The Swiss Society for Optics and Microscopy (SSOM) (french: Société Suisse d'Optique et de Microscopie Électronique (SSOME); german: Schweizerische Gesellschaft für Optik und Elektronmikroskopie (SGOEM))
is a
learned society for the promotion of
optics and
microscopy
Microscopy is the technical field of using microscopes to view objects and areas of objects that cannot be seen with the naked eye (objects that are not within the resolution range of the normal eye). There are three well-known branches of micr ...
(and more recently
nanotechnology
Nanotechnology, also shortened to nanotech, is the use of matter on an atomic, molecular, and supramolecular scale for industrial purposes. The earliest, widespread description of nanotechnology referred to the particular technological goal o ...
) in
Switzerland
). Swiss law does not designate a ''capital'' as such, but the federal parliament and government are installed in Bern, while other federal institutions, such as the federal courts, are in other cities (Bellinzona, Lausanne, Luzern, Neuchâtel ...
.
It is a member of
(SCNAT), one of four of the constituent members of the
Swiss Academies of Arts and Sciences.
It is also a member of the
International Commission for Optics,
the
International Committee on the Science of Photography, the
European Optical Committee, the
European Optical Society The European Optical Society (EOS), founded in 1991, is a European organisation for the development of the science of optics. Membership is open to national optical societies, individuals, companies, organisations, educational institutions, and lear ...
and the
European Microscopy Society
The European Microscopy Society is an international learned society which represents the field of microscopy in Europe. It was founded in 1998 following the disbanding of the ''Committee of European Societies of Electron Microscopy'' (which was ...
(regional committee of the
International Federation of Societies for Microscopy
The International Federation of Societies for Microscopy (french: Fédération internationale des sociétés de microscopie électronique; es, Federación Internacional de Sociedades de Microscopia Electrónica; german: Internationaler Verband ...
).
History
Te society was founded on 1949 as the ''Swiss Committee for Optics''. In 1969 following changes in their constitution, it was accepted into the
which led its name being changed to the ''Swiss Society for Optics and Electron Microscopy''(''Société Suisse d'Optique et de Microscopie Electronique''/''Schweizerische Gesellschaft für Optik und Elektronenmikroskopie''). In 1955 the society was split into two sections, one for
electron microscopy
An electron microscope is a microscope that uses a beam of accelerated electrons as a source of illumination. As the wavelength of an electron can be up to 100,000 times shorter than that of visible light photons, electron microscopes have a hi ...
and the other for
optics, each with their own secretaries.
In 1976, during the 6th European Congress of Electron Microscopy in Jerusalem, SSOM became a founding member of the
Committee of European Societies of Electron Microscopy (CESEM), which in 1998 became the
European Microscopy Society
The European Microscopy Society is an international learned society which represents the field of microscopy in Europe. It was founded in 1998 following the disbanding of the ''Committee of European Societies of Electron Microscopy'' (which was ...
.
In 1987 it joined the
European Federation for Applied Optics (Europtica) and the ''Swiss Academy of Technical Sciences'' (SATW) (which later become the
Swiss Academy of Engineering Sciences
Swiss may refer to:
* the adjectival form of Switzerland
*Swiss people
Places
*Swiss, Missouri
* Swiss, North Carolina
*Swiss, West Virginia
*Swiss, Wisconsin
Other uses
*Swiss-system tournament, in various games and sports
*Swiss International ...
).
In 2007 there were 387 individual members and 68 corporate members with 200 delegates, of which 45% were from industry, 40% from academia, and 15% from research institutes.
Presidents and Secretaries
Listed below are the presidents and secretaries of the society from 1947 until 1983.
Swiss Committee for Optics (SCO)
Presidents
*H. König, 1947-1952
*N. Schätti, 1953-1954
Secretaries
*W. Lotmar, 1947-1954
Swiss Committee for Photonic and Electronic Optics
In French: ''Comité Suisse d'Optique Photonique et Electronique''
Presidents
*N. Schätti, 1955-1966
*L. Wegmann, 1967-1968
Electron Microscopy Secretaries
*A. Gautier, 1955-1960
*L. Wegmann, 1961-1966
*M. Gribi, 1967-1968
Optics Secretaries
*W. Lotmar, 1955-1956
*E. Millet, 1957-1962
*A. Werfeli, 1963-1966
*R. David, 1967-1968
Swiss Society for Optics and Electron Microscopy
In French: ''Société Suisse d'Optique et de Microscopie Electronique''
Presidents
*L. Wegmann, 1969-1976
*W. F. Berg, 1977-1980
*J. R. Günter, 1981-1986
*R. Guggenheim, 1987-?
Electron Microscopy Secretaries
*M. Gribi, 1969-1970
*W. Stäubli, 1971-1972
*G. Kistler, 1973-1976
*J. R. Günter, 1977-1980
*R. Guggenheim, 1981-1986
*R. Gotthardt, 1987-?
Optics Secretaries
*R. David, 1969-1970
*C. v. Planta, 1971-1972
*F. K. v. Willisen, 1973-1976
*W. Balmer, 1977-1980
*D. Gross, 1981-1982
*E. Mathieu, 1983-?
References
{{authority control
1949 establishments in Switzerland
European Microscopy Society
Scientific societies based in Switzerland
Scientific organizations established in 1949