British Composites Society Launch

Tuesday 30th October 2007 @ 10.00am

1 Carlton House Terrace, London SW1Y 5DB map

To attend this FREE event please Register by sending your full contact details to matthew.thornton@iom3.org – places are limited and are on a first come first served basis.

Further Information and Programme

The Composite Division of the Institute of Materials, Minerals and Mining is to re-adopt the operating title of The British Composites Society, in an attempt to improve its engagement with the composites community, to improve the nature of the services and opportunities offered to members and to raise our profile at the international level.

The composites sector is currently enjoying something of a boom in terms of turnover, public profile and employment.  It is highly appropriate at this time that the composite community is supported by a responsive professional society that is fully attuned to its needs. The British Composites Society will seek to establish a sound knowledge of its community – who we are, and where we work, and to find out what is really needed by its members in this changeable world.

By re-launching the Division as the British Composites Society we hope to give  everybody who is a member of the Institute as a whole, an opportunity to identify themselves as composites people and to register as members of the Society. We intend to hold a public launch meeting which will also act as a consultation exercise to determine what these members expect to receive from our new Society. We are exploring ways in which members of other professional bodies may obtain a membership of the British Composites Society without taking full membership of the Institute, thereby ensuring that the composite community as a whole has a single voice.

The Institute of the Materials, Minerals and Mining Composites Division has undertaken a number of roles on behalf of its members over the years. These have included the organisation of meetings – both international conferences and one day workshops. We intend to continue this (and ICCM in Edinburgh 2009 is just one example of a major event planned at this time) but we are looking for input from members as to where they want to see meetings organised, what topics, what costs etc.

The Institute has been involved in Foresighting in composites and working with the National Composite Network and the Industry Association, Composites UK to help develop the sector in the UK. This will also continue and the three organisations are committed to working together for the best interests of the composite industry as a whole. New ideas are welcomed on in initiatives that we should be taking, either in isolation or in collaboration with our partners the NCN and Composites UK.

The welfare and career development of our “Younger Members” has always been a prime concern for the Institute and younger member activities are continuing.  But what form should these activities take – what do younger members want? The new Society wants to know and respond accordingly

Support for professional development for junior to senior practitioners in composites is a further area of priority for the society where we are open to ideas, both from individuals and their employers.

Programme