2005 IAPSO Activities
During 2005, IAPSO's main activity was the Joint IAG/IAPSO/IABO Assembly in Cairns, Australia. IAPSO participated in 17 symposia including 7 IAPSO only, 7 Joint IAPSO/IABO, and 3 Joint IAG/IAPSO symposia. The Joint Assembly drew a total of 724 delegates from 62 Countries. IAPSO presented a best student poster award and the Eugene LaFond Medal for oceanography in a developing country, as well as the biannual Prince Albert I Medal for career achievements in oceanography.
In addition to two IAPSO Executive Committee meetings, IAPSO held a general business meeting of representatives from adhering bodies during the Joint Assembly in Cairns. That was a productive meeting providing input/discussion from the adhering bodies. While proposed changes to the IAPSO Statutes and By-Laws had been given tentative approval by a majority of members, two additional issues were raised for consideration. A decision was made to hold general business meetings at all IAPSO Assemblies or Joint Assemblies held during interim periods between IUGG General Assemblies.
Initial planning was carried out for the IAPSO Scientific Program at the IUGG2007 General Assembly, including input from IAG, IAMAS, and UCCS. IAPSO was represented by its President and Past-President at the IUGG Scientific Program Committee meeting in Perugia, Italy, in September. That planning continued into early 2007 via email, and input was added where appropriate to other IUGG Associations.
Work of the Permanent Service for Mean Sea Level (PSMSL) and the associated IAPSO Commission on Mean Sea Level and Tides continued during 2005. A report on the complete activities of PSMSL was received. One significant activity was the planning, in cooperation with other organizations, of the upcoming WCRP Workshop, "Understanding Sea Level Rise and Variability," scheduled to be held during the summer 2006 in Paris, France. IAPSO is serving as a co-sponsor of the workshop.
Interaction between IAPSO and ICSU's Scientific Committee on Oceanic Research (SCOR) continued. IAPSO had introduced a proposal for a new working group, and that was approved by SCOR as Working Group WG127 on Thermodynamics and Equation of State of Seawater. This work is expected to provide important input into modeling of the global ocean and, ultimately, climate change modeling. The IAPSO President, or his alternate, serves as an ex-officio member of the SCOR Executive Committee.
In other ICSU related actions, IAPSO participated with SCOPE on a proposal to ICSU for PACKMEDS which was funded.
In administrative actions, the IAPSO Executive Committee approved holding a Joint Assembly with IAMAS in 2009 in Montreal, Canada. The IAPSO Executive Committee also approved discontinuing the Commission on Groundwater-Seawater Interaction (CGSI) with a recommendation to CGSI that they continue activities in a different organizational format.
The IAPSO Secretary General continued maintenance of the Web page including posting the program book from the 2005 Joint Assembly on the Web page; and continued handling general correspondence received by the Association.