsinki, Finland, Dr. G. Deacon of Great Britain became President, and Prof. Kullenberg continued as Secretary. In 1963, at the General Assembly in Berkeley, United States, Prof. Roger Revelle became President, Prof. Kullenberg became a Vice President, and Prof. I. Hela of Finland became Secretary. After 1963 the interval between IUGG General Assemblies became four years.

1967-1971

In 1967, the IUGG and Association General Assemblies were held in Switzerland, but in different cities, the IUGG meeting in Bern, IAPO became the International Association for the Physical Sciences of the Ocean (IAPSO) and met in Sankt Gallen, and other Associations met in Basal and Zürich. Prof. Dietrich of Germany became the IAPSO President, and Dr. A. E. Maxwell of the United States became the Secretary (the Secretariat would remain in the United States from 1967 to 2007). In 1970, IAPSO held its General Assembly in Tokyo, Japan, separately from the IUGG General Assembly held in Moscow, Russia, in 1971, and held oceanographic sessions in conjunction with the IUGG General Assembly.

Modern IAPSO

Successive IAPSO Presidents were Henri Lacombe (France, 1970-1975); Robert W. Stewart (Canada, 1975-1979); Devendra Lal (India, 1979-1983); Wolfgang Krauss (Germany, 1983-1987); James J. O'Brien (United States, 1987-1991); Robin D. Muench (United States, 1991- 1995); L. Vere Shannon (South Africa, 1995-1999, when he continued on the Executive Committee as Past President under revised statutes and by-laws which went into effect that year); Paola Rizzoli (United States/Italy, 1999-2003); Shiro Imawaki (Japan, 2003-2007); Lawrence A. Mysak (Canada, 2007-2011); Eugene G. Morozov (Russian Federation, 2011-2015); Denise Smythe-Wright (United Kingdom, 2015-2019); Trevor McDougall (Australia, 2019-2023); Hans van Haren (the Netherlands, elected in 2023).

The position of Secretary became Secretary General in 1979. Successive Secretaries/Secretaries General have been Eugene C. LaFond (United States, 1970-1987); Robert E. Stevenson (United States, 1987-1995); Fred E. Camfield (United States, 1995-2007); Johan Rodhe (Sweden, 2007-2015); Stefania Sparnocchia (Italy, 2015-2023); Silvia Blanc (Argentina, elected in 2023).

At the General Assembly in Vienna, Austria, in 1991, IAPSO made a minor name change, revising it to the International Association for the Physical Sciences of the Oceans.

In 1999, there were revisions to the Statutes and By-Laws to increase the number of members on the Executive Committee, add the Past President as a member of the Executive Committee, and formally create a Nominations Committee. In 2020, a further revision increased the number of Members at Large from six to eight, one of them an early career scientist with formal role to chair the IAPSO Early Career Scientists Working Group.

 

IAPSO PRESIDENTS

IAPSO SECRETARIES / SECRETARIES GENERAL

 

1919-1922 S.A.S. Prince Albert 1er (Monaco)

1919-1930 Giovanni Magrini (Italy)

 

1924-1930 Odón de Buen (Spain)

 

1930-1936 Martin Knudsen (Denmark)

1930-1933 Rolf Witting (Finland)

 

1933-1948 Joseph Proudman (UK)

 

1936-1946 Bjørn Helland-Hansen (Norway)

 

1946-1951 Harald U. Sverdrup (Norway)

 

1948-1954 Håkon Mosby (Norway)

 

1951-1954 Joseph Proudman (UK)

 

1954-1960 Håkon Mosby (Norway)

1954-1957 Richard H. Fleming (USA)

 

1957-1963 Börje Kullenberg (Sweden)

 

1960-1963 George E.R. Deacon (UK)

 

1963-1967 Roger Revelle (USA)

1963-1967 Ilmo Hela (Finland)

 

1967-1970 Günter Dietrich (F.R. Germany)

1967-1970 Arthur E. Maxwell (USA)

 

1970-1975 Henri Lacombe (France)

1970-1987 Eugene C. LaFond (USA)

 

1975-1979 Robert W. Stewart (Canada)

 

