Member of the International Union for Vacuum Science, Technique, and Applications IUVSTA

INFORMATION about the Polish Vacuum Society

The primary goal of the Polish Vacuum Society (PVS) is popularization of vacuum science, technique, and applications in various areas of life, as well as assistance in establishing cooperation between science institutions and production facilities  and specialists in this field at home and abroad.

PVS’ activity includes::

  • propagating knowledge in the country about the represented field through publications, lectures and scientific conferences,

  • representing PVS through participation in international conventions and conferences and presenting national achievements in vacuum science, technique, and applications at them,

  • organizing exhibitions and competitions (including the prof. Janusz Groszkowski competition) popularizing this field,

  • cooperation with international organizations of similar character,

  • assistance in development and reviewing of standards, projects, plans, and regulations in the field of vacuum and its applications,

  • supporting producers of vacuum equipment in modern development of their production,

  • representing interests and opinions of PVS members to authorities, institutions, and other technical and scientific societies.

Polish Vacuum Society, organized in the new structure since 5th of September 1992, is the continuator of activities started as early as 1964 when with initiative of prof. Janusz Groszkowski the Polish National Committee of Vacuum Technology (PNCVT) had been constituted, operating under the patronage of the Polish Academy of Sciences and bringing together people working on vacuum science and its scientific foundations. In 1965 this Committee became a member of the International Union for Vacuum Science, Technique and Applications IUVSTA, ipso facto joining the mainstream of international cooperation.
In 1981 with initiative of prof. Bohdan Paszkowski – a real member of PAS, within the Association of Polish Electricians (APE) emerged the Polish Committee of Vacuum Technique and Electro-Vacuum Technologies (PCVT-EVT). Prof. Bohdan Paszkowski became the first chairman of the Committee and prof. Janusz Groszkowski had been granted the title of Honorary Chairman.
By adapting the Committee structure to the structure of IUVSTA, thematic sections had been appointed, and the activity demonstrated on this level caused a rapid growth of the number of members, wherein the majority consisted of physicists, chemists, electronic engineers, and mechanics utilizing vacuum technique in scientific or technological goals. This fact, as well as striving for independence and legal personality in a new socio-economic situation of the country, were the causes of adopting a resolution on dissolution of PCVT-EVT, leaving the APE structure and founding a self-contained and independent Polish Vacuum Society.

On 5th of September 1992, the Province Court in Koszalin issued a decision on registration of the Polish Vacuum Society and on 27th of October 1992 a General Meeting of PVS Members had been held, in which:

  • 12-person Board of PVS had been elected, of which prof. Andrzej Halas became the chairman and prof. Marek Szymoński the chairman-elect,
  • Bohdan Paszkowski had been granted the title of Honorary Member of PVS,
  • four thematic sections had been appointed:
    • Vacuum Technique Section,
    • Surface Science Section,
    • Thin Films Section,
    • Plasma Surface Engineering Section,
  • Commission for the Janusz Groszkowski competition had been appointed which selects the best master thesis in the field of vacuum technique and its applications,
  • a IUVSTA delegate had been appointed, prof. Marek Szymoński.

Polish Vacuum Society is a self-contained and independent association operating on a democratically accepted statute modeled on the statute of IUVSTA, open to anyone with an interest in creating or using vacuum. Currently, PVS has 140 individual and collective members, recruiting from various scientific and technical environments. The only constant source of the Society’s income are contributions from individual and collective members, mainly intended for prizes in the Prof. J. Groszkowski Competition, issuing the PVS Bulletin, and financial support for seminars and scientific and technological conferences.