The Brazilian Vacuum Society (SBV) is a non profitorganization with an independent administration. lt was founded on May 17, 1978 at a meeting of scientists, professors, engineers and technicians held at the Instituto Militar de Engenharia (IME), Rio de Janeiro. In 1984 the headquarters was moved to UNICAMP University, in Campinas, São Paulo. Two years after the SBV was founded, it had a total membership of about 80. At the beginning of the year 2001, the SBV had about 120 full members, 30 student members, 12 supporting industrial members, and 6 institutional members.

    Although the SBV did not originally grow as fast as it is growing today, it is now keeping pace with the scientific and development activities in our country. The SBV is an active community, bringing together universities, research institutes and industries covering several areas of the knowledge, which involves vacuum technology. The SBV normally organizes its annual Vacuum Congress (Congresso Brasileiro de Aplicações de Vacuo na Industria e na Ciência - CBRAVIC) and vacuum courses in a period preceding the end of July. CBRAVIC extends over a three day period and typically includes 10 invited plenary presentations and 160 contributed papers on original research and development. In addition, it is traditional that in the days before and after the congress the SBV presents some courses on basic and advanced vacuum technology and on related topics such as surfaces and interfaces, thin films, characterization techniques, metrology, solar cells, plasma applications and atomic and molecular physics.

    Workshops on liquid crystal, plasma science, diamond and related Materials and nano-structured materials have been supported by the SBV with both domestic and international participation. Also, the SBV supports the Brazilian Journal of Vacuum Application, which is a periodical on vacuum science and technology. lt is issued twice yearly and is supported by national and international referees and members of the editorial board. A great effort is in progress today, which is focused on expanding the Brazilian Vacuum Society activities to the South American regions.

    The SBV recognizes the extreme effort being made by some researchers and engineers in order to keep our society looking to the future. Accordingly, in 1992 it introduced the grade of honorary Membership, and Prof Dr. Ross Alan Douglas from UNICAMP University was the first to be honored with this permanent position in 1995.

    During the year 2000, as part of the annual congress, the SBV introduced an innovation in terms of cultural incentives to general scientific information, including some short and instructive courses to the "high school teachers communities". Expounding the history of vacuum science and technology, its applications, and its influence on people's every-day life.

    The SBV administration (elected by all members for two years with permission to be re-elect once more) is composed of : the President, first and second Vice- President, first and second Secretary, first and second treasurer, cultural director, scientific director, and two board councilors. The SBV also nominates two councilors and divisional representatives for all scientific areas of the IUVSTA.

    Finally, the major purpose of the Brazilian Vacuum Society is:

- to disseminate the application and theory of vacuum science and technology to the developed communities throughout our country, including all universities, research Institutes and industries,

- to facilitate cooperation among different scientific and technological communities, by organizing congresses, workshops and courses involving many areas of the knowledge which is related to vacuum technology,

- to keep together, in permanent contact, the academic activities in universities and the practical activities in Industry,

- to represent the Brazilian scientific and technological communities on vacuum and related areas within IUVSTA.

 

Ultima atualização 14/07/2005