ISPRS Celebrates its First Centenary

The International Society for Photogrammetry and Remote Sensing (ISPRS) celebrated the centenary of its founding at the Vienna University of Technology on 4th July 2010, with a wide international participation of more than 350 people, including many representatives from related international organisations, in the same building as its foundation on 4th July 1910.

The International Society of Photogrammetry (ISP) (as it was then) was founded at the Vienna University of Technology by Professor Eduard Doležal, Professor of Practical Geometry and former rector of the University.

At the celebrations the Society:
•laid a wreath on the grave of Eduard Doležal recognizing his foresight in establishing the Society
•convened a General Assembly where it:
•elected the first group of 12 Fellows, recognizing their outstanding and sustained contributions to the Society;
•approved a new Strategic Plan for the Society for the coming decades, which recognizes the rapid developments in geospatial technologies and the need to adapt to these changes;
•witnessed three presentations on: the past history of ISPRS; the new paradigm of GeoImagery for ISPRS; and anticipated future developments in the fields of interest of ISPRS;
•attended a Gala Dinner in the Vienna Rathaus (Town Hall) where Professor Franz Josef Radermacher mathematician and economist from Ulm University in Germany, and an expert on globalization, innovation, overpopulation and global sustainable development, presented an inspiring speech on the need for cooperation between all individuals in society, necessary climate actions and issues of food security;
•held a Symposium of ISPRS Technical Commission VII covering the Thematic Processing, Modelling and Analysis of Remotely Sensed Data.
•Professor Orhan Altan, President of ISPRS said: The centenary is a most important milestone in the history of ISPRS, and the celebrations gave all Members of ISPRS and everyone who has been, or is currently associated with ISPRS, an opportunity to celebrate the founding of ISPRS in 1910 by Eduard Doležal, and the major contributions of the many professionals who have continued Eduard Doležal's vision for the Society, and have played a role in its development over the past 100 years.

Professor Peter Skalicky Rector of the Vienna University of Technology stated that was an honour to have welcomed members of ISPRS to the Vienna University of Technology to celebrate with ISPRS the centenary of its foundation. According to him, the University itself has a proud history in teaching and research in the field of geospatial information dating back to Eduard Doležal, once Rector himself, and it continues to make a leading contribution in this area.