International URSI
The International Union of Radio Science (URSI - Union Radio-Scientifique Internationale) was established in 1919 to cover the discipline of radio science. Since that date it has encouraged the growth of all aspects of the science associated with radio waves. This has become a very large subject with applications ranging from telecommunications to radio astronomy. URSI is interdisciplinary and encompasses both the science of electromagnetic waves and the engineering applications of radio, microwaves and optical waves it is effectively concerned with the science base for telecommunications.
About International URSI
URSI is an active Union with 42 member countries (plus 5 associate members) supporting a range of activities centred around the triennial General Assemblies. It is supported by a small secretariat based at the University of Gent in Belgium with an unpaid Secretary General and Assistant Secretary General and one full-time paid member of administrative staff. The object of URSI is to stimulate and to co-ordinate, on an international basis, studies in the field of radio, telecommunication and electronic sciences, and, within these fields:
- to promote and organise research requiring international co-operation, and the discussion and dissemination of the results of this research;
- to encourage the adoption of common methods of measurement, and the inter-comparison and standardisation used in scientific work;
- to stimulate and co-ordinate studies of the scientific aspects of telecommunications using electromagnetic waves, guided and unguided, the generation and detection of these waves, and the processing of the signals embedded in them.
There are ten scientific commissions, the names of which indicate the breadth of radio science as interpreted by URSI:
Commission A: Electromagnetic Metrology
Commission B: Fields and Waves
Commission C: Radiocommunication Systems and Signal Processing
Commission D: Electronics & Photonics
Commission E: Electromagnetic Environment and Interference
Commission F: Wave Propagation & Remote Sensing
Commission G: Ionospheric Radio and Propagation
Commission H: Waves in Plasmas
Commission J: Radio Astronomy
Commission K: Electromagnetics in Biology and Medicine
The detailed terms of reference of the Scientific Commissions are given in the link on the left. It should be noted from the above list that some Commissions cover subjects which are associated with engineering applications of electromagnetic waves (e.g. Commission C) whilst others are associated with the purely scientific study of radio waves (e.g. Commission H).
The General Assembly consists of about 120 technical sessions which review developments over the last three years including a series of joint sessions designed to report and review many interdisciplinary topics. The level of activity between General Assemblies varies considerably across Commissions.
A very successful feature of the General Assemblies has been the Young Scientist programme which sponsors about 120 young scientists to attend the Assembly.
International URSI website
Follow more updates on International URSI on https://www.ursi.org/homepage.php