NATIONAL COMMITTEE FOR International Council for Science

Committee members

International Unions, Committees and Programs

Information for International Council for Science

The Academy is Australia's National Member of the International Council for Science (ICSU) and 30 of its constituent bodies.

The Academy maintains links the International Council for Science and its constituent bodies and committees. The principal objective of ICSU is to encourage international scientific activity for the benefit of mankind by initiating, designing and coordinating international scientific research projects. It also acts as a focus for the exchange of ideas, the communication of scientific information and the development of standards in methodology and units. Australia, through the Academy, adheres to the following member Unions of ICSU:

• Astronomy (IAU)

• Biochemistry and Molecular Biology (IUBMB)

• Biological Sciences (IUBS)

• Crystallography (IUCr)

• Geodesy and Geophysics (IUGG)
  XXV IUGG General Assembly, Melbourne Australia, 28 June - 7 July 2011

• Geography (IGU)

• Geological Sciences (IUGS)
  34th International Geological Congress (IGC) Brisbane, Australia, 2-10 August 2012
• History and Philosophy of Science (IUHPS)
  Division of History of Science and Technology
  Division of Logic, Methodology and Philosophy of Science

• Immunological Sciences (IUIS)

• Mathematics (IMU)

• Microbiological Societies (IUMS)

• Nutritional Sciences (IUNS)

• Pharmacology (IUPHAR)

• Pure and Applied Biophysics (IUPAB)

• Pure and Applied Chemistry (IUPAC)

• Pure and Applied Physics (IUPAP)

• Quaternary Research (INQUA)

• Radio Science (URSI)

• Theoretical and Applied Mechanics (IUTAM)
• Toxicology (IUTOX)

Committees or commissions of ICSU are created to organise programs in multi- or trans-disciplinary fields which are not completely under the aegis of any one of the scientific unions. Australia currently adheres to the committees concerned with:

• Antarctic Research (SCAR)
• Committee on Data for Science and Technology (CODATA)
• Global Change (IGBP)
• Oceanic Research (SCOR)
• Optics (ICO)
• Solar-Terrestrial Physics (SCOSTEP)
• Space Research (COSPAR)
• World Climate Research (WCRP)

The Academy, through the relevant National Committees, also adheres to the International Federation for the Theory of Machines and Mechanisms (IFToMM).

International Council for Science website

ICSU has established regional offices in Africa, the Arab region, Asia and the Pacific and Latin America.  The Regional Office for Asia and the Pacific (ROAP) was established in 2006 and is based in Kuala Lumpar, Malaysia.  The Office will promote the development of science throughout Asia and the Pacific and help strengthen the participation of developing country scientists in international research in the region.  The Academy has maintained strong links with the ROAP since its inception.  The priority areas for the ROAP are:

• the ecosystem
• human-induced and natural hazards and disasters
• sustainable energy.   

Guiding the activities of the ROAP is the ICSU Regional Committee for Asia and the Pacific.  This committee consists of 13 members from across the region, with Professor Bruce McKellar FAA being the current Chair.