The 2009 Joint ASCE-ASME-SES Conference on Mechanics and Materials

by Anne-Marie Bracken

On June 24^th through 27^th, the Department of Engineering Science and Mechanics (ESM) hosted The 2009 Joint ASCE-ASME-SES Conference on Mechanics and Materials (Mech 09) at The Inn at Virginia Tech.

Participants numbered over 400 and traveled to Blacksburg from 26 countries and 30 states. Over 625 abstracts were submitted and five keynote lectures were presented.

The conference began on Wednesday evening with a welcome reception. People mingled and had a chance to relax after traveling.

On Thursday morning, Dr. Ishwar Puri, the conference Chair, provided opening remarks and introduced the first keynote speaker, Dr. Habib Najm, Technical Staff member of the Combustion Research Facility with Sandia National Laboratories.

Other distinguished keynote speakers who addressed participants throughout the conference included:

·          Dr. Alan Wineman, Arthur F. Thurnau Professor in the Department of Mechanical Engineering at the University of Michigan

·          Dr. Richard Miller, President and Professor of Mechanical Engineering at Franklin W. Olin College of Engineering

·          Dr. Roberto Ballarini, Professor and Head of the Department of Civil Engineering at the University of Minnesota

·          Dr. Romesh Batra, Clifton C. Garvin Professor of ESM, Virginia Tech

Eleven concurrent sessions were running with symposia on various subjects chaired by guests, Virginia Tech faculty members and graduate students.

ESM graduate students were of immense assistance in the daily operation of the conference under the astute guidance of the conference Technical Chair, Dr. Muhammad Hajj and Program Assistant, Ms. Anne-Marie Bracken, both from ESM. Special assistance with coordination and registration was provided by Ms. Holly Williams and Ms. Liz Fillman of the Department of Continuing & Professional Education at Virginia Tech.

The Friday evening banquet was well attended and there were several awards presented.

The conference concluded on Saturday. For more information regarding the conference, please access the link: http://www.cpe.vt.edu/mech09/. Proceedings from the conference may be accessed at: http://www.esm.vt.edu/Conference-2009.php.

[Email to friend]

Complete list of news articles