Thirteenth World Round Table Conference on Sintering and IISS

The International Institute for the Science of Sintering (IISS https://www.iiss-sci.org/) was originally established in 1968 as the International Team of Study of Sintering, based in Belgrade, Yugoslavia (today the Republic of Serbia) at the Vinča Institute of Nuclear Science. The founding assembly was held next year in Herceg Novi, and it brought about one hundred scientists from different parts of the world. This was an open symposium where all the founders gave plenary lectures on their most up-to-date research. The team decided to organize this conference at the same place every other year. After the first one, the interest grew rapidly in the world, so by 1973 many new members joined. The International Team for the Study of Sintering soon became the International Institute for the Science of Sintering. At the initiative of the President of the Serbian Academy of Science and Arts (SASA), Pavle Savić, the Institute received the patronage of SASA and eminent institutions from the member countries. At that time, the Institute played an enormous role in bringing scientists from all over the world closer together. This was especially important during the Cold War when Yugoslavia was the only place where scientists from the East and from the West could meet.

The XI International World Conference on Science of Sintering was held from September 2^nd to 6^th 2019, in the same hotel complex where the very first Founders’ Conference was held fifty years ago.  It was organized jointly with the 21^st Annual Conference MRS of Serbia, in Herceg-Novi, Montenegro.

This turned out to be useful for both sides, so it was continued. XII WRTCS was held on August 29-September 2, 2022 in Herceg Novi, together with 23^rd YUCOMAT, when about 30 new members were elected.

Since the forming of the Institute in 1969, 183 prominent scientists from the fields of science and technology of sintering and related phenomena were elected, making it a sort of academy.The total number of active members is 93, which gives us hope and justifies our expectations of a return to the old paths of glory.