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The International Zeolite Association (IZA) was organized in 1973 at the 3rd International Molecular Sieve Conference to promote and encourage the development of all aspects of zeolite science and technology.

 



Latest News










Aug 20, 2024 Nominations for the 2025 Donald W. Breck Award invited







The Breck Award nomination committee invites nominations for the 2025 Donald W. Breck Award. This award is for the most significant contribution to Molecular Sieve Science and Technology made between January 1, 2020 and December 31, 2024. The winner will be announced during 21st IZC in Dalian, China.

The award may be given to an individual or to a group. The nomination should be accompanied by a list of maximum 5 references and a 2 page summary outlining in detail the novel findings and their scientific merit. It should includes supporting letters from three established zeolite scientists. For more Information visit the Breck Award page.

Nominations should be sent by March 31, 2025 to the Chair of the Breck Award Committee: Prof. Suk Bong Hong

E-mail: sbhong@postech.ac.kr

Aug 20, 2024 The Young Researcher Award (YRA) committee invites applications for the 2025 YRA







The Young Researcher Award will be given to an individual for outstanding contribution to the Science and Technology of zeolites and related nanoporous materials in the period from January 1, 2022 to December 31, 2024.

The winner will be announced during 21st IZC in Dalian, China. For more information visit the YRA page.

The applications should be sent by March 31, 2025 to the Chair of the Young Researcher Award committee: Prof. Jean-Piere Gilson

E-mail: jean-pierre.gilson@ensicaen.fr

Aug 20, 2024 Proposals for the organization of the 23rd International Zeolite Conference







The IZA Executive Council is soliciting proposals for organizing the 23rd IZC to be held in 2031. A proposal should contain sufficient detail, including the specific proposed conference location, to permit a reasonable evaluation of its merits, and must contain the name of a person who agrees to become the Conference Organizer, if the IZA council would select the proposal. The time schedule for this process is shown schematically below.

A

B

C

21st IZC
July 13-18
2025

6 months before 21st IZC

  2 months before 21st IZC

  2 months before 21st IZC

2 months

Letter of
Interest

Applicants fill in
questionnaire

Council preselects
best bids

Applicants prepare
presentation


A: Those who plan to submit a bid for the 23rd IZC should send a letter of intent to the IZA President (svetlana.mintova@ensicaen.fr ) or the IZA Secretary (natasa.zabukovec@ki.si) at least six months before the 21st IZC. It should contain the name of the Chairman of the Organizing Committee, the Members of the Organizing Committee and the envisaged venue and date for the 23rd IZC. The Organizing Committee is expected to include well-established academics in the field of zeolite-type materials. Upon receipt of the letter of intent, the Secretary shall send the detailed questionnaire "Proposal for the Organization of the 23rd IZC to be held in 2031 to the applicant.

B: This questionnaire, properly filled in and signed, must be received by the IZA President and Secretary at least four months before the 21th IZC. All bids received by this date are distributed to the IZA Council members.

C: The Council will finalize the pre-selection two months before the 21th IZC. The IZA President will notify all those who submitted bid(s) of the outcome of the pre-selection and the date for the presentation to the IZA Council. This gives the successful applicants two months to prepare their presentations for the Meeting at the 21th IZC. At the IZA Council meeting, after the presentations of the pre-selected proposals, the IZA Council will vote for the selection of the final winner. The winner will be announced at the closing Meeting at the 21th IZC.

Aug 20, 2024 Microporous and Mesoporous Materials Early Career Council Board







Microporous and Mesoporous Materials (MICMAT) is now accepting entries to join the new Early Career Council Board (ECCB). Early career researchers are defined as being 40 years of age or younger (a correction can be made for time off research) and having completed their doctorate within the last 10 years, with publications within the scope of the journal. A term for ECCB members is three years, with possible renewal for a second term (if eligibility continues to be met). Exceptional ECCB members can be elevated to a MICMAT Council Board member status. They can also be promoted and recommended for similar capacities to other Elsevier journals.

Qualified early career researchers are encouraged to submit a ‘nomination package’ via email to Leorah Stewart (l.stewart2@elsevier.com), including 1) a complete nomination form, 2) a statement of up to two pages describing the nominee´s accomplishments and impact in the field of Microporous and Mesoporous Materials, 3) a full curriculum vitae, including date of birth, list of publications, and funding, 4) names of two referees we could approach for letters of support (please seek their approval first).