1979-1983 Devendra Lal (India)

 

1983-1987 Wolfgang M. Krauss (F.R. Germany)

 

1987-1991 James J. O'Brien (USA)

1987-1995 Robert E. Stevenson (USA)

 

1991-1995 Robin D. Muench (USA)

 

1995-1999 L.Vere Shannon (South Africa)

1995-2007 Fred E. Camfield (USA)

 

1999-2003 Paola Rizzoli (Italy/USA)

 

2003-2007 Shiro Imawaki (Japan)

 

2007-2011 Lawrence Mysak (Canada)

2007-2015 Johan Rodhe (Sweden)

 

 

2011-2015 Eugene G. Morozov (Russia)

 

2015-2019 Denise Smythe-Wright (United Kingdom)

2015-2023 Stefania Sparnocchia (Italy)

 

2019-2023 Trevor McDougall (Australia)

 

2023-2027 Hans van Haren (the Netherlands)

 2023-2031 Silvia Blanc (Argentina)  

 

Milestone Assemblies and Executive Committee members

(1919 - 1951)

1919 (July 28) Brussels, Belgium Constitutive Assembly of the International Research Council
The Section of Physical Oceanography, IUGG, was formed with the Following membership:
President S.A.S The Prince of Monaco Monaco  
Vice-President Prof. H. Lamb UK  
Secretary Prof. G. Magrini Italy  
Members Col. C. Close UK  
  Capt. G. W. Littlehales USA  
1922 (May) Rome, Italy I IUGG General Assembly
President S.A.S The Prince of Monaco* Monaco *died in July 1922
Vice-President Vice-Adm. Sir J. Perry UK  
Secretary Prof. G. Magrini Italy  
1924 (October) Madrid, Spain II IUGG General Assembly
President Prof. O. de Buen Spain  
Vice-President Vice-Adm. Sir J. Perry* UK  *died in April 1926
Secretary Prof. G. Magrini Italy  
Members Senator V. Volterra Italy  
  Prof. H. Lamb UK  
  Prof. L. Joubin France  
  Capt. G. W. Littlehales USA  
  Mr. H. G. Maurice UK  
1927 (September) Prague, Czechoslovakia III IUGG General Assembly
President Prof. O. de Buen Spain  
Vice-President Dr. J. Schmidt Denmark  
Secretary Prof. G. Magrini Italy  
Members Ing. E. Fichot France  
  Senator V. Volterra Italy  
  Prof. L. Joubin   France  
  Capt. G. W. Littlehales USA  
  Dr. H. G. Maurice UK  
1929 (May) Seville, Spain I International Oceanography Congress
The Section of Physical Oceanography became the Association of Physical Oceanography
1930 (August) Stockholm, Sweden IV IUGG General Assembly
President Prof. M. Knudsen Denmark  
Vice-President Ing. E. Fichot France  
Secretary Prof. R. Witting Finland  
Members Prof. O. de Buen Spain  
  Vice-Adm. E. Caballero y Lastres Peru  
