Midwest Section (and Central States Chapter)

The Midwest Section was formed in 1963.  

    A unique two-day Vacuum and Bio-medical Symposium was held at the Royal Coach Inn, Dallas, Texas on May 26 and 27, 1969. Concurrent with the Symposium, was a Technician Training school attended by seventy-three (73) people. Twenty-two (22) exhibitors displayed vacuum equipment. The banquet was highlighted by an address by Mr. Joseph Kotanchik from NASA - Houston, who showed a number of slide photographs of the Apollo 8 and Apollo 9 Lunar missions. This was particularly current since the Apollo 10 Lunar Orbit Mission was concluded at 12:00 P.M. on the day of the banquet: Mr. Kotanchik presented Mr. Charles Gosselin, Chairman of the Midwest Section, with a photograph of the first earth rise taken from the Apollo 9 mission and autographed by the three astronauts. 

The Bio-medical session was the first of its kind involving the uses of vacuum in clinical and medical research as well as applications in contamination and air pollution. The session brought into focus a whole new field of vacuum technology.

At the Business meeting, the new Officers were:

Chairman-elect - Dr. T. Hutchinson, University of Minnesota , Secretary-Treasurer - Bert G. Allen, UItek, Division of Perkin-Elmer.

Mr. Gosselin outlined perspective goals for the coming year including the formation of a Southeast Chapter, formation of the Dallas Chapter, formation of a Minneapolis Section of the Great Lakes Chapter. Proposed committees for widening the distribution of vacuum technology information, creating courses, particularly at the high school and college level, for training competent vacuum personnel were discussed. Mr. Paul Wayland, Texas Instrument, was to chair a committee for furthering these aims. A committee for information on vacuum technology with reference to bio-medical applications headed by Dr. Mostafa Mosharrafa was to be formed.

Members of the Symposium committee were Mr. Jerry White, of Electrotec, Inc., Local Arrangement Chairman; Mr. William Leonard, of Southern Methodist University, Program Chairman; Mr. John  Cash, of Texas Instruments, Technical Chairman; Mr. Paul Wayland, of Texas Instruments, Attendance and Registration; Mr. Joe Neal, of Electrotec, Inc., Exhibit Chairman; and Mr. Doug Lund, of Material Research Corporation, Tour Chairman. The Ladies' Program Chairman was Mrs. Pat White. 

   The Central States Chapter of the Midwest Section was formed in 1968. With the AVS reorganization in 1971, the Central States RAG covered Nebraska, Iowa, Kansas and Missouri. 

The Chairs of the Midwest Section and Central States Chapter were: 

 Central States Chapter of Midwest Section 

The Central States Chapter of the Midwest Section of the American Vacuum Society was formally organized October 24, 1968. The Central States Chapter is defined as the four state area consisting of Missouri, Kansas, Nebraska, and Iowa. The chapter's constitution and by-laws were presented to and approved by the AVS Board at the 15th National Vacuum Symposium. The organizational meeting was highlighted by the presence of Dr. Klaus Behrndt, NASA Electronics Research Center. Dr. Behrndt spoke of "Thin Film Circuits and Their Prerequisites." Dr. Behrndt also participated in the business meeting by advising the discussions concerning the proposed constitution and by-laws. The comments of Dr. Behrndt were sincerely received by the membership.

Three meetings are planned for each year. The months considered most favorable are February, April or May, and October. Kansas State University has accepted to host the February, 1969 meeting. The Chapter has undertaken to provide a vocational day presentation of Vacuum Technology to high school students. Another program the Chapter has under consideration is the development of an accredited Vacuum Technology course to be integrated into the undergraduate curriculum of universities and colleges. The chapter is presently formalizing a publicity program to promote the advantages and services of the newly formed chapter to AVS members included within the Central States Chapter boundaries.

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