We, the Scientists…

In the early days of radio science, when the mysteries of electromagnetic waves still held many secrets, pioneers like Robert Goldschmidt faced challenges that demanded collaboration beyond borders. One such challenge was the phenomenon of “fading,” which disrupted radio links in ways that could not be explained by isolated experiments. Goldschmidt quickly realized that understanding this required more than individual brilliance—it required a united scientific effort.

At the Paris Conférence Internationale de l’Heure in 1912, he and his German colleague, Schmidt, envisioned a central research organization that would bring together the brightest minds in the field. A year later, on October 13, 1913, this vision became reality in the gardens of the Royal Palace of Laken, Brussels, where nine pioneering scientists from seven nations gathered to form the Commission Provisoire Internationale de Télégraphie Sans Fil Scientifique—a provisional yet determined step toward structured international cooperation.

Momentum grew. By April 1914, sixteen members reconvened and made a defining decision: they dropped “provisional” from their name, cementing their commitment to permanent collaboration. France, the United Kingdom, and Belgium established the first Member Committees, and a bold research program was set in motion. Their findings were documented in what would be the first and only bulletin of this early Commission—a document whose words, written over a century ago, echo through time as the foundation of URSI as we know it today.

These Founding Fathers of URSI were not merely scientists of their era; they were architects of a new way of thinking. They knew that science does not thrive in isolation but in shared knowledge, rigorous debate, and collective discovery.

And so, in their spirit, we, the scientists, continue their work. We build upon their legacy, pushing the boundaries of radio science further than they could have imagined.

The world has changed, technologies have transformed, but one principle remains unchanged: when we at URSI stand together, united in scientific curiosity, we see further than any of us could alone.