  Prof. G. Magrini Italy  
  Prof. L. Joubin France  
  Capt. G. W. Littlehales USA  
  Dr. D. J. Matthews UK  
1933 (September) Lisbon, Portugal V IUGG General Assembly
Statutes of the Association
President Prof. M. Knudsen Denmark  
Vice-President Ing. E. Fichot France  
Secretary Prof. J. Proudman UK  
Members Vice-Adm. E. Caballero y Lastres Peru  
  Dr. D. J. Matthews UK  
  Prof. R. Witting Finland  
  Prof. O. de Buen Spain  
  Prof. B. Helland-Hansen Norway  
  Prof. T. G. Thompson USA  
  Prof. L. Joubin* France * died in 1935
  Prof. G. Magrini** Italy ** died in 1935
1936 (September) Edinburgh, Scotland VI IUGG General Assembly
President Prof. B. Helland-Hansen Norway  
Vice-President Ing. E. Fichot* France  * died in July 1939
Secretary Prof. J. Proudman UK  
Members Vice-Adm. E. Caballero y Lastres Peru  
  Dr. D. J. Matthews UK  
  Prof. T. G. Thompson USA  
  Prof. R. Witting Finland  
  Prof. M. Knudsen Denmark  
  Dr. T. Okada Japan  
  Dr. A. Ramalho Portugal  
  Mr. P. M. van Riel Netherlands  
1939 (September) Washington, USA VII IUGG General Assembly
President Prof. B. Helland-Hansen Norway  
Vice-President (Acting) Prof. T. G. Thompson USA  
Secretary Prof. J. Proudman UK  
Members Vice-Adm. E. Caballero y Lastres Peru  
  Dr. D. J. Matthews UK  
  Prof. T. G. Thompson USA  
  Prof. R. Witting Finland  
  Prof. M. Knudsen Denmark  
  Dr. T. Okada Japan  
  Dr. A. Ramalho Portugal  
  Mr. P. M. van Riel Netherlands  
1946 - 1948 No assembly took place after that of 1939 and until 1948 due to the upheavals of the Second World War
President Prof. H. U. Sverdrup Norway  
Secretary Prof. J. Proudman UK  
Deputy Secretary Prof. H. Mosby Norway  
Members Dr. D. J. Matthews UK  
  Prof. T. G. Thompson USA  
  Prof. M. Knudsen Denmark  
  Dr. A. Ramalho Portugal  
  Mr. P. M. van Riel Netherlands  
1948 (August) Oslo, Norway VIII IUGG General Assembly
Statutes and ByLaws of the Association
The Association of Physical Oceanography became the International Association of Physical Oceanography (IAPO)
President Prof. H. U. Sverdrup Norway  
Vice-Presidents Prof. J. Proudman UK  
  Dr. C. O'D. Iselin USA  
Secretary Prof. H. Mosby Norway  
Deputy Secretary Dr. R. H. Fleming USA  
Members Dr. J. N. Carruthers UK  
  Prof. H. Pettersson Sweden  
  Capt. J. Rouch France  
  Vice-Adm. J. W. Termijtelen Netherlands  

