CIAAW Bylaws

The International Union of Pure and Applied Chemistry (IUPAC) is a voluntary, nongovernmental, nonprofit association of organizations each representing the chemists of a member country, a member country being a country whose Adhering Organization has joined the Union. The IUPAC Commission of Isotopic Abundances and Atomic Weights (Commission II.1, CIAAW) operates in accordance with IUPAC Statutes (Section 10) under the Inorganic Chemistry Division. Below is an extract of the IUPAC Bylaws pertinent to the CIAAW. For complete IUPAC Statutes and Bylaws please visit iupac.org. In 2019, the CIAAW adopted its current Charter.

B3.3 Commissions

B3.301 On the recommendation of a Division Committee, through the Bureau, the Council may create a Commission of the Division. Each Commission shall have as its objective the study of topics of international scientific or technical significance requiring agreement, standardization, or codification in some aspect of pure or applied chemistry. The terms of reference of a new Commission shall be clearly described and approved by the Council. If a Division Committee wishes to create a Commission, it must apply to the Bureau for the appointment of an ad hoc committee of three persons who shall study the question and then report back to the Bureau. This report, if favorable to the creation of a new body, shall contain an indication as to the probable duration of the life of the new body and an estimate of its annual cost.

B3.302 At each General Assembly, the Council shall, in the light of the Division President's report and on the recommendation of the Bureau, decide whether or not to continue each Commission.

B3.303 Each scientific and technical Commission shall be composed entirely of specialists. They may consist of Titular Members, Associate Members, and National Representatives, who all shall have full voting rights.

Each Commission shall elect from among its existing and, subject to confirmation, new Titular Members by a simple majority, a Chair, a Secretary, and, if desired, also a Vice-Chair. These elections are subject to approval by the Bureau.

B3.304 The Membership of each new Commission is determined by the Council. Thereafter, both Titular Members and Associate Members may be nominated by the Commission but shall assume office only after approval by the Division Com mittee and by the Bureau or Executive Committee. The terms of service of Titular Members and Associate Members shall be two years, with the possibility of reelection for two years of Membership up to a maximum of eight years. The sum of the years of service as a Titular Member, including service as Chair, Vice-Chair, or Secretary, shall not exceed a total of ten years, whether these are consecutive or not, and further appointment thereafter as an Associate Member shall be for two years only. The rotation of a person through alternate periods of Associate, Titular, and Associate Membership may be permitted to a total of twelve years. Exceptional circumstances must be established and special permission of the Bureau granted for:
 (i) the reappointment as a Titular Member of a person who has served eight years as a Titular Member, whether these are consecutive or not. The extension shall be for a period of two years.
 (ii) the rotation of a person through alternate periods of Titular and Associate Membership beyond a total of twelve years, whether these are consecutive or not. The extension shall be for a period of two years.
 (iii) membership in any capacity, other than that of National Representative, of one or more Commissions of a Division or of different Divisions beyond a total of twelve years, whether these are consecutive or not. The extension shall be for a period of two years.
 (iv) the replacement by a Division President between General Assemblies of a Member of a Commission.

The number of Titular Members, Associate Members, and National Representatives of each Commission shall not exceed eight. Titular Members, Associate Members, and National Representatives shall be authorities in the field covered by the Commission and shall be so recognized by their Adhering Organizations. Before submitting their names for election, the Chair of the Commission shall explain to them their duties, and they shall agree to undertake them if they are elected.

The choice of a Titular Member or an Associate Member by a Commission may take place either during a meeting of the Commission or by correspondence. The nomination shall then be submitted via the Division Committee to the Secretary General via the Secretariat for approval by the Bureau or Executive Committee. The Adhering Organization with which the Titular Member or Associate Member is connected shall be notified of the appointment.

B3.305 National Representatives may be nominated by the various Adhering Organizations and approved by the Commission; such representation shall not be permitted if the Commission already has a Titular or Associate Member from that Organization, unless exceptional circumstances are established and special permission is granted by the Bureau. Such representation shall lapse at the conclusion of the next General Assembly unless the person is renominated by his/her Adhering Organization and re-approved by the Commission. Reappointment of National Representatives beyond a total of twelve years' service, whether these are consecutive or not, requires that special circumstances should be established by the Adhering Organization. The names of these National Representatives shall be communicated to the Secretary General via the Secretariat by the Chair of the Commission concerned.

B3.306 The Division President shall be ex officio a member of all the Commissions attached to the Division.

B3.307 A Commission may propose to the Division Committee the establishment of subcommittees with responsibility for designated functions within the scope of the Commission.

B3.308 A meeting of a Commission can be financed only upon authorization of the Treasurer after recommendation by the appropriate Division Committee.

B3.309 The Chair of a Commission shall each year present to the Division Committee a written report on the activities of the Commission, outlining the results obtained and indicating any new work that is to be undertaken.

B3.310 All reports of Commissions shall be forwarded via the Division Committee to the Bureau, and then submitted to the Council if required by Bylaw 2.11.

CIAAW

2015 Atomic Weights Commission biennial meeting in Austria (front row, from left): Willi A. Brand, Manfred Gröning, Harro A.J. Meijer, Lesley Chesson, Norman Holden, Tiping Ding, Johanna Irrgeher, Thomas Walczyk
(back row, from left): Thomas Prohaska (Secretary), Tyler Coplen, Jochen Vogl, Xiang-Kun Zhu, Michael Wieser, Juris Meija (Chair)

CIAAW

2013 Atomic Weights Commission biennial meeting in Turkey (front row, from left): Manfred Gröning, Johanna Irrgeher, Tyler Coplen, Michael Berglund, Ahmet Ceyhan Gören, Thomas Prohaska, Norman Holden
(back row, from left): Willi A. Brand (Chair), Juris Meija (Secretary)

CIAAW

2011 Atomic Weights Commission biennial meeting in Canada
(front row, from left): Manfred Gröning, Glenda O'Connor, Tyler Coplen, Michael Berglund, Michael Wieser (Secretary)
(back row, from left): Thomas Prohaska, Paul De Bievre, Juris Meija, Ronny Schönberg