The Israeli Society for Vacuum Technology and its first congress A Roth, President of the ISVT, Soreq Nuclear Research Centre, Yavne, Israel

It was a happy surprise for the founders of the Israeli Society for Vacuum Technology to observe the interest shown by its members in joining the Society and participating in its activities.

The ISVT was constituted and registered in October 1968, and provisionally admitted as a member of the International Union for Vacuum Science, Technique and Applications in January 1969. Now, the ISVT gathers together more than two hundred engineers, physicists, chemists and technicians active in the various branches of vacuum science and technology, in research and industry in Israel.

Once the administrative problems of registration and affilia- tion were solved, the Board of Directors of the ISVT orientated their efforts towards developing the activities of the Society. The two main targets were: (a) to promote and stimulate connections between members, and (b) to initiate educative programmes at various scientific levels.

In order to simultaneously advance towards both targets, the Society's first steps were to organize an intensive Course on Vacuum Technology while beginning preparations for the First Congress.

The Weizmann Institute in Rehovoth was host to Vacuum Technology Courses which were held once a week, for a full day, between February and April. These courses were attended by about 100 engineers and technicians whose interests were: measuring techniques, pumping techniques, technology of materials for vacuum systems, or leak detection techniques.

The organizers and lecturers were gratified not only by the massive participation at the courses but also by the interest shown by the participants, expressed by their active involve- ment in the discussions that followed each lecture. The organ- izers concluded that some specific subjects on which interest was concentrated during these discussions should be treated in depth in future courses or symposia.

Figure 2. M Steiner, lecturing on "Principles of Pumping", at the Course on Vacuum Technology

Figure 3. I Lederer, lecturing on "Treatments in Vacuum Technology" at the Course held in Rehovoth.

Figure 1. A Roth, lecturing on "Leakage and Degassing Mechanism", at the Course on Vacuum Technology.

Figure 4. A lnbar, lecturing on "Leak Detection" at the Vacuum Technology Course.

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A Roth : The Israeli Society for Vacuum Technology and its first congress

Figure 5. Opening Session of the First Congress of the Israeli Society for Vacuum Technology. Left to right : Professor F Klein (Chairman of the Congress), A Roth (President of ISVT), Professor J Jortner (TeI-Aviv University).

The First Congress of the Israeli Society for Vacuum Tech- nology was held in the Mexico Building of the Tel-Aviv University on the 19th and 20th May 1969, while on the 21st May films on Vacuum Techniques and Leak Detection were

presented, in conjunction with a lecture on Leak Detection Techniques.

Upon stepping into the entrance hall of the Mexico Building the participants were greeted by a comprehensive exhibition of books and journals dealing with vacuum and its applications. The extensive exhibition of vacuum equipment available to the visitors constituted a permanent competition to the lectures presented at the Congress.

The Congress was opened by Professor F Klein (Weizmann Institute), followed by short welcoming addresses from A Roth, President of ISVT, and Professor J Jortner, Head of the Chemistry Institute at the TeI-Aviv University, and by the greetings expressed by Dr H Adam in the name of DAGV.

During the two days of the Congress, 16 lectures were pre- sented before more than 200 participants which included a few guests from abroad.

The success of the Congress is a result of the collaboration between the ISVT, the Tel-Aviv University and the various companies present at the Exhibition. I would like to acknow- ledge the important help received from the Institutions and Companies participating at the Congress and Exhibition, and to thank the lecturers, organizers and participants for their contributions.

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