 

 

 

Milestone Assemblies and Executive Committee members

(1951 - 1983)

1951 (August) Brussels, Belgium IX IUGG General Assembly
President Prof. J. Proudman UK  
Vice-Presidents Dr. C. O'D. Iselin USA  
  Capt. J. Rouch France  
Secretary Prof. H. Mosby Norway  
Deputy Secretary Dr. R. H. Fleming USA  
Members Dr. J. N. Carruthers UK  
  Prof. H. Pettersson Sweden  
  Prof. H. Groen Netherlands  
  Prof. H. U. Sverdrup Norway  
1954 (September) Rome, Italy X IUGG General Assembly
President Prof. H. Mosby Norway  
Vice-Presidents Dr. J. N. Carruthers UK  
  Capt. J. Rouch France  
Secretary Dr. R. H. Fleming* USA  * replaced by Dr. Kullenberg 1 November 1956
Deputy Secretary Dr. B. Kullenberg Sweden  
Members Prof. H. Groen Netherlands  
  Prof. H. U. Sverdrup** Norway  ** died in 1957
  Dr. G. Böhnecke Germany  
  Prof. J. Proudman UK  
1957 (September) Toronto, Canada XI IUGG General Assembly
President Prof. H. Mosby Norway  
Vice-Presidents Dr. J. N. Carruthers UK  
  Prof. V. G. Kort USSR  
Secretary Dr. B. Kullenberg Sweden  
Deputy Secretary Ing. M. Eyriès France  
Members Dr. G. Böhnecke Germany  
  Prof. J. Proudman UK  
  Prof. K. Hidaka Japan  
  Dr. H. B. Hachey Canada  
1960 (July/August) Helsinki, Finland XII IUGG General Assembly
President Dr. G. Deacon UK  
Vice-Presidents Prof. V. G. Kort USSR  
  Prof. I. Hela Finland  
Secretary Dr. B. Kullenberg Sweden  
Deputy Secretary Ing. M. Eyriès France  
Members Prof. K. Hidaka Japan  
  Prof. G. Dietrich Germany  
  Dr. H. B. Hachey Canada  
  Dr. J. Lyman USA  
1963 (August) Berkeley, USA XIII IUGG General Assembly
President Prof. R. Revelle USA  
Vice-Presidents Dr. B. Kullenberg Sweden  
  Prof. K. Hidaka Japan  
Secretary Prof. I. Hela Finland  
Deputy Secretary Ing. M. Eyriès France  
Members Prof. L. M. Brekhovskikh USSR  
  Capt. L. R. A. Capurro Argentina  
  Prof. G. Dietrich Germany  
  Mr. D. J. Rochford Australia  
1967 (September) Sankt Gallen, Switzerland XIV IAPO General Assembly
Statutes and ByLaws of the Association
The International Association of Physical Oceanography (IAPO) became the International Association for the Physical Sciences of the Ocean (IAPSO)
President Prof. G. Dietrich Germany  
Vice-Presidents Prof. A. S. Monin USSR  
  Prof. M. Uda Japan  
Secretary Dr. A. E. Maxwell USA  
Deputy Secretary Ing. M. Eyriès France  
Members Capt. L. R. A. Capurro Argentina  
  Dr. D. Lal India  
  Mr. D. J. Rochford Australia  
  Dr. J. R. Rossiter UK  
1970 (August/September) Tokyo, Japan XV IAPSO General Assembly
President Prof. H. Lacombe USA  
Vice-Presidents Prof. A. S. Monin USSR  
  Prof. K. Yoshida Japan  
Secretary Dr. E. C. LaFond USA  
Deputy Secretary Dr. J. R. Rossiter* UK * Died May 1972
  Dr. B. L. K. Somayajulu** India  ** Appointed 1972
Members Dr. H. L. Grant Canada  
  Prof. K. Grasshoff Germany  
  Prof. E. S. W. Simpson South Africa  
  Adm. P. Moreira da Silva*** Brazil *** Appointed 1972
1975 (August/September) Grenoble, France XVI IUGG General Assembly
President Prof. R. W. Stewart Canada  
Vice-Presidents Prof. J. S. Turner Australia  
  Prof. G. Siedler Germany  
Secretary Dr. E. C. LaFond USA  
Deputy Secretary Dr. J. M. Gieskes USA  
Members Adm. P. Moreira da Silva Brazil  
  Prof. E. S. W. Simpson South Africa  
  Dr. B. L. K. Somayajulu India  
  Dr. S. Uyeda Japan  
1979 (December) Camberra, Australia XVII IUGG General Assembly
Statutes and ByLaws of the Association
The office of Secretary has been changed to Secretary General
President Prof. D. Lal India  
Secretary General Dr. E. C. LaFond USA  
Vice-Presidents Prof. W. Krauss Germany  
  Akad. B. A. Nelepo USSR  
Deputy Secretary General Dr. J. M. Gieskes USA  
Members Mr. J. Crease UK  
  Prof. G. B. Kullenberg Denmark  
  Dr. A. Morel France  
  Prof. S. H. Sharaf-el-Din Egypt  

 

Milestone Assemblies and Executive Committee members

(1983 - 2015)

