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Constant evolution of the International System of Units

Across the world, National Measurement Institutes (NMIs) work to advance measurement science by developing and validating new measurement techniques to ensure that accurate measurements can be made everywhere.

World Metrology Day, on 20 May, is an annual anniversary celebrating the science of measurement, its achievements and the passionate community working in this field.

This year's theme is 'constant evolution of the International System of Units'. The theme was chosen because in November 2018, the General Conference on Weights and Measures is expected to agree one of the largest changes to the International System of Units (known as the SI) since its inception. These changes are highly technical, and not expected to have immediate consequences to those outside the measurement science community. 

At the heart of the campaign: the poster
World Metrology Day is a worldwide event and an international effort.

Each year a Regional Metrology Organisation, selected in rotation, identifies a NMI to work with the International Bureau of Weights and Measures (BIPM) and the International Organisation of Legal Metrology (OIML) on the World Metrology Day poster design.

World Metrology Day 2018 is very special. It will be the starting point for the promotion of the redefined SI and this time it has been EURAMET's turn to identify a NMI: EURAMET conducted a competition amongst its members for the best poster design on the significance of the SI and its envisaged redefinition.

The design of METAS, the Swiss National Measurement Institute, was chosen from anonymised proposals by the jury of BIPM, OIML and EURAMET.

Poster design 2018
This year’s poster design illustrates the significance of the SI: The SI is in the centre of the composition and by placing an abstract version of the SI units around an abstract planet it gives the impression of “protection” or “holding the world together”.

Thanks to the colours emerging from the black background and the dynamic image composition the design is very eye-catching with a focus on the SI in the centre.

The nicely shaped logo area and the clear typography complete the poster.

“The idea was to put the SI in the centre of a dynamic world to express the fundamental importance of SI to all measurements – from the world of atoms to space. METAS is honoured to contribute to this year’s campaign with this design for World Metrology Day,” says David Lehmann, Communications Expert at METAS.

A second EURAMET member institute was involved in the development of the slogan ‘Constant evolution’, which was proposed by INRIM, the National Metrology Institute of Italy. 

This strapline is a clever reference to the ongoing development of the SI, which is supposed to be underpinned by a set of definitions each linked to the laws of physics – or natural constants - in the future.

World Metrology Day website
The poster and further accompanying resources from institutes around the world can be found at the World Metrology Day website for download.