About us

Welcome

to the International Union of Theoretical and Applied Mechanics’ web site.

The organizational structure of IUTAM is given here, and an outline of the IUTAM history is provided on this page.

By historical accounts, the International Union of Theoretical and Applied Mechanics (IUTAM) originated when Theodore von Kármán, professor in Aachen (Germany), held a conference in Innsbruck in September 1922 to discuss questions of hydrodynamics and aerodynamics. The first IUTAM congress was held in Delft in the Netherlands in 1924. Currently, the principal objectives of the Union are to form a link between persons and organizations engaged in scientific work in all branches of theoretical and applied mechanics and related sciences, to organize international congresses of theoretical and applied mechanics and other international meetings on subjects of mechanics, and to engage in other activities meant to promote the development of mechanics as a branch of science. Today, over 500 active scientists are involved in IUTAM, representing about 50 countries and 20 affiliated international organizations.

The original IUTAM website was established in connection with the ICTAM 2000 internet activities by the Secretary-General of ICTAM 2000, Prof. James W. Phillips at UIUC, on request by the IUTAM Bureau. During the Closing Ceremony of ICTAM 2000 in Chicago, a citation was presented to Prof. Phillips by the President of IUTAM. The website is maintained under the responsibility of the Secretary-General of IUTAM.

Secretary-General

Prof. R.M. (Robert) McMeeking
University of California Santa Barbara,
Department of Mechanical Engineering, Santa Barbara, CA 93106, USA
E-mail: rmcm (at) engineering.ucsb.edu