1983 (August) Hamburg, Germany XVIII IUGG General Assembly
President Prof. W. Krauss Germany  
Secretary General Dr. E. C. LaFond USA  
Vice-Presidents Prof. J. J. O'Brien USA  
  Prof. T. Teramoto Japan  
Deputy Secretary General Dr. J. M. Gieskes USA  
Members Prof. G. B. Kullenberg Denmark  
  Prof. A. Morel France  
  Dr. S. Krishnaswami India  
  Prof. A. S. Sarkisyan USSR  
1987 (August) Vancouver, Canada XIX IUGG General Assembly
President Prof. J. J. O'Brien USA  
Secretary General Dr. R. E. Stevenson USA  
Vice-Presidents Prof. A. S. Sarkisyan USSR  
  Dr. I. Jones Australia  
Deputy Secretary General Dr. D. Cartwright UK  
Members Prof. Y. Longfei China  
  Dr. J. Sündermann FRG  
  Dr. R. Krishnaswami India  
  Dr. M. El-Sabh Canada  
1991 (August) Vienna, Austria XX IUGG General Assembly
IAPSO modified the name slightly, changing it into the International Association for the Physical Sciences of the Oceans
President Dr. Robin D. Muench USA  
Secretary General Dr. R. E. Stevenson USA  
Vice-Presidents Prof. Andre Morel   France  
  Dr. L. Vere Shannon   South Africa  
Deputy Secretary Generals Prof. Ben J. Cagle USA  
  Prof. Gunther Krause   Germany  
  Dr. Stuart Godfrey Australia  
Members Dr. D. Halpern USA  
  Prof. Jürgen Sündermann Germany  
  Prof. Yoshiaki Toba   Japan  
  Dr. Mohammed I. El-Sabn Canada  
  Dr. Longfei Ye China  
1995 (July) Boulder, Colorado, USA XXI IUGG General Assembly
President Dr. L. Vere Shannon South Africa  
Secretary General Dr. Fred E. Camfield USA  
Vice-Presidents Dr. Jürgen Sündermann Germany  
  Dr. Yoshiaki Toba Japan  
Deputy Secretary General Prof. Paola Rizzoli USA/Italy  
Members Dr. David Halpern USA  
  Dr. Mario Astraldi Italy  
  Dr. John A. Johnson UK  
  Dr. Maria Cintia Piccolo Argentina  
1999 (July) Birmingham, England XXII IUGG General Assembly
Statutes and ByLaws of the Association
Revised Statutes and By-Laws came into force that year introducing the office of Past President, increasing the number of members on the Executive Committee from 4 to 6, and formally creating a Nominations Committee
President Prof. Paola Rizzoli USA/Italy  
Secretary General Dr. Fred E. Camfield USA  
Past-President Dr. L. Vere Shannon South Africa  
Vice-Presidents Dr. John A. Johnson UK  
  Dr. S. Krishnaswami India  
Deputy Secretary General Dra. Maria Cintia Piccolo Argentina  
Members Dr. Mario Astraldi Italy  
  Prof. Dr. Kentang Le Peoples Republic of China  
  Prof. Shiro Imawaki Japan  
  Dr. Andrzej Zielinski Poland  
  Dr. Eugene G. Morozov Russia  
  Dr. Denise Smythe-Wright UK  
2003 (June-July) Sapporo, Japan XXIII IUGG General Assembly
President Prof. Shiro Imawaki Japan  
Secretary General Dr. Fred E. Camfield USA  
Past President Prof. Paola Rizzoli USA/Italy  
Vice-Presidents Prof. S. Krishnaswami India  
  Prof. Lawrence A. Mysak Canada  
Deputy Secretary General Dra. Maria Cintia Piccolo Argentina  
Members Dr. W. John Gould UK  
  Prof. Dr. Kentang Le Peoples Republic of China  
  Dr. John F. Middleton Australia  
  Dr. Eugene G. Morozov Russia  
  Dr. Claude Roy France  
  Dr. Denise Smythe-Wright UK  
2007 (July) Perugia, Italy XXIV IUGG General Assembly
Statutes and ByLaws of the Association
Revised Statutes and By-Laws came into force that year introducing the office of Treasurer
President Prof. Lawrence A. Mysak Canada  
Secretary General Prof. Johan Rodhe Sweden  
Past President Prof. Shiro Imawaki Japan  
Treasurer Dr. Fred Camfield USA  
Vice-Presidents Dr. Denise Smythe-Wright UK  
  Dr. Eugene G. Morozov Russia  
Members Dr. Isabelle Ansorge South Africa  
  M.S. Silvia Blanc Argentina  
  Dr. W. John Gould UK  
  Dr. John F. Middleton Australia  
  Dr. Temel Oguz Turkey  
  Dr. Stefania Sparnocchia Italy  
2011 (June-July) Melbourne, Australia XXV IUGG General Assembly
President Dr. Eugene G. Morozov Russia  
Secretary General Prof. Johan Rodhe Sweden  
Past President Prof. Lawrence A. Mysak Canada  
Treasurer Dr. Fred Camfield USA  
Vice-Presidents Dr. Isabelle Ansorge South Africa  
  Dr. Denise Smythe-Wright UK  
Members M.S. Silvia Blanc Argentina  
  Prof. Toshiyuki Hibiya Japan  
  Dr. Chris Meinen USA  
  M.App.Sc. Ken Ridgway Australia  
  Dr. Satheesh Chandra Shenoi India  
  Dr. Stefania Sparnocchia Italy  

 

 

Milestone Assemblies and Executive Committee members

(2015 - ...)

