。History of IEA

Founding of IEA

The roots of the International Ergonomics Association are closely linked with a project initiated by the European Productivity Agency (EPA), a branch of the Organization for European Economic Cooperation. The EPA established a Human Factors Section in 1955. In 1956, it invited nine specialists from European countries to visit the United States to observe human factors research. The next phase of the EPA project was a technical seminar on "Fitting the Job to the Worker" at the University of Leiden in 1957. There, a set of proposals was presented for the formation of an international association of work scientists.

A Steering Committee was appointed to develop the proposals and to organize an international association. The members of that committee were: Prof. H.S. Belding, Prof. G.C.E. Burger, Prof. S. Forssman, Prof. E. Grandjean, Prof. G. Lehman, Prof. B. Metz, Prof. K.U. Smith and Mr. R.G. Stansfield. Although there was some reluctance to use the term "ergonomics" in naming the new association because British scientists had founded the Ergonomics Research Society in 1949, the committee decided to adopt the name "International Ergonomics Association" on a preliminary basis until a better name could be found.

The Steering Committee then prepared and distributed a preliminary set of bylaws for the proposed international association. At the meeting in Paris in September, 1958, they decided to proceed with organizing an association and to hold an International Congress in 1961. The Steering Committee then designated itself as the "Committee for the International Association of Ergonomic Scientists", and elected Prof. G.C.E. Burger, President; Prof. K.U. Smith, Treasurer; and Prof. E. Grandjean, Secretary.

The Committee for the International Association of Ergonomic Scientists met in Zurich in March 1959 during a conference organized by EPA, and decided to retain the name "International Ergonomics Association." On April 6, 1959, at the meeting in Oxford, England, Prof. Grandjean declared the founding of the International Ergonomics Association. The Committee also met again in Oxford later in 1959 to agree formally upon the set of bylaws or statutes drawn up by the Secretary with the help of committee members and the EPA staff. These statutes were later approved by the Association's first General Assembly at the first IEA Congress in Stockholm in 1961. With this meeting, the preparatory phase of the foundation of the International Ergonomics Association was concluded.

The IEA History Book

Ergonomics as a science has evolved considerably since its formative years not so long ago, alongside developments in technology. The first 25 years, however, are the cornerstone of the discipline, establishing both a foundation and a vision that continues to guide us to this day. History of the International Ergonomics Association: The First Quarter of a Century, edited by Ilkka Kuorinka, the IEA Historian, is the first volume in a series of historical works and is devoted to this important period. It documents the political, scientific and social context of an era that began to experiment with international cooperation as a means to achieving greater prosperity and other societal benefits. By the end of the 20th century, that experiment has resulted in extensive globalization of the economy and universal, high speed access to information and communication through the Internet. Similarly, it has entrenched the IEA as the organization that promotes international cooperation in advancing the science and practice of ergonomics to enhance human quality of life. The history of the IEA is inextricably intertwined with the history of ergonomics, a fact that is clearly evident from the book. This fascinating book provides a rare glimpse into the founding of a science and a profession.

IEA Archives

The IEA archives are currently held at CNAM, in Paris.