Representing the U.S. at the International Union of Theoretical and Applied Mechanics (IUTAM) while Advancing the Field in our Nation: The Unique Role of the USNC for IUTAM

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The U.S. National Committee for Theoretical and Applied Mechanics acts as a focal point for research in the broad field of mechanics, both domestically and internationally. The Committee involves fifteen different technical societies in engineering and applied science, and provides a forum where their representatives can discuss their respective goals and priorities in the field of mechanics, as well as plan together reports and events that will further research in those areas. Specifically, the Committee sponsors the National Congress of Theoretical and Applied Mechanics, and organizes the AmeriMech Symposia, summer schools, and the reports on Recent Trends in Mechanics. All of these focus on the latest trends, directions, and accomplishments in mechanics in the United States, and help inform both researchers and policymakers. The Committee also acts as a bridge with the international mechanics community through its membership in international scientific union. At the international level, the Committee provides leadership and assists in the organization of the specialized symposia on subjects in which mechanics plays a pivotal role. The primary objectives of the Committee are to represent the United States in the International Union of Theoretical and Applied Mechanics, and to promote and advance all aspects of mechanics in the United States. Operating under the auspices of the National Academy of Sciences, the national member of the international union, the Committee plays an active and visible role both in the leadership of the union and in the development and organization of the union's scientific programs. The roles of the Committee and its representatives in the international union include participation in discussions of the strategic plan; statute changes; activities of committees, commissions, and task groups; union initiatives and co-operative activities; program priorities and tentative budget allocations; election of officers; and selection of the union Symposia slate; as well as in discussions regarding union involvement in interdisciplinary programs organized by the International Council for Science (ICSU). The Committee meets annually to discuss national and international priorities and plan appropriate action, and sends a delegation to the union's General Assembly every two years. The main intellectual merits of the project lie in the activities organized and supported by the Committee and the union.