Virginia Tech's Department of Engineering Science and Mechanics (ESM) will celebrate its 100th anniversary during 2008. As part of its celebration, the department is hosting a two-day mechanics conference on May 29 & 30 at The Inn at Virginia Tech and Skelton Conference Center.
Virginia 's senior land-grant university, today the Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University, more commonly known as Virginia Tech, was founded in 1872, and just 36 years later in 1908, mechanics became an identifiable separate entity in the college of engineering. During its 100-year history, the department housing mechanics, like the University itself, underwent several name changes, and today it is known as ESM.
"ESM is one of the few departments of its kind in the U.S. and has a distinguished history, " said Ishwar Puri, professor and department head of ESM, adding that a 2005 review by a blue-ribbon panel concluded that ESM has a "longstanding record of excellence as a key element of the College of Engineering with national visibility."
Ranked eighth in its research area by U.S. News and World Report, ESM has almost 30 faculty members who have backgrounds in engineering mechanics, the principles on which most areas of mechanical, aerospace, ocean, civil, materials, and perhaps even chemical and mining, engineering are based on, and in engineering science, covering applied mathematicians and physicists. Some also have interests in aspects of electrical and computer engineering, computer science, and the life science.
To participate in the anniversary conference, all interested mechanicians are invited to submit one-page abstracts related to any aspect of fluid mechanics, solid mechanics, materials, dynamics and control, and biomechanics, as well as emerging areas in mechanics.
In addition to the parallel sessions of the conference, there will be a banquet on May 29.
The deadline for one-page abstracts is February 15, 2008. One must register for the conference by May 16, 2008. The deadline for cancellations is May 1, 2008 at 5 p.m.
For updates and more information, please refer to this website: http://www.esm.vt.edu/
Conference registration will occur at: http://www.cpe.vt.edu/mcesm/ A block of lodging rooms is being held at The Inn. The lodging rate for this conference is $103 plus applicable taxes. Participants are responsible for making their own lodging arrangements. Lodging reservations should be made by May 1, 2008. Lodging:www.TheInnAtVirginiaTech.com
For additional information, please contact Professor Ali H. Nayfeh with the Department of Engineering Science and Mechanics at: (540)231-6871; fax: (540)231-2290; or email: sallys@vt.edu.