There are several organizations whose purpose is to advance technical and p
rofessional communication by advancing knowledge in the subject area, promo
ting awareness of the field among the general public, and helping practitio
ners become more expert in their craft. Although the Society for Technical
Communication (founded in 1953) and the IEEE Professional Communication Soc
iety (founded in 1957) are the two oldest international organizations in th
is field, they have for the most part lived separate lives, intersecting oc
casionally, but most often content to go their own ways.