International Pyrotechnics Society

International Pyrotechnics Society
Founded1980
TypeProfessional Organization
OriginsBiennial Pyrotechnic Seminars held since 1968
Area served
Worldwide
MethodConferences, Workshops, Publications
Members275+
Key people
Dr. Ken. J. Smit (President)
Websitewww.intpyrosoc.org

The International Pyrotechnics Society (IPS) is the professional society for the field of pyrotechnics. The IPS was officially founded in May 1980.

Introduction

Apart from homogeneous Energetic Materials such as High Explosives and Propellants, those materials constituted from separate fuel and oxidizer particles are called pyrolants, or more commonly, Pyrotechnics. The International Pyrotechnics Society (IPS) offers membership to those who work with or have an interest in energetic materials especially pyrotechnics.

History

In the 1960s some of these specialists attended meetings to share experiences, to present their work, their research and to meet new people. These meetings started as "the Colorado meetings", organized by the late Dr. Robert M. Blunt (1916-1995), and this later was formalized into what is currently known as the International Pyrotechnic Seminars.

The International Pyrotechnics Society [1] was officially formed in May 1980.[2] However, The International Pyrotechnics Society can claim that its roots go back to 1968 when the First International Pyrotechnics Seminar was held at Estes Park Colorado, USA.[3] It was the Steering Committee of the Sixth International Pyrotechnics Seminar who officially formed the International Pyrotechnics Society. The Society has continued to sanction International Pyrotechnics Seminars.[4][5][6][7][8][9] These have normally been held in the United States every other year and other countries including Australia, China, France, Japan, Netherlands, New Zealand, Russia, Spain, Sweden and United Kingdom during the intervening years. Over the years, the membership of the Society has grown to approximately 275 people in 30 countries.

Purposes of this Society

  • To promote and facilitate the exchange of information concerning the science and technology of energetic materials.
  • To create and maintain resources that can expedite members’ access to information about the science and technology of energetic materials.
  • To encourage research and education in the science and technology of energetic materials.
  • To sanction seminars on topics in the areas of energetic materials research, development, technology, and applications at such intervals that are appropriate for furthering the first purpose described above. To promote and facilitate the exchange of information concerning the science and technology of energetic materials, including propellants, explosives, and pyrotechnics, among all interested persons.

Seminars and Workshops

The IPS sponsors or sanctions seminars on topics in the field of energetic materials research, development, technology and applications on an annual basis. In even years, seminars are held in USA and in the uneven years, the seminars are held outside the USA. Meetings are sometimes jointly organized with similar organizations and institutes such as the French Association of Pyrotechnic.[10] or Fraunhofer Institute for Chemical Technology (ICT).[11]

Since 2004, a number of workshops on the topic of Pyrotechnic Combustion have been held immediately prior to the International Pyrotechnic Seminars. These one day workshops that are organized independently of the main seminar have featured extended presentations by invited specialists on pyrotechnic combustion.[12]

Promoting Young Scientists

The IPS aims to help young scientists to develop their career in this field of work. For each Seminar a bursary can be awarded to assist young pyrotechnicians to attend and present their work at International Seminars sponsored by the Society by contributing to their travel costs. The Bursary is known as the Frank Carver Bursary and is administrated by a Bursary Committee under the auspices of the Society.[13]

Publication

The official publication of the IPS is the Propellants, Explosives, Pyrotechnics journal published bimonthly by Wiley-VCH-publisher in Weinheim/Germany.

List of officials

Elected IPS Presidents since 1980
# Name Country Duration
1 Dr. Robert Matteson Blunt  United States 1980 – 1984
2 Dr. Allen J. Tulis  United States 1984 – 1986
3 Dr. David Dillehay  United States 1986 – 1988
4 Dr. Bernard E. Douda  United States 1988 – 1990
5 Dr. David Anderson  United States 1990 – 1992
6 Jan Hansson  Sweden 1992 – 1994
7 Leo Saulnier  Canada 1994 – 1996
8 Dr. Nigel Davies  United Kingdom 1996 – 1998
9 Alain Fauconnier  France 1998 – 2000
10 Guy Hendrickx  Belgium 2000 – 2002
11 Dr. Tony Cardell  United Kingdom 2002 – 2004
12 Dr. Bill Hubble  United States 2004 – 2006
13 Al Munger  United States 2006 – 2008
14 Rutger Webb  Netherlands 2008 – 2010
15 Dr. Tracy A. Vine  United Kingdom 2010 – 2012
16 Dr. Ernst-Christian Koch  Germany 2012 – 2016
15 Dr. Trevor T. Griffiths  United Kingdom 2016 – 2018
16 Dr. Jesse J. Sabatini  United States 2018 – 2022
17 Dr. Ken J. Smit  Australia 2022 – 2024

References

  1. ^ [1] IPS website
  2. ^ [2] IPS Constitution & Bylaws
  3. ^ Proceedings International Pyrotechnics Seminar (1st), Held at Estes Park, Colorado, August 12–17, 1968
  4. ^ [3] Proceedings International Pyrotechnics Seminar (2nd), Held in Snowmass-at-Aspen, Colorado, 20–24 July 1970
  5. ^ [4] Proceedings International Pyrotechnics Seminar (3rd), Held in Colorado Springs, Colorado, 21–25 August 1972
  6. ^ [5] Proceedings of International Pyrotechnics Seminar (4th), Held in Steamboat Village, Colorado, 22–26 July 1974
  7. ^ [6] Proceedings of the International Pyrotechnics Seminar (5th) Held in Vail, Colorado 12–16 July 1976.
  8. ^ [7] Proceedings of the International Pyrotechnics Seminar (6th) Held in Estes Park, Colorado, 17–21 July 1978
  9. ^ [8] Proceedings of the International Pyrotechnics Seminar (7th) Held in Vail, Colorado, 14–18 July 1980. Volume 1
  10. ^ [9] Archived 2009-06-21 at the Wayback Machine Homepage of the French Association of Pyrotechnics AFP
  11. ^ [10] Homepage for the Fraunhofer Institute for Chemical Technology
  12. ^ [11] Archived 2016-09-21 at the Wayback Machine Workshop On Pyrotechnics Combustion Mechanisms
  13. ^ IPS Frank Carver Bursary Page