The Institute of Navigation (ION) is the world's premier
non-profit
A nonprofit organization (NPO) or non-profit organisation, also known as a non-business entity, not-for-profit organization, or nonprofit institution, is a legal entity organized and operated for a collective, public or social benefit, in co ...
professional society
A professional association (also called a professional body, professional organization, or professional society) usually seeks to further a particular profession, the interests of individuals and organisations engaged in that profession, and the ...
advancing the art and science of positioning,
navigation
Navigation is a field of study that focuses on the process of monitoring and controlling the movement of a craft or vehicle from one place to another.Bowditch, 2003:799. The field of navigation includes four general categories: land navigation ...
and timing. It was founded in 1945 and serves communities interested in navigation and positioning on land, air, sea and space. It is a worldwide organization with members in more than 50 countries.
As of 2022, the ION has approximately 2,500 members. The ION is headquartered in
Manassas, Virginia
Manassas (), formerly Manassas Junction, is an independent city in the Commonwealth of Virginia, United States. The population was 42,772 at the 2020 Census. It is the county seat of Prince William County, although the two are separate jurisdi ...
.
History
During World War II, the field of navigation experienced "dramatic developments
uringa period of fast-moving changes... People recognized the need for an organization to provide a forum for discussion
f the
F, or f, is the sixth letter in the Latin alphabet, used in the modern English alphabet, the alphabets of other western European languages and others worldwide. Its name in English is ''ef'' (pronounced ), and the plural is ''efs''.
His ...
various aspects of navigation." Dr. Samuel Herrick, assistant professor of astronomy at
UCLA
The University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA) is a public land-grant research university in Los Angeles, California. UCLA's academic roots were established in 1881 as a teachers college then known as the southern branch of the California ...
, proposed an institute for navigation. Dr. Herrick envisioned a research center and publication of a journal.
On June 25, 1945, the Institute of Navigation was founded at an organizational meeting held at UCLA. The Institute's first permanent council was elected at the first annual meeting in October 1945. Colin H. McIntosh, of American Airlines, was elected as the Institute's first president. The Institute's journal, ''
NAVIGATION
Navigation is a field of study that focuses on the process of monitoring and controlling the movement of a craft or vehicle from one place to another.Bowditch, 2003:799. The field of navigation includes four general categories: land navigation ...
'', was first published in March 1946. In 1961, aviator
Dot Lemon
Dorothy "Dot" Lemon (1907–1986) was a 20th century aviator whose career ranged from barnstorming in the 1920s to becoming the first woman president of the Institute of Navigation in the 1960s.
Career in aviation
Dorothy, known as "Dot", was b ...
became the ION's first woman president.
[''Flight'', vol. 50, 1961, p. 57.]
The ION National Office was located on the campus of UCLA until 1960, when it moved to Washington, DC. In 1992, the headquarters were relocated to
Northern Virginia
Northern Virginia, locally referred to as NOVA or NoVA, comprises several counties and independent cities in the Commonwealth of Virginia in the United States. It is a widespread region radiating westward and southward from Washington, D.C. Wit ...
.
NAVIGATION: Journal of the Institute of Navigation
The Institute of Navigation publishes a quarterly journal,
NAVIGATION: Journal of the Institute of Navigation with original,
peer-reviewed
Peer review is the evaluation of work by one or more people with similar competencies as the producers of the work ( peers). It functions as a form of self-regulation by qualified members of a profession within the relevant field. Peer revie ...
papers in an
open access
Open access (OA) is a set of principles and a range of practices through which research outputs are distributed online, free of access charges or other barriers. With open access strictly defined (according to the 2001 definition), or libre op ...
(OA) environment on all areas related to the art, science, and engineering of positioning, navigation and timing
(PNT) covering land (including indoor use), sea, air, and space applications.
Conferences
The Institute sponsors several technical conferences each year. These conferences focus on current developments in positioning, navigation and timing, and policy.
* ION International Technical Meeting (ITM) and Precise Time and Time Interval Systems and Applications) PTTI Conference, January.
* IEEE/ION PLANS (Position, Location and Navigation Symposium) Conference, Spring, biennial.
* ION Pacific PNT (Positioning, Navigation and Timing) Conference, Spring, Biennial.
* ION Joint Navigation Conference, Summer, annual (hosted by the ION Military Division)
* ION GNSS+, September. ION GNSS+ is attended by approximately 1,000
GPS and
GNSS specialists from more than 40 countries.(hosted by the ION Satellite Division)
Programs
The Institute of Navigation hosts regular live webinars on topics of interest to the PNT community.
The ION sponsors a variety of programs intended to promote the art and science of positioning, navigation and timing. In an effort to reach out to the next generation of engineers, ION sponsor student grants and a scholarship program, student paper competitions and STEM Lesson Plans.
The ION also sponsors government fellows that serve a one-year term in a Congressional office or an Executive Branch department.
Awards
The ION recognizes individuals who have made significant contributions to the art and science of navigation. These recognitions include annual awards and election to Fellow membership.
References
External links
Official Websiteof the ION
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International professional associations
Non-profit organizations based in Manassas, Virginia
Engineering societies based in the United States
Organizations established in 1945
Navigation organizations
Geographic data and information organizations in the United States