Applications will only be accepted until September 15, 2024

More info here

1-May-24 6th Euro-Asia Zeolite Conference







The Spanish Zeolite Group, on behalf of the Spanish Catalysis Society, cordially invites you to attend the 6th Euro-Asia Zeolite Conference (EAZC-2025), to be held in the city of Alicante, in south-eastern Spain, from 19 to 22 January 2025.

EAZC-2025 marks the continuation of a series of congresses dedicated to the study of zeolites and related nanostructured porous materials. This biennial event, held alternately in Asia and Europe, follows successful meetings in Macau (2013), Nice (2015), Bali (2017), Taormina (2019) and Busan (2023).

Join us in Alicante, where leading experts, researchers, and practitioners from around the world will gather to share insights and foster collaborations in zeolite science and technology. EAZC-2025 promises exciting presentations and many networking opportunities amidst the vibrant cultural backdrop of Spain's enchanting Mediterranean coast.

More info here





1-May-24 9th zeolite conference of the Iranian Chemical Society







The 9th zeolite conference of the Iranian Chemical Society will take place on 7 to 8 September 2024 at Maragheh university, Maragheh, Iran.



More info here





1-May-24 New IZA webmaster







After many years of taking care of the IZA website, Prof. Valentin Valtchev (ENSICAEN - Université de Caen - CNRS, France) hands over the torch to Prof. Rob Ameloot (KU Leuven, Belgium).

Contact data Rob Ameloot





13-Sep-23 Henri Kessler (1935 - 2023)







It is with deep sadness that we learned of the passing of Henri Kessler, our colleague, on August 23, 2023. Henri was born in Saint-Amarin, at the bottom of the Thann Valley, a small Alsatian town at the foot of the Vosges Mountains, on May 5, 1935. Graduated as a chemical engineer from the National Higher School of Chemistry in Mulhouse in 1959, Henri Kessler joined CNRS (the French National Center for Scientific Research) as a research assistant. And became a Research Director in 1982. In 1983, he joined Professor Raymond Wey's Laboratory of General Mineral Chemistry where he took on the responsibility of the microporous non-siliceous framework solids group, which achieved remarkable results with the synthesis of numerous new structures. Asound example of his work is the synthesis of a gallophosphate known as "Cloverite," which was the crystalline microporous solid with the largest pore openings (13.2 × 6 Ĺ). Dr. Kessler was a Council member of the executive board of International Zeolite Association (IZA), Vice-President of the IZA Synthesis Commission, and a Member of the Editorial Board of the journal "Microporous Materials." In 1992, he, along with Jean-Louis Guth, received the Solid-State Chemistry Division Prize from the French Chemical Society.He assumed the leadership of the Laboratory in 1996, with the goal of ensuring its continued development until his retirement in 1999. He left an indelible mark on the community of researchers in the field of crystalline porous solids.
Many people knew Henri as an exceptional mountaineer. One had to "hang on" to follow him into the Vosges or the Alps. He was accustomed to participating in endurance races (24 hours) on the Vosges ridges. He was a well-rounded athlete who also enjoyed swimming and skiing. He was also a man of nature with a deep ecological consciousness for its preservation. He had his house built at the base of the mountain, on the edge of the forest, where he collected deadwood for heating. With the help of his wife, Rose-Marie, he created a terraced garden where vegetable plants coexisted with mountain flowers.
On behalf of all the people who had the privilege and honor of working with Henri,

Jean-Louis Guth and Jean-Louis Paillaud





1-Sep-23 Gregor Mali (1971 - 2023)







Gregor Mali After a battle with a serious illness, our dear colleague, friend and researcher Prof. Dr. Gregor Mali has passed away. He was part of the zeolite research community for more than 25 years and was also active in the Slovenian Zeolite Association. We will cherish the memory of our esteemed colleague.
Prof. Dr. Gregor Mali has been employed at the National Institute of Chemistry in Ljubljana in the Department of Inorganic Chemistry and Technology since 1997. Since 2007, he has been habilitated in the field of Physics at the University of Nova Gorica and since 2019 also at the Faculty of Mathematics and Physics of the University of Ljubljana.
Prof. Mali's research work was devoted to the development and application of nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) methods and computational methods for the study of the structure of solids. Research areas to which Prof. Mali paid the most attention were the development of new porous catalysts and adsorbents for environmental and energy applications, and the development of batteries.
In recent years, Prof. Mali has become one of the world's most prominent scientists in the field of NMR research on porous materials. He has authored or co-authored more than 130 scientific articles in prestigious journals, including Science and Nature group. The importance and excellence of his research is evidenced by the two prestigious awards he received in 2017, namely the Pregl Award for outstanding achievements in the field of chemistry and related sciences and the Zois Prize for significant scientific achievements in the field of nuclear magnetic resonance of materials.
Prof. Mali's research work was excellent, dedicated and responsible to his colleagues and students. We admired and appreciated him for his exceptional approachability, kindness, respectful attitude and brilliant thinking. We will miss him sorely.





