The 17th International Sedimentological Congress was held at the Fukuoka International Convention Center, Fukuoka, Japan, from August 28th through September 1st. The Congress, ISC 2006 Fukuoka, was the first Sedimentological Congress to be held in East Asia in its 46-year history. It was organized and prepared in cooperation with neighboring countries and districts. The congress opened with an address by the President, Judith MacKenzie.
The total number of registrants was 736, including 331 from Japan and 405 from other countries. There were 240 students, or about 33% of all delegates. Among the 240 students, 34 were supported by ISC travel grants, and about 30 were supported by IAS grants. In addition to these grants, some of the sessions provided support to contributors. Thus, the main reasons for the large number of participants were extensive support given to students and young researchers from developing countries and territories, as well as a strong interest in the geology and culture of Japan. The large number of participants from East Asian countries also increased the total number of registrants. We believe that IAS has established a firm position in East Asia through ISC 2006 in Fukuoka, and the Sedimentological Society of Japan has also established its position in the earth science community as a very visible and mature community of scientists. We express our sincere gratitude to the Tokyo Geographical Society for its financial support.