2015 (June-July) Prague, Czech Republic  XXVI IUGG General Assembly
President Dr. Denise Smythe-Wright UK  
Secretary General Dr. Stefania Sparnocchia Italy  
Past President Dr. Eugene G. Morozov Russia  
Treasurer M.App.Sc. Ken Ridgway Australia  
Vice-Presidents Dr. Isabelle Ansorge South Africa  
  Prof. Trevor McDougall Australia  
Members Prof. Agatha de Boer Sweden  
  Prof. Toshiyuki Hibiya Japan  
  Dr. Chris Meinen USA  
  Dr. Satheesh Chandra Shenoi India  
  Dr. Hans van Haren the Netherlands  
  Dr. Christa von Hillebrandt-Andrade USA/Puerto Rico  
2019 (July) Montréal, Canada XXVII IUGG General Assembly
Statutes and ByLaws of the Association
Revised Statutes introducing electronic voting entered into force
President Prof. Trevor McDougall Australia  
Secretary General Dr. Stefania Sparnocchia Italy  
Past President Dr. Denise Smythe-Wright UK  
Treasurer M.App.Sc. Ken Ridgway Australia  
Vice-Presidents Prof. Agatha de Boer Sweden  
  Dr. Hans van Haren the Netherlands  
Members Prof. Edmo Campos Brazil  
  Prof. Juliet Hermes South Africa  
  Dr. Yukio Masumoto Japan  
  Dr. Jae-Hun Park Republic of Korea  
  Dr. Christa von Hillebrandt-Andrade USA/Puerto Rico  
  Dr. Peter Zavialov Russia  
  Dr. Alejandra Sanchez-Franks* UK * Early Career Scientist, Appointed December 2020
  Dr. Rick Lumpkin** USA ** Appointed December 2020, Resigned September 2021
  Dr. Joellen Russell*** USA *** Appointed October 2021
2023 (July) Berlin, Germany XXVIII IUGG General Assembly
Statutes and ByLaws of the Association (modified by electronic vote, December 2020)
President Dr. Hans van Haren the Netherlands  
Secretary General M.Sc. Silvia Blanc Argentina  
Past President Prof. Trevor McDougall Australia  
Treasurer M.App.Sc. Ken Ridgway Australia  
Vice-Presidents Prof. Agatha de Boer Sweden  
  Prof. Toshiyuki Hibiya Japan  
Members Prof. Juliet Hermes South Africa  
  Dr. Yukio Masumoto Japan  
  Dr. Malin Ödalen Germany Early Career Scientist
  Dr. Jae-Hun Park Republic of Korea  
  Prof. Regina Rodrigues Brazil  
  Dr. Joellen Russell USA  
  Dr. Alejandra Sanchez-Franks UK  
  Dr. Peter Zavialov Russia  

 

History of Collaborations Between SCOR and IAPSO

International organizations related to ocean science, as part of the International Science Council (ISC) and its predecessors have a long history, almost 100 years. Collaborations among these organizations have been important to ocean science worldwide and reflecting on past and current interactions may be instructive for the future.

The International Union of Geodesy and Geophysics (IUGG) was established in Brussels, Belgium, on July 28, 1919 during the Constitutive Assembly of the International Research Council (predecessor of ISC, which was created in 2018). At the 1919 meeting in Brussels, a Section of Physical Oceanography was formed, with Prince Albert of Monaco as its first President.  In 1967, IAPO became the International Association for the Physical Sciences of the Ocean (IAPSO) and at the 1991 General Assembly in Vienna, Austria, IAPSO made a minor name change, revising it to the International Association for the Physical Sciences of the Oceans (plural).

