“A Brief History of ICASE: 50 Years
March 2023”

The Beginning

In June 1972, a strategic meeting sponsored by the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) was held in Singapore. This meeting, hosted by the Science Teachers’ Association of Singapore (STAS) and the Singapore National Academy of Science, aimed to establish an international organization linking national science teacher associations across Asia to facilitate the exchange of information and promote research collaborations amongst scientists, teachers, and students. Representing UNESCO, Mrs. Sheila M. Haggis led the meeting. Many have referred to Mrs. Haggis, who passed away in April 1995, as the “Mother of ICASE”. The meeting was attended by representatives from science teachers’ associations in Hong Kong, India, Indonesia, Korea, Malaysia, the Philippines, Singapore, and Thailand. This innovative meeting led to the founding of the International Council of Associations for Science Education (ICASE).

The organizational constitution of ICASE was approved at the second meeting held at the University of Maryland, USA, on 15 April 1973. This inaugural meeting resulted in an interim Executive Committee under the Chairmanship of Professor David Lockard. Professor Dennis Chisman was appointed as the first Executive Secretary and Treasurer. He remained a leader in many projects for more than 30 years with ICASE and other international organisations. Dennis was twice presented with ICASE Awards and is affectionately known as “the Father of ICASE”. ICASE itself had no funds and no immediate funding source, however this obstacle was overcome in an interesting manner. Characteristic of the friendly atmosphere of ICASE meetings, one of the representatives from the Ghana Association of Science Teachers, Mr. John Kusi-Achampong, passed around a plate during the meeting and asked representatives to give whatever they could individually contribute in order to provide an immediate cash balance to launch ICASE. The first funding base for ICASE was therefore established and $250US was collected.

Today, ICASE membership spans the world led by an international executive committee and regional representatives from Africa, Asia and the Pacific, Europe and Eurasia, Latin America and the Caribbean, the Greater Middle East, and North America. ICASE closely follows its Constitution and Strategic Plan, and UNESCO continues to be involved in ICASE at a very high level.

The ICASE Executive Management Committee

The first Executive Committee Meeting, under the Chairmanship of Professor David Lockard, was held at UNESCO in Paris 1974. During the meeting, Dr. Victor Showalter, from the University of Maryland, USA, designed the five hexagons that represent the ICASE logo. The logo was later modified by adding color and also by creating both French and Spanish versions.

ICASE does not have individual members; rather it is governed by its member organisations which elect an Executive Committee, currently made up of 17 members. The day-to-day management is handled by an ICASE Executive Management Committee comprising the President, Immediate Past President, President-Elect, Secretary, and Treasurer. In addition, regional representatives, as well as the Chairs of several standing committees, also serve on the Executive Committee.

ICASE Past Presidents and Current Leadership

1973-1995: Dr. J. David Lockard (University of Maryland, USA)
1975-1978: Mr. B. G. Pitre (All India Science Teachers’ Association—AISTA)
1979-1981: Mr. Robert Silber (National Science Teachers Association of the U.S.—NSTA)
1981-1985: Mr. Brian Atwood (Association of Science Education of the UK—ASE)
1985-1989: Dr. Winston King (St. Vincent Science Teacher Association, Barbados)
1989-1993: Mr. Bob Lepischak (Canada Association of Science Education (ASE)
1993-1997: Dr. Brenton Honeyman (Australian Science Teacher Association—ASTA)
1997-2001: Ms. Anna Garner (Iceland Science Teacher Association—ISTA)
2001-2004: Dr. Robin Groves (Australian Science Teacher Association—ASTA)
2004-2007: Dr. Janchai Yingprayoon (Sc. Soc. Thailand – Sc. Teacher Sect.)
*2008-2011: Dr. Jack Holbrook (Hong Kong Association for Science and Mathematics Education—HKASME/EACT)
2011-2014: Dr. Ben Akpan (Science Teacher Association of Nigeria—STAN)
2014-2017: Dr. Teresa Kennedy (the National Science Teaching Association – NSTA)
2017-2020: Dr.Bulent Cavas (Dokuz Eylul University – DEU)
2020-2023: Dr. BaoHui Zang (National Association for Science Education, The Chinese Society of Education – CNASE)
2024-2027: Dr. Declan Kennedy ((Member Organisation – Irish Science Teachers Association – ISTA) – Current President

*Dr. Peter Spratt, from the New Zealand Royal Society, was elected as President-Elect in 2004 but unfortunately passed away before he could take office as ICASE President in 2007. Since the position of ICASE President-Elect was vacant, the Executive Committee appointed Dr. Jack Holbrook to assume the presidency in February 2008.