14 SEPTEMBER 2024 WorldWide Drilling Resource® Celebrating Half a Century of Explosives Engineering Adapted from Information by the International Society of Explosives Engineers (ISEE) ISEE began its 50th anniversary celebration earlier this year at its 50th Annual Conference on Explosives and Blasting Technique in Savannah, Georgia. On the final night of the conference, an impressive fireworks demonstration was presented from a barge on the Savannah River. ISEE started from humble beginnings with big aspirations, when a group of professionals from both industry and government envisioned the need for a national organization to advance the art and science of explosives engineering, with the idea it would someday become an international organization. On August 20, 1974, nine men met in room 219 of the Sheraton Motor Inn in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. A constitution and set of bylaws were formed while the group discussed the first conference. The founders also discussed a dues structure and recruited the first board of directors for the Society of Explosives Engineers (SEE), which would later become the International Society of Explosive Engineers. The first SEE conference took place in Atlanta, Georgia, in 1975, with approximately 100 people in attendance. By February 5, 1975, the society had a total of 23 paid members and $2500 in the treasury. A flagship newsletter was created which later turned into a full color magazine, the Journal of Explosives Engineering, containing information on new technology and techniques, interesting projects, industry news, chapter news, and regulatory news. It is still published today, connecting members worldwide to new ideas, new techniques, and new concepts. Over the years, as the society grew, it became necessary to hire a full-time executive director to continue growth. In the years following, strategic decisions were made to elevate the volunteer-driven society to a new level. With teamwork from staff and volunteers, many chapters were chartered, Level 1 and 2 Certificate programs were produced, the Explosives Reference Database was released (now available on OneMine®), the society obtained the rights to publish the Blasters’ Handbook, ISEE books were published by industry experts, and the SEE Foundation was formed - issuing more than $1 million to students to date. In the future, ISEE will continue what the founders envisioned with dedicated volunteers and ISEE staff working together to enhance the safety, science, skill, and benefit of explosives engineering worldwide. Tom Dowling and Cal Konya - two of the founders of ISEE. ISEE members, along with the entire city of Savannah, enjoyed the fireworks display put together by explosives engineers for explosives engineers, at the 50th Annual Conference. EXB Looking for Events? Click on this box in our online issue worldwidedrillingresource.com
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