The development of the Scientific Committee on Oceanic Research (SCOR) occurred later and in a more complicated evolution. In 1954, the International Council for Science (ICSU, predecessor of ISC) recommended that “a small committee be appointed to consider what problems of deep sea research, of a joint biological and geophysical nature, could usefully be studied in cooperation by the International Union of Biological Sciences and the International Union of Geodesy and Geophysics” (Wolff, 2010).  The five-person committee included two prominent IAPO officers, George Deacon and Harald Sverdrup, and was requested to report back to ICSU the following year.  (This committee came to be known as the ICSU Special Committee on Deep-Sea Research.) The committee reported that “we consider that an organization to promote cooperation in the oceanic sciences between IUBS and IUGG would be too limited.” (Wolff, 2010).  They recommended the establishment of a special committee of ICSU—the Special Committee for Oceanic Research—which would deal with aspects of oceanic science that could not be handled effectively by IAPO or by any other existing international body. The new committee should have representation from ICSU, IUGG (including IAPO); the International Union of Biological Sciences (IUBS), the International Union of Pure and Applied Physics (IUPAP), the International Union of Pure and Applied Chemistry (IUPAC), and the International Geological Union (IGU). ICSU agreed with the recommendation to form the ICSU Scientific Committee on Oceanic Research.

The first SCOR meeting was held at the Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution on 28-30 August 1957, (See more detailed SCOR history at http://www.scor-int.org/SCOR_History.htm). One of the agenda topics was “the relationship between SCOR and other international organizations such as ICES, IAPO, IACOMS, etc.”  (Wolff, 2010).  At this meeting, SCOR approved the formation of its first five working groups (in 2014, SCOR had established 147 working groups).  These groups were largely focused on issues related to the International Geophysical Year (IGY) and the International Indian Ocean Expedition.  One of the first five groups (WG 4) was entitled “Physical Properties of Sea Water.”  (The groups were not fully launched until SCOR’s second meeting, in 1958.)  WG 4 was chaired by Håkon Mosby and other proposed members included Roland A. Cox, Carl Eckart, Arkadiĭ G. Kolesnikov, Karl E. Schleicher, Val Worthington, and Nikolai N. Zubov.  The group’s primary objectives were to appraise the accuracy of existing values of the physical constants and to encourage research leading to more accurate values. This was the first joint SCOR-IAPO working group.

SCOR and IAPO/IAPSO have continued a close working relationship since WG 4, including jointly sponsoring the following working groups and other activities:

  • Working Group 10 on Oceanographic Tables and Standards (see Lee, 1984; Morcos et al., 1990) – SCOR and IAPO (with ICES and UNESCO)—This group, better known as the Joint Panel on Oceanographic Tables and Standards (JPOTS), was formed in 1962.  Its purpose was to standardize some of the important oceanographic tables, such as the those relating chlorinity, salinity, density, conductivity, and refractive index.  As new, more accurate, measurement techniques became available, the equation of state of seawater had to be refined.  Upon the recommendation of JPOTS, the Practical Salinity Scale and 1980 International Equation of State of Seawater were adopted in 1982 by oceanographers internationally.  SCOR and IAPSO are combining their efforts to update the equation of state of seawater, through the work of SCOR/IAPSO Working Group 127 (see below).
  • Working Group 15 on Photosynthetic Radiant Energy – SCOR and IAPO (with UNESCO)
  • Working Group 21 on Continuous Current Velocity Measurements – SCOR and IAPO (with UNESCO)
  • Working Group 27 on Deep Sea Tides – IAPO and SCOR (with UNESCO)
  • Working Group 28 on Ocean-Atmosphere Interactions – SCOR and IAPSO (with IAMAP)
  • Working Group 34 on Internal Dynamics of the Ocean – SCOR and IAPSO
  • Working Group 35 on Methods of Quantitative Ecology of Coral Reefs – SCOR and IAPSO
  • Working Group 38 on Ocean Processes in the Antarctic – SCOR and IAPSO (with SCAR)
  • Working Group 42 on Pollution in the Baltic – SCOR, ICES, IAPSO, IABO
  • Working Group 43 on Oceanography Related to GATE – SCOR, IAMAP, IAPSO
  • Working Group 46 on River Inputs to Ocean Systems – SCOR, ECOR, IAHS, ACMRR, UNESCO, CMG, IAPSO, IABO
  • Working Group 48 on The Influence of the Ocean on Climate – SCOR and IAPSO
  • Working Group 49 on Mathematical Modelling of Oceanic Processes – SCOR and IAPSO
  • Working Group 50 on Biological Effects of Ocean Variability – SCOR, ACMRR, IAPSO, IABO
  • Working Group 53 on Evolution of the South Atlantic – SCOR, CMG, ICG, IAPSO, IABO
  • Working Group 55 on Prediction of El Nino – SCOR, IAMAP, IAPSO, ACMRR
  • Working Group 57 on Coastal and Estuarine Regimes – SCOR, IAPSO, ECOR, UNESCO
  • Working Group 58 on Arctic Ocean Heat Budget – SCOR, IAPSO
  • Working Group 64 on Oceanic Atoll Drilling – SCOR, CMG, IAPSO, UNESCO
  • IAPSO/SCOR Working Group 121 on Ocean Mixing
  • SCOR/LOICZ/IAPSO Working Group 122 on Mechanisms of Sediment Retention in Estuaries
  • SCOR/IAPSO Working Group 127 on Thermodynamics and Equation of State of Seawater
  • SCOR/IAPSO Working Group 129 on Deep Ocean Exchanges with the Shelf
  • SCOR/IAPSO Working Group 133: OceanScope
  • SCOR/WCRP/IAPSO Working Group 136: Climatic Importance of the Greater Agulhas System
  • SCOR/IOC Committee on Climate Change and the Ocean
  • SCOR/IAPSO Working Group 145: Chemical Speciation Modelling in Seawater to Meet 21st Century Needs (MARCHEMSPEC)

