Europe has European Conference on Surface Science (ECOSS) and European Vacuum Congress (EVC) as official conference of IUVSTA (International Union for Vacuum Science, Technique and Applications), namely so called IUVSTA specific conference as one can see it in the web site of IUVSTA. North America has International Symposium of the American Vacuum Society (AVS). In particular, ECOSS is impressive by its enthusiastic exchanges, discussions of ideas in surface science and even creative friendship among young researchers as well as EVC and AVS do. This encourages thinking about creating a new Asian and Australian forum for young researchers in surface science, vacuum science and related sciences.
It started by official letter of proposing to create VASSCAA (Vacuum and Surface Sciences Conference of Asia and Australia) to The Vacuum Society of Australia (VSA), Chinese Vacuum Society (CVS), Indian Vacuum Society (IVS) and Korean Vacuum Society (KVS) from the Vacuum Society of Japan in November 1997, after long discussion in the Vacuum Society of Japan and after another long discussion with Australian colleagues. In 1998, all the five vacuum societies agreed to create VASSCAA.
VASSCAA-1 was held from September 8 to September10, 1999 in Conference Rooms of Tokyo International Exhibition Center (Tokyo Big Sight), Tokyo, Japan. Its Proce edings was published as a special issue of Applied Surface Science, 169-170 (200 1) edited by Y. Murata, T. Okano, K. Uozumi and K. Yagi. It was organized by the Organizing Committee of VASSCAA-1 cochaired by K. Nakayama and A. Yoshimori. VA SSCAA-2 was held from August 26 to August 30, 2002 in Conference Rooms of Hong Kong University, Hong Kong, China. Its proceedings was published as a special issue of Surface Science Review and Letters. It was organized by the Organizing Committee of VASSCAA-2 chaired by S. Y. Tong. VASSCAA-3 was held from July 3 to Jul y 8, 2005 in Congress Center of Singapore, Singapore as Symposium X of ICMAT 2005 and ICAM 2005. Its proceedings was published as a special issue of Surface Science Review and Letters. It was organized by the Organizing Committee of VASSCAA-3 chaired by A. Wee with Cochairs, A. Huan, E. Kang and M. Ono. VASSCAA-4 was held, together with the 49th Annual Symposium of the Vacuum Society of Japan from October 28 to October 31, 2008 in Kunibiki Messe, Matsue, Japan as a part of celebration for the 50th anniversary of the Vaccum Society of Japan. It was organized by the Organizing Committee of the Vacuum Society of Japan chaired by T. Okano. Its proceedings will be published with Managing Editor, I. Arakawa as special issues in Vacuum (Editors, H. Akimitsu, T. Okano(Chief), Y. Saito, K. Wasa) and Applied Surface Science (Editors, K. Fukutani, H. Kobayashi, K. Mase, H. Nonaka, K. Oura (Chief)) (Some more information in the VASSCAA-4 final report). VASSCAA-5 will be held from August 23 to August 27, 2010 in Beijing, China in conjunction with IVC-18 and ICSS-14.
VASSCAA is now also one of IUVSTA specific conferences as is seen also in the IUVSTA web site. This was approved in March 2002 by 90th Executive Council Meeting of IUVSTA.
There is the International Steering Committee (ISC) for continuity, site selection and others of VASSCAA, whose members were presidents and nominated representatives of the five vacuum societies mentioned above. With the approval of IUVSTA specific conference, the construction of the ISC was changed. Representatives from member societies to Surface Science Division of IUVSTA are now its members in addition to presidents and nominate representatives, because surface science is major part of presentations in VASSCAA. Pakistan Vacuum Society became member of IUVSTA in 2001 and hence of ISC of VASSCAA. The related part of Surface Science Division Statutes of IUVSTA is attached below.
The name of VASSCAA with combination of area name, Asia and country name, Australia is a compromised product. It was difficult for us to find area name, where Australia is included, satisfactory for all Australian colleagues concerned. (Written by A. Yoshimori in 2002. Some more history found in the preface of Proceedings, Applied Surface Science 169-170 (2001).)
(Guidelines for VASSCAA are posted here for download by future
organizers of VASSCAA or anybody who are interested in VASSCAA.)
The Surface Science Division shares also responsibility for the site selection and continuity of the Vacuum and Surface Sciences Conference of Asia and Australia (VASSCAA) with the International Steering Committee (ISC) of VASSCAA, which consists of Presidents or representatives nominated by Presidents of IUVSTA member societies in Asia and Australia. The members from Asia and Australia and Chairperson of SSD-IUVSTA are also members of the ISC of VASSCAA. Its members elect the Chairperson of the ISC of three-year term. Since majority of presentations in VASSCAA are from surface science, the responsibility is shared by IUVSTA-SSD. However VASSCAA covers contributions from all other Divisions and the Chairperson of SSD should distribute information on VASSCAA to Chairpersons of other Divisional Committee particularly to him/her of Vacuum Science Division.