The International Organization for Crystal growth was founded in 1966 with the aim of providing a forum for scientists working in the field of crystallization. Two main tools were identified for the promotion and support of the crystal growth science: a triennial international conference (ICCG) and, a bit later, an International Summer School on Crystal Growth (ISSCG). While at the beginning IOCG essentially encompassed bulk growth activities, it rapidly expanded to include many more technological branches such as epitaxy, bio-crystallization, growth in external fields/microgravity, nanocrystallization, etc. If not correctly handled, this expansion can cause the crystal growth science to loose part of his unifying character. The high specialization and degree of sophistication of today's crystal growth, in terms of equipment and know how, may lead crystal growers to think that there is little overlap and no benefit in communicating with crystal growers from other fields.
On the contrary we firmly believe that the real advancement of crystal growth strictly depends on the interaction between scientists who apply everyday the basic concepts of nucleation, interface kinetic, mass and heat transport, flowdynamic, independently of the applied growth methods and phase transitions, of the type and size of grown crystals.
Therefore IOCG, in addition to the organization of the traditional conference and summer school, aims at coordinating the various initiatives on crystal growth at the international level. IOCG wants to reduce the present fragmentation in the crystal growth field, by providing a vast platform where all scientists can report on their own experiences and advancements. Only cross-fertilization can lead to new important breakthroughs.
