History

The history of ICOM starts in 1984 with the Europe-Japan Congress on Membranes and Membrane Processes held in Stresa, Italy. This followed the foundation of the Membrane Society of Japan in 1978 and of the European Membrane Society in 1982. Following the foundation of the North American Membrane Society, the presidents of MSJ and EMS scheduled the first ICOM conference in 1987 in Japan with NAMS added as a member of the organising committee. With the foundation of the Aseanian Membrane Society in 2001, the organisation of ICOM conferences every three years - alternatively in Asia, North America and Europe - by local committees on behalf of the 3 founding societies was set. This was formalised by the World Association of Membrane Societies (WA-MS) in 2017.

The 12th edition in London will follow the successful gatherings in Tokyo (1987), Chicago (1990), Heidelberg (1993), Yokohama (1996), Toronto (1999), Toulouse (2002), Seoul (2005), (Honolulu (2008), Amsterdam (2011), Suzhou (2014) and San Francisco (2017).