Erika Kálmán



Erika Kálmán was borned in Budapest, Hungary and completed high school there. She studied chemistry at the Technical University, Dresden, graduating at the top of her class. She received her PhD for the thesis on electrolyte solutions in 1970 in the laboratory of Prof. Kurt Schwabe, Dresden. After she joined the Chemical Structure Research Laboratory of the Hungarian Academy of Sciences, HAS, Budapest, where she worked on structural properties of electrolyte solutions and metal/electrolyte solution interfaces with organic additives. New techniques, such as liquid electron diffraction and wet electron microscopy were developed. She got her DSc. for her studies on corrosion inhibition mechanism in 1995. Her research field is focussed on surface modifications and nanostructures. New functional nanolayers are developed by SAMs, LB and sol-gel techniques. At present she is head of the Department of Surface Modification and Nanostructures of Chemical Research Center of HAS and director of the Institute for Materials Science and Technology of the Bay Zoltán Foundation Budapest. 23 MSc and PhD students have performed their thesis research under his guidance. Many postdocs and visiting scientists from around the world have performed research in her department. Her research contributions are documented in over 280 journal articles and 32 patents. Her work has been recognized by various award including Kurt Schwabe Prize (1967), Academic Young Prize (1976), CAOLA Research Award (1987), Széchenyi Professor Scholarship (1998-2002), CRC HAS Lecturer I. Prize (2001), Academic Prize (2002), Jedlik Ányos Prize (2005). ). She has also been very active in organizing symposia and meetings, such as ISE meetings, EMCR conference, EUROCORR conferences, Kurt Schwabe corrosion conferences. She is serving in different local and international scientific committees (e.g.: Scientific and Technological Advisory Board, STAC and Board of Admnistration of BoA of the European Federation of Corrosion,; Hungarian Corrosion Society, President; Corrosion Session of the Hungarian Chemical Society, chairman; Material Science Committee of the Hungarian Academy of Sciences, president.

Memories of ISE activities

I got already acquainted with ISE activities as student and became member in 1973. It was my honor to serve the Society for a total of 15 years including two terms as Division Officer of Division 2 and later in different positions in the Executive Committee as Vice President, Secretary General and President. I took part in different activities: networking of the Corporate Sustaining Members (connection to the divisions, symposia and exhibitions); compilation of the Membership Directory, contributing to increase divisional activities (responsibility in organising of symposia at Annual Meetings, divisional funds for supporting symposia), establishing of different committees (Future Strategy, Publication, Fellows Nomination, New Topics); arrangement of collaboration with other Societies; contribution to the documentation of the Society History (interview and film on Prof. M. Pourbaix); helping in realization of Frumkin Memorial Medal; design and processing some ISE medals; preparation of new agreements with Elsevier Science S.A. relates to the publication of Electrochimica Acta (clarification of the financial arrangement; preferencial rate subscription to other Elsevier electrochemistry journals).

During my presidential term (2001-2002) many steps were taken into transformation of ISE to a more professional society. The ISE Constitution and Bylaws have been revised, discussed and, Guidelines (for Division Officers, Regional Representatives, ISE Meetings) have been updated. The Spring Meetings have been initiated. A new ISE Divisional Structure has been acomplished. ISE Office moved to Lausanne (contract with FontisMedia), the role of Executive Secretary has been decided, a new website with electronic voting and dues payment have been created (with possible extension of meeting registration capabilities). The Executive Committee has decided to move into the direction of having full financial responsibility for future ISE Meetings. The Annual Meetings during my term were the following: the 52nd ISE Annual Meeting, which was the Joint International Meeting with the Electrochemical Society, held in San Francisco, and the 53th ISE Annual Meeting was held in Düsseldorf, one of the biggest ISE Annual Meeting.

Scientific excellence and professional organisation should characterize the International Society of Electrochemistry in the future. I wish many successfull ISE meetings.