The Pacific Science Council – the governing body of PSA – has its meetings at both Congresses and Inter-Congresses.
Congresses
Twenty-two Pacific Science Congresses have been held since the first meeting in Honolulu in 1920. They are the principal meetings of the Pacific Science Association and are held every four years in rotating venues throughout the Asia-Pacific Rim and Basin. Each Congress is centered on a central theme yet are broad and multidisciplinary in scope. While senior scientists are the main paper presenters at PSA meetings, young scientists and students are encouraged to participate. Attendance typically ranges from 1000 to 2000 participants.
Congress venues are rotated throughout the Asia-Pacific region, and have been held in such locations as Bangkok, Sydney, Beijing, Tokyo, Vancouver, Khabarovsk, Seoul, and San Francisco. Two awards are given during every Congress, the Herbert E. Gregory Medal and the Shinkishi Hatai Medal.
PSA typically confers Honorary Life Fellowships to scientists who have given distinguished service either directly to the Association or by furthering the objectives for which the Association was founded. These are awarded at Congresses and/or Inter-Congresses.
Congress symposia sessions are organized by the host organization via a Local Organizing Committee and a Secretariat in close cooperation with the PSA Executive Board, PSA Secretariat, and the PSA Committee on Scientific Activities, which coordinates with PSA Scientific Working Groups and outside organizations.
Inter-Congresses
Twelve Pacific Science Inter-Congresses have been held since the first meeting in Kuala Lumpur in 1969. Inter-Congress meetings are typically somewhat smaller (less than 1000 attendees) and more thematically focused than Congresses. Pacific Science Inter-Congresses are held at four year intervals in-between Congresses.
Inter-Congress venues are also rotated throughout the Asia-Pacific region, and have been held in such locations as Bali, Tahiti, Fiji, and Chile.
Inter-Congress symposia sessions are organized by the host organization via a Local Organizing Committee and a Secretariat in close cooperation with the PSA Executive Board, PSA Secretariat, and the PSA Committee on Scientific Activities, which coordinates with PSA Scientific Working Groups and outside organizations.
The most recent Inter-Congress was held 8-12 July 2013 in Suva, Fiji. The next Inter-Congress will be held in 2018 at a venue yet to be determined.
Meetings of the Pacific Science Council at Congresses & Inter-Congresses
The Pacific Science Council – the governing body of PSA – has its meetings at both Congresses and Inter-Congresses.
Hosting a Congress or Inter-Congress
Click here for information on hosting a Congress or Inter-Congress.
Co-Sponsored Meetings
PSA also co-sponsors independent meetings, such as the 7th, 9th, and 10th International Coral Reef Symposiums in, respectively, Guam (1992), Indonesia (2000), and Okinawa (2004); the “Implementing the Madrid Action Plan in Pacific Biosphere Reserves: Pacific Island approaches to integrated coastal conservation and sustainable human development” meeting (with UNESCO Man & Biosphere and The East-West Center, 2009); and “Biological Collections Digitization in the Pacific” workshop (with iDigBio, East-West Center, Bishop Museum, University of Hawaii) held in March 2014.
23rd Pacific Science Congress
“Science Towards Sustainability”
13 – 17 June 2016
Organizers: Academia Sinica and Pacific Science Association
Venue: Academia Sinica campus
Taipei, China-Taipei
22nd Pacific Science Congress
“Asia-Pacific Science in the 21st Century: Meeting the Challenges of Climate Change and Globalization”
13 – 17 June 2011
Organizers: Malaysian Academy of Science; Ministry of Science, Technology, and Innovation; International Science, Technology and Innovation Centre for South-South Cooperation (under the auspices of UNESCO); International Council for Science – Regional Office for Asia and the Pacific; Pacific Science Association
Venue: Kuala Lumpur Convention Centre
Supported by: Universiti Malaya, Universiti Sains Malaysia, Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia, Universiti Putra Malaysia
Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia
21st Pacific Science Congress
“Diversity and Change: Challenges and Opportunities for Managing Natural and Social Systems in the Asia-Pacific”
