The Italian Crystallographic Association (AIC) is a non-profit, scientific organization founded in 1967 and recognised in 1998 from the Italian Ministery for University and Research. Today, AIC has about 300 members and promotes any experimental and computational study on the matter at atomic (or near atomic) resolution. To support this, all the possible communications between scientists of different disciplines, who use the diffraction methods, are encouraged. The diffusion of crystallography and crystal growth, also through their extensive teaching, is the primary goal of the association.
The AIC is ruled by the executive committee (Consiglio di Presidenza, CdP) elected for a three years term by all the members. The board consists of the President, vice-President, treasurer, secretary and five officers and includes, ex-officio, the past-president of the Association. The CdP is also supported by three elected commissions, formed by three members each, who operate on the issues of “teaching”, “instrumentation and computing” and “crystal growth”.
The highlight of the educational and scientific activities of crystallography and crystal growth is the annual AIC congress. Additionally, the following general goals are pursued:
a) promote and/or organise schools and courses for the educational training in crystallography, including national and international conferences, workshops and seminars.
b) encourage and coordinate, on behalf of the members, national and international research projects and collaborations focused on a wide range of theoretical and experimental crystallographic issues.
c) endorse the access of all the members to large scale facilities;
d) create and maintain relationships with the related national and international associations and organizations;
e) use publications, surveys and other convenient tools to spread the crystallographic and crystal growth culture in teaching, research at both the academic and industrial levels. The ultimate goal is that of contributing to the social and economic development of the Italian nation.
f) recognize scientific merits by awarding a number of prizes listed below:
AIC Prizes
AIC Medal: it is awarded by the AIC executive committee for some exceptional merits in supporting the activities of the Association and the interests of the cristallographic community.
Mario Mammi prize: The gold medal with the image of Mario Mammi, founder member of the AIC, president (1985-1987) and promoter of the cristallographic culture in Italy, is assigned every two years to a renowned Italian or foreign scientist in the year of maturity, who has obtained in Italy exceptional results in the development or the application of crystallography in one or more fields.
Mario Nardelli Prize: it consists of a medal and a cheque, and it is dedicated to the memory of Mario Nardelli, AIC president (1969-1970), and IUCr president (1983-1986). It is awarded to a member of the AIC less than 40 years old, who has obtained through her/his research outstanding results for the development and the usage of crystallographic methods.
Prize for the best thesis: it awarded to a master graduated with a thesis of crystallographic character. It consists of a certificate and three years of free subscription to the Association.