SCOR reformed its Executive Committee in 1964 (https://scor-int.org/scor/about/officers/past/) to include the Presidents of IABO, IAPSO, and IAMAS as ex officio members.  Since then, IAPSO representatives have attended nearly every SCOR annual meeting.

IAPSO has been the most frequent co-sponsor of SCOR working groups since SCOR was formed, but there was a hiatus in IAPSO participation in SCOR working groups between WGs 64 (late 1970s) and WG 121 (formed in 2002) for unknown reasons.  The most recent working groups with IAPSO have involved joint approval of the terms of reference and memberships.  SCOR and IAPSO jointly submitted proposals and received grants from U.S. agencies for conferences of Working Groups 121 and 129.  (It is difficult for IAPSO to equally fund projects because it cannot charge dues and depends on a relatively small financial allocation from IUGG.) Two recent joint working groups, WGs 127 and 129, resulted from a process in which IAPSO identified important topics, stimulated the development of working group proposals, and co-approved group memberships and terms of reference with SCOR. SCOR does not limit its physical sciences of the oceans working groups to ideas suggested by IAPSO and IAPSO works with other organizations, but it is clear that the SCOR-IAPSO partnership has advanced important physical sciences of the oceans topics in ways that would have been difficult for either organization to achieve alone.  The past interactions provide a model for the future of SCOR cooperation with IAPSO, as well as with other ICSU associations and unions.

SCOR has also participated with IAPSO by holding its meetings in conjunction with IAPSO assemblies, in 1970, 2001, and 2005. Many joint IAPSO-SCOR working groups have held special sessions at IAPSO assemblies and/or have held their regular meetings in conjunction with an assembly.


References
Lee, A.  1984.  The ICES Hydrography Committee: A review of its activities since 1945.  Rapp. P.-v. Réun. Cons. Int. Explor. Mer. 185:7-29.
Morcos, D., A. Poisson, and O. Mamayev. 1990. Joint Panel on Oceanographic Tables and Standards: 25 Years of Achievements under the Umbrella of International Organizations. Pp. 344-356 in Ocean Sciences: Their History and Relation to Man. Proceedings of the 4th International Congress on the History of Oceanography W. Lenz and M. Deacon (eds.). Deutsche Hydrographische Zeitschrift. Hamburg, Germany.
Wolff, T.  2010.  The Birth and First Years of SCOR (Scientific Committee on Oceanic Research).

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