12 – 16 June 2007
University of the Ryukyus
Okinawa, Japan
20th Pacific Science Congress
“Science & Technology for Healthy Environments”
17 — 21 March 2003
Sofitel Central Plaza Bangkok Hotel
Bangkok, Thailand
President: Dr. Wanasri Samanasena, Deputy Secretary-General, The National Research Council of Thailand
Secretary-General: Prof. Dr. Montri Chulavatnatol
19th Pacific Science Congress
“Science for Pacific Posterity: Environments, Resources and Welfare of the Pacific Peoples”
4 — 9 July 1999
University of New South Wales
Sydney, Australia
President: National Academies Forum
Secretary-General: Dr. Bill O’Sullivan
18th Pacific Science Congress
“Population, Resources and Environment: Prospects and Initiatives”
5 — 12 June 1995
Beijing, China
Chairman: Dr. Congbin Fu, Chinese Academy of Sciences
Vice-Chairman: Dr. Jingyi Liu, Chinese Academy of Sciences and Dr. Dianmo Li, Chinese Academy of Sciences
17th Pacific Science Congress
“Towards the Pacific Century: The Challenge of Change”
27 May — 2 June 1991
Sheraton Waikiki Hotel
Honolulu, Hawaii, USA
President: Dr. W. Donald Duckworth, Director, Bishop Museum
Secretary-General: Dr. Nancy Davis Lewis, University of Hawaii
16th Pacific Science Congress
20 — 30 August 1987
Hotel Lotte
Seoul, Korea
President: Professor Tai Whan Shin, National Academy of Science of Korea
Secretary-General: Professor Choon Ho Park, Dept. of Law, University of Korea, Seoul
15th Pacific Science Congress
1 — 11 February 1983
University of Otago
Dunedin, New Zealand
President: Emeritus Professor J.A.R. Miles, University of Otago
Secretary-General: Professor C.F.W. Higham, Dept. of Anthropology, University of Otago
14th Pacific Science Congress
20 August — 1 September 1979
Academy of Sciences of the USSR
Khabarovsk, USSR
President: Academician A.V. Sidorenko, Academy of Sciences of the USSR, Moscow
Secretary-General: Dr. M.A. Drobyshev, Institute of Oriental Studies, Moscow
13th Pacific Science Congress
18 — 30 August 1975
University of British Columbia
Vancouver, Canada
President: Dr. Ian McTaggart Cowan, University of British Columbia
Secretary-General: Dr. W.S. Hoar, University of British Columbia
12th Pacific Science Congress
18 August — 3 September 1971
Australian National University
Canberra, Australia
President: Sir Macfarlane Burnet, Emeritus Professor of Experimental Medicine, University of Melbourne
Secretary-General: Sir Otto Frankel, Senior Research Fellow, CSIRO
11th Pacific Science Congress
22 August — 10 September 1966
University of Tokyo
Tokyo, Japan
President: Dr. Shinichiro Tomonaga, President, Science Council of Japan
Secretary-General: Dr. Yoshio Hiyama, Professor, University of Tokyo
10th Pacific Science Congress
21 August — 6 September 1961
University of Hawaii
Honolulu, Hawaii, USA
President: Dr. Laurence H. Snyder, President, University of Hawaii
Secretary-General: Harold J. Coolidge, Executive Director, Pacific Science Board
9th Pacific Science Congress
18 November — 9 December 1957
Sanitham Hall and Chulalongkorn University
Bangkok, Thailand
President: Air Marshall Muni M. Vejyant-Rangsrisht, Rector, Chulalongkorn University
Secretary-General: Dr. Charng Ratanarat, Director General, Department of Science
8th Pacific Science Congress
16 — 28 November 1953
University of the Philippines
Quezon City, Philippines
President: Dr. Vidal A. Tan, Chairman, National Research Council of the Philippines and President, University of the Philippines
Secretary-General: Dr. Patrocinio Valenzuela, Executive Secretary, National Research Council of the Philippines
Assistant Secretary-General: Dr. Alfredo C. Santos, Assistant Executive Secretary, National Research Council of the Philippines
7th Pacific Science Congress
2 — 22 February 1949
Auckland and Christchurch, New Zealand
President: Dr. R.A. Falla, President, Royal Society of New Zealand
Secretary-General: Dr. Gilbert Archey, Director, Auckland Institute and Museum
6th Pacific Science Congress
24 July — 12 August 1939
Berkeley, Stanford, and San Francisco, California, USA
President: Dr. Ross B. Harrison, Chairman, National Research Council
Secretary-General: Dr. Roy E. Clausen, Professor of Genetics, University of California
5th Pacific Science Congress
1 — 4 June 1933
Victoria, British Columbia, Canada
and
5 — 15 June 1933
Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada
