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The Houdremont Lecture is the introductory lecture of the IIW International Conference, presented every even year concurrently with the IIW Annual Assembly. This biennial Lecture pays tribute to the late Professor Edouard Houdremont whose brilliant career in the IIW was tragically short.
Appointed Chairman of the original Commission XII in 1953, he became Chairman of the new Commission IX “Behaviour of Metals Subjected to Welding” in 1954, the result of the amalgamation of the former Commissions IX (“Weldability”) and XII (“Brittle Fracture”). Under the chairmanship of Professor Houdremont, Commission IX issued recommendations concerning weldable steels which were to have a profound influence on specifications far beyond the circle of the IIW.
He was later elected an IIW Vice-President in 1956 (due mainly to his responsibilities for the organization of the 1957 Annual Assembly held in Essen, Germany), but died in office shortly before the 1958 Annual Assembly.
Professor Houdremont’s popularity was such that in 1958, his Commission passed a resolution, subsequently approved by the Governing Council, that Commission IX would henceforth organize an annual lecture in his memory. A precedent was thus established which was followed by the commemoration of other leading IIW personalities.
The fact that such a precedent was set for Professor Houdremont, whose service had lasted for less than five (5) years, bears testimony to the great impression he had made on his contemporaries as a gifted leader, scientist, industrialist and musician, as well as by his singular charm as a man.
For the 1959 Annual Assembly in Opatija (former Yugoslavia), the first commemorative lecture was given by Professor Bastien of France. This lecture continued to be organized annually by Commission IX until 1964, when it was then incorporated into the Opening Session of the IIW International Conference, alternating since 1963 with the Portevin Lecture.
The Houdremont Lecturer is a distinguished person who demonstrates considerable knowledge about the selected theme. A significant part of the selected person’s career will usually have been spent working in the field to be covered, marked also by several relevant publications. |