Seoul, Korea will be the site of the Fourth International Vacuum Electronics Conference (IVEC) from May 28 to 30, 2003 under the sponsorship of the IEEE Electron Devices Society (EDS). Dr. Gun-Sik Park of Seoul National University will serve as General Chair, and the conference is being co-organized by the Korean Physical Society, the Korean Accelerator and Plasma Research Association, and the Seoul National University School of Physics. Management oversight of IVEC is provided by the IEEE EDS Technical Committee on Vacuum Devices, which is described in detail in another article in this issue of the Newsletter.

Previously, IVEC has met in the USA in Monterey, California in 2000 and 2002 and in Noordwijk, The Netherlands in 2001. These earlier meetings built on the established traditions of the US Microwave Power Tube Conference and the European Space Agency TWT/TWTA Workshop. However, as the conference moves to Asia for the first time, it will be establishing a new venue in that region as well as fulfilling its mission to serve the global vacuum electronics community. IVEC 2003 is being scheduled in tandem with the International Conference on Plasma Science, which will meet on Jeju Island, Korea on June 2 through 5, to reduce the travel costs for those who wish to attend both meetings. Presently, IVEC is scheduled to return to Monterey in 2004 and to Noordwijk in 2005.

In its short history, IVEC has become the premier international venue for the presentation of work in the field of vacuum electronics. A highlight of the meeting will be the presentation at the conference banquet of the IVEC Award for Excellence in Vacuum Electronics. Details of the award nomination and selection process can be found at the IVEC 2003 website at http://ivec2003.snu.ac.kr.

Two page abstracts should be submitted electronically to ivec2003@plaza.snu.ac.kr in either Adobe Acrobat (pdf format) or Microsoft Word (doc format) by January 25, 2003. Topics covered at IVEC include traditional vacuum electron devices, vacuum microelectronics, systems and subsystems, supporting technologies, and applications of vacuum devices. A detailed list is available in the Call for Papers that can be found at the IVEC 2003 website.

The 2003 conference will feature 14 plenary talks, one evening poster session and 16 oral technical sessions. One afternoon has been set aside for personal exploration of the city. The meeting place, Hotel Lotte, is conveniently located in the heart of Seoul within walking distance of a variety of restaurants, shops and historic places. There are many other attractions which you can learn about from the IVEC 2003 website.

The Local Program Committee consists of Gun-Sik Park, Seoul National University, General Chair; Myeun Kwon, Korea Basic Science Institute, Technical Program; Yoonho Seo, Kwangwoon University, Finance; Sang June Hahn, Chung-Ang University, Publications; Eun Ha Choi, Kwangwoon University, Entertainment; Jung-Sik Choi, Dongshin University, Publicity; Byung-Chul Lee, Korea Atomic Energy Research Institute, Registration; and James A. Dayton, Jr., Genvac Corp., Awards.

IVEC 2003 has attracted a number of Technical Co-Sponsors. These include the Institution of Electrical Engineers, the European Space Agency; the US Electronic Industries Association Microwave Vacuum Electronics Division; the US DoD Advisory Group on Vacuum Devices; the US DoD Microwave Tube Executive Agent; the Institute of Electronics, Information and Communications Engineers; the Japan Society of Plasma Science and Nuclear Fusion Research; the Chinese Vacuum Electronics Society; the Korean Vacuum Society; the Korean Atomic Energy Research Institute; the Polong Accelerator Laboratory; the Korea Basic Science Institute; the Korea Electrotechnology Research Institute; the Samsung Electronics Co.; L. G. Electronics, Inc.; and Vitzro Technology, Ltd.

The members of the International Program Committee are Ivor Brodie, SRI International, USA; Jon A. Christensen, Boeing EDD, USA; James A. Dayton, Jr., Genvac, USA; Carol L. Kory, Analex/NASA Glenn Research Center, USA; Neville C. Luhmann, Jr., University of California at Davis, USA; W. Deveraux Palmer, Army Research Office, USA; Robert K. Parker, Naval Research Laboratory, USA; Armand Staprans, Communication and Power Industries, USA; Richard B. True, Northrop-Grumman Electron Devices, USA; Richard G. Carter, Lancaster University, UK; Alan Phelps, University of Strathclyde, UK; David Wilcox, E2V Technologies Ltd., UK; Philippe Thouvenin, Thales Electron Devices, France; Guenter Kornfeld, Thales Electron Devices Gmbh., Germany; Manfred Thumm, Forschungszentrum Karlsruhe and University of Karlsruhe, Germany; Pierre Waller, European Space Agency ESTEC, The Netherlands; G. Fergus Brand, University of Sydney, Australia; Takao Kageyama, NEC Corp., Japan; Keishi Sakamoto, Japan Atomic Energy Research Institute, Japan; K. Yokoo, Tohoku University, Japan; Sheng Gang Liu, UEST of China, China; Fu Jiang Liao, BVERI, China; Kwo Ray Chu, National Tsing Hua University, Taiwan; B.N. Basu, Banaras Hindu University, India; S.N. Joshi, CEERI, India; Dmitry I. Trubetskov, Saratov State University, Russia; Saeyoung Ahn, Seoul National University, Korea; Moo-Hyun Cho, POSTECH, Korea; Byung-Ho Choi, Korea Atomic Energy Research Institute, Korea; Chie-Kyu Choi, Cheju National University, Korea; Kie-Hyung Chung, Seoul National University, Korea; Sang Hee Hong, Seoul National University, Korea; Chul Kim, Samsung Electronics Co., Korea; Gyung-Soo Lee, Korea Basic Science Institute, Korea; Hongsik Lee, KERI, Korea; Jae Koo Lee, POSTECH, Korea; Won Namkung, POSTECH, Korea; Soo Yong Park, POSTECH, Korea; Jong-Gwan Ryu, LG Electronics, Inc., Korea; Han Sup Uhm, Ajou University, Korea; Ki-Woong Whang, Seoul National University, Korea; Moohyn Yoon, POSTECH & PAL, Korea; and Tae Sun You, Agency for Defense Development, Korea.

James A. Dayton, Jr.
EDS Vacuum Devices Committee Chair
Cleveland, OH, USA

Gun-Sik Park
Seoul National University
Seoul, Korea