7-Apr-23 Sigmund M. Csicsery (1929 - 2022)







We received the very sad news that Dr. Sigmund M. Csicsery, one of the big pioneers of shape selective catalysis, passed away in his home at Moraga (California) on December 18, 2022. Sigmund is mourned by his family, as well as many friends, colleagues, and acquaintances with whom he made connections throughout the world. His remains will be laid to rest at the Tahy family crypt in Balatonszemes, Hungary. Sigmund was a member of the Hungarian Academy of Sciences and was awarded the prestigious Gábor Dénes Award in 2020–2021. He had over 50 publications and 27 patents to his name.





6-Jan-23 Petr Nachtigall (1963 - 2022)







It is with great sadness that we have to communicate the passing of Prof. RNDr. Petr Nachtigall, Ph.D. on 28 December 2022. He was an internationally recognized expert in computational material science with particular emphasis on porous materials. He received his Ph.D. at the University of Pittsburgh. After returning to Prague, he worked at the J. Heyrovsky Institute of Physical Chemistry, later at the Institute of Organic Chemistry and Biochemistry of the Czech Academy of Sciences, and since 2009 at the Faculty of Science of Charles University. Here he made a major contribution to the establishment and development of the top scientific center "CHARLES UNIVERSITY CENTRE OF ADVANCED MATERIALS" and introduced a new PhD and MSc program "Modelling of chemical properties of nano and biostructures". Recently, he has conceived and organized the establishment of a new Bachelor of Science program "Science". Prof. Nachtigall has regularly published in the most prestigious scientific journals; he is the author of 181 publications with 8,289 citations and an h-index of 54 (as of 1 January 2023).
He is well known for his studies of adsorption complexes and reaction mechanisms in zeolites and analogous materials, which significantly contributed to the understanding of the behavior of zeolites for practical applications. Moreover, the has contributed significantly to the discovery and theoretical explanation of a new method of synthesis of zeolites ADOR, thanks to which more than 10 new types of zeolites have already been synthesized.
Prof. Nachtigall was awarded the Bedřich Hrozný Prize for Basic Research (2015), the Prize of the Minister of Education, Youth and Sports for significant results of basic research in natural sciences (2019) and the Donatio Universitatis Carolinae (2021).
In Peter Nachtigall we lose not only an outstanding scientist, teacher and mentor, but also a great person and friend. Our thoughts are with is wife Gabriela and his family.





18-Jul-22 News from the IZC-20 in Valencia







Seven new council members were elected:


Rob Ameloot (Belgium)
Roger Glaeser (Germany)
Tina Nenoff (USA)
Sibele Pergher (Brazil)
Domenico Caputo (Italy)
Manuel Molinar (Spain)
Natasa Z. Logar (Slovenia)


The new executive committee of the IZA council:


Svetlana Mintova, President
Michael Stockenhuber, Vice-President
Natasa Z. Logar, Secretary
Jeffrey Rimer, Treasurer


The Next International Zeolite Conferences (IZC)


At a Business Meeting, the IZA Board selected the venue for the 22nd IZC in 2028:



Philadelphia, USA


The next 21st IZC will be held in 2025 in Dalian, China.


Awards




The 2022 Don Breck Award



Suk Bong Hong (POSTECH, Korea)

for developing innovative synthetic methodologies including the synergistic use of organic and inorganic structure-directing agents that resulted in new zeolite framework types.

Breck Award 2022

Suk Bong Bong (middle) with the representative of UOP-Honeywell Suheil Abdo (left) and the president of the IZA Martin Hartmann (right).









The 2022 IZA award



Valentin Valtchev (CNRS, France)

for his important contributions to the fundamental understanding of zeolite synthesis and post-synthesis modification of industrially-important zeolites.

Prof. Valtchev will act as the IZA Ambassador from now until the next IZC in 2025.

IZA Award 2022

Valentin Valtchev (left) with the president of the IZA Martin Hartmann (right).









The 2022 Young Researcher Award (YRA)



Michiel Dusselier (KU Leuven, Belgium)

for his achievements in the knowledge-based development of catalyst for innovative catalytic conversion processes.



