Number: 2002-057-1-400
Title: Strategic study of world
polymer science
Task Group
Chairman: Mitsuo
Sawamoto
Members: Taihyun
Chang, David
M. Haddleton, Jiasong
He, Tatsuki Kitayama,
Przemyslaw Kubisa,
Kalle Levon, Timothy
P. Lodge, and Klaus
Müllen
Objective:
Systematic overview and analysis of the trends in contemporary polymer
science and technology around the world in relation to MMD's future
activities, strategies, and missions, via a statistical approach
based on "World Polymer Organizations", an MMD-approved
directory of polymer science organizations, which is to be updated
and expanded in this project for the statistical trends analysis
and to be internationally distributed with a summary report.
Description:
It is certainly of utmost importance for MMD to hold an objective,
systematic, and updated view of the trends in polymer science and
technology in the world, so as to soundly perceive its missions
and challenges and thereby to formulate its future strategies and
activities as an organization that is to guide and help world polymer
community. This Project is intended to provide MMD and polymer community
with updated information and primary statistical analysis about
the world polymer organizations, their activities, and scientific/technological
trends therein, focusing the following specific objectives:
(a) "World Polymer Organizations"- Updated and Expanded.
An MMD-approved directory of polymer science organizations in the
world; this has been edited and distributed since 1988 by the Society
of Polymer Science, Japan (SPSJ) to compile organizational data
(membership, publications, symposia, budget, etc.). The project
will not only take over this task in regular updating but expand
its coverage into more scientific and technical aspects, such as
distributions of presentations in different disciplines at their
annual meetings and notable achievements in their regions, for objective
(b).
(b) Statistic Analysis. On the basis of the data compiled in (a)
and other sources, the Project team will statistically analyze the
trends as well as challenges in world polymer science and technology.
In addition to compile data for the directory, necessary contact
will be made with regional polymer organizations, such as the European
and the Pacific Polymer Federations, to obtain information otherwise
difficult to access. The outcome will be presented in the "World
Polymer Organizations" with a summary report that will provide
a primary information and comments for formulating MMD's strategies
and missions.
(c) Presentations and Discussion Meetings. The statistic analysis
in (b) will also be presented to polymer science community at the
IUPAC MACRO symposia and Polymer Summit meetings (in 2004 and 2006)
and, more specifically, at the second IUPAC Strategic Conference
on Polymer Science and Technology, in 2005 in U. S. A., now being
proposed to MMD. The presentation is to solicit general interest
in MMD activities and to encourage discussion among peers on our
research challenges and strategies, i.e., "what we polymer
scientists do in the coming years".