President: Dr. H.M. Tory, President National Research Council of Canada
General Secretary: S.J. Cook, National Research Council of Canada
4th Pacific Science Congress
16 — 25 May 1929
Batavia and Bandoeng, Java, Netherlands Indies
President: Dr. O. de Vries, Director, Rubber Experiment Station of Buitenzorg and Professor of Chemistry, Medical Faculty of Batavia
First General Secretary: Dr. H.J. Lam, Buitenzorg Botanical Gardens
Second General Secretary: Dr. H.J.T. Bijlmer, Military Surgeon and Anthropologist, Batavia
3rd Pan-Pacific Science Congress
30 October — 11 November 1926
Tokyo, Japan
President: Dr. Joji Sakurai, President, National Research Council of Japan and Emeritus Professor Tokyo Imperial University
General Secretaries: Professors N. Yamasaki and K. Matsubara, Tokyo Imperial University
2nd Pan-Pacific Science Congress
13 — 22 August 1923
Melbourne, Australia
and 23 August — 3 September 1923
Sydney, Australia
President: Sir David Orme Masson, President, Australian National Research Council and Emeritus Professor, University of Melbourne
General Secretaries: R.H. Cambage, Royal Society; Dr. A.C.D. Rivett, University of Melbourne; E.C. Andrews, Mines Department; G. Lightfoot, Commonwealth Institute of Science and Technology
1st Pan-Pacific Scientific Conference
2 — 20 August 1920
Honolulu, Hawaii
Chairman: Dr. Herbert E. Gregory, Director, Bernice P. Bishop Museum, Honolulu
Vice-President and Secretary: Dr. Arthur L. Dean, President, University of Hawaii
1st Pacific Science Inter-Congress
5 — 9 May 1969
University of Malaya
Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia
President: Professor Chin Fung Kee, University of Malaya
Chairman, Liaison Committee: Professor A.J. Berry, University of Malaya
2nd Pacific Science Inter-Congress
20 — 26 May 1973
University of Guam
Mangilao, Guam
Chairman: Dr. L.G. Eldredge, University of Guam
3rd Pacific Science Inter-Congress
18 — 22 July 1977
Bali Beach Hotel
Bali, Indonesia
Chairman: Professor H. Tb. Bachtiar Rifai, Indonesian Institute of Sciences
4th Pacific Science Inter-Congress
1 — 5 September 1981
Hyatt Regency Hotel
Singapore
Chairman: Professor Huang Hsing Hua, National University of Singapore
5th Pacific Science Inter-Congress
3 — 7 February 1985
The Manila Hotel
Manila, Philippines
Honorary Chairman: Dr. Paulo C. Campos, National Research Council of Philippines
Chairman: Dr. Leland S. Valladolid, President, National Research Council of Philippines
6th Pacific Science Inter-Congress
7 — 10 August 1989
Federico Santa Maria University
Valparaiso, Chile
Chairman: Professor Francisco Orrego Vicuña, Institute of International Studies, University of Chile, Santiago
7th Pacific Science Inter-Congress
“The Pacific: Crossroads for Culture and Nature”
27 June — 3 July 1993
Okinawa, Japan
Chairperson: Dr. Keishin Sunagawa, University of the Ryukyus
Secretary-General: Dr. Eiki Senaha, University of the Ryukyus
8th Pacific Science Inter-Congress
“ Islands in the Pacific Century”
13 — 19 July 1997
University of the South Pacific
Suva, Fiji
Secretary-General: Dr. Mahendra Kumar, University of the South Pacific
9th Pacific Science Inter-Congress
“Sustainable Development in the Pacific”
15 — 19 November 1998
Academia Sinica
Taipei, China-Taipei
Honorary Chairman: Dr. Yuan-Tseh Lee, President, Academia Sinica
Co-Chairmen: Dr. Shang-Fa Yang, Dr. Kuo-Shu Yang, & Dr. Chang-Hung Chou, Academia Sinica
10th Pacific Science Inter-Congress
“The Integration of Natural and Social Sciences in the New Pacific Millennium”
1 — 6 June 2001
Hilton Guam Resort and the University of Guam
Mangilao, Guam, USA
Secretary-General: Joyce Camacho, University of Guam
11th Pacific Science Inter-Congress
“Pacific Countries and their Ocean: Facing Local and Global Changes”
3 – 6 March 2009
Hilton Tahiti Hotel
Tahiti, French Polynesia
Co-Chairpersons: Dr. Pierre Mery, Special Assistant in Charge of Research and Technology in French Polynesia, Dr. Priscille Frogier, Director of the Research Department of French Polynesia, and Dr. Jean-Claude Angue, Special Assistant in Charge of Research and Technology in New Caledonia
12th Pacific Science Inter-Congress
“Science for Human Security & Sustainable Development in Asia & the Pacific”
8 – 12 July 2013
University of the South Pacific
Suva, Fiji
Chairperson: Dr. John Bythell, University of the South Pacific
13th Pacific Science Inter-Congress
Date: 2018
Location: TBD