IZA Honorary Membeships



Jean-Pierre Gilson (LCS, ENSICAEN, France)
for his outstanding contribution to zeolite science and technology and for the great service in the organization IZA-related events.

Avelino Corma (ITQ-Valencia, Spain)
for his outstanding contributions to zeolite science and technology and his great service as chairman of IZC2022.





10-Mar-22 News from FEZA


The Federation of European Zeolite Associations (FEZA) created in January 1996, consisting of 17 National Zeolite Associations (Bulgaria, Croatia, Czech Republic, France, Germany, Hungary, The Netherlands, Italy, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Russia, Serbia, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, UK) has taken the following decision in strong support of Ukraine and all people suffering from the horrible war.

Zeolite Associations within the FEZA wholehertedly approved the measure to suspend Russia from FEZA, and to promote other activities of the scientific community in support of Ukraine.

Our resolution is taken to support the peace, and in opposition to war and the suffering of the people in Ukraine.
We hope for an immediate stop to this war and a peaceful future for Europe. Let us stand together for a peaceful worldwide community and for the sake of our future generations.
We do believe that Russian people are also victims of their government and our action is not against them.
The Russian scientists are not responsible for this war, but we, as a European research community, express our opinion now. The aggression against Ukraine decided by the government of Russia reflects on all of us!
The objectives of FEZA are to improve communication and collaboration between researchers in Europe for the benefit of the public and therefore we decided to:
   1. Suspend the membership of Russia from FEZA.
   2. Become a promoter for other European initiatives reflecting the opinion of other European scientific communities by:

       - official statement on the FEZA website
       - state our strong support in papers currently in press
       - express our support during meetings, conferences.
   3. A FEZA solidarity scholarship will be provided to a Ukrainian early career researcher to attend a conference in the field of porous materials.





9-Feb-22 Karl Seff (1938 - 1921)







We were saddened to hear that Prof. Karl Seff, known for his colorful Hawaiian shirts and ready smile at zeolite conferences, passed away at the age of 84 on September 11 last year.
Karl started his career in zeolite crystallography with David P. Shoemaker at MIT, where he received his PhD in 1964. After a post-doc with Kenneth N. Trueblood at UCLA, he joined the Chemistry Department at the University of Hawaii in 1967, and remained there until his retirement 40 years later. He is probably best known for his pioneering research using tiny zeolite A crystals, modified in various ways, to collect single-crystal X-ray diffraction data for structure analysis. This allowed him to elucidate intriguing zeolite chemistry at the atomic level. As instrumentation and computing power improved, he expanded this research, along with colleagues in South Korea, to include zeolites X and Y. Although he retired officially in 2007, he continued his research activity until just six weeks before his death. He will be remembered fondly by all those students who were fortunate enough to have him as an advisor. He took great interest in following his students' careers and personal lives long after graduation. A student of Karl's was a student and friend for life. His infectious enthusiasm for science and life in general made every encounter an experience worth remembering.
He will be missed not only by his zeolite colleagues and his students, but also by his fellow cactus enthusiasts and his vegan friends.

Aloha Karl




18-Jan-22 The Young Researcher Award (YRA) committee invites applications for the 2022 YRA


The Young Researcher Award will be given to an individual for outstanding contribution to the Science and Technology of zeolites and related nanoporous materials, since January 1st of the year of the last IZC to the December 31st of the year before the IZC where the award will be given. For more information visit the YRA page.

The applications should be sent by March 3, 2022 to the IZA secretary:
Prof. Heloise Pastore
E-mail: lolly@unicamp.br





12-Jan-22 Nominations for the 2022 Donald W. Breck Award invited


The Breck Award nomination committee invites nominations for the 2022 Donald W. Breck Award. This award is for the most significant contribution to Molecular Sieve Science and Technology made between January 1, 2017 and December 31, 2021 and the winner will be announced on July 7, 2022 at the 20th IZC in Valencia, Spain.

The award may be given to an individual or to a group.

The nomination should be accompanied by a list of maximum 5 references and a 2 page summary outlining in detail the novel findings and their scientific merit. It should includes supporting letters from three established zeolite scientists. For more Information visit the Breck Award page.

Nominations should be sent by April 3, 2022 to the Chair of the Breck Award Committee:
Dr. Valentin Valtchev
CNRS, France
E-mail: valentin.valtchev@ensicaen.fr
















Announcements over the years











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Links to the IZA Commission Websites





Structure Commission
Catalysis Commission
Synthesis Commission
Commission on Metal Organic Frameworks
Commission on Natural Zeolites

last updated: Aug 20, 2024