To serve the engineering community through the development and application of engineering mechanics by anticipating and adapting to new challenges that will face tomorrow's engineers;
To create an environment that facilitates professional growth to ensure that these future challenges will be met;
To establish a presence at the forefront of new thrusts of mechanics by promoting the most innovative developments in the field, regardless of the discipline of the ultimate user;
To provide a home not only for those involved in the traditional disciplines, but also for those involved with emerging areas of mechanics; and
To promote the interdependence of engineering mechanics and other disciplines by providing an interdisciplinary forum for researchers, practicing engineers, industry representatives, citizen groups, public officials and others.
To be a premier organization representing engineering mechanics by effectively serving the needs of the worldwide engineering community and promoting both research and application of scientific and mathematical principles to address a broad spectrum of existing and emerging engineering and societal problems.
The objective of this Institute shall be to serve the needs of the engineering community by advancing the knowledge and improving the application of engineering mechanics and related sciences, and by contributing across a broad spectrum of interdisciplinary areas to address the needs of the 21st century.
Arif Masud, President of EMI
Dear Members of the Engineering Mechanics Institute (EMI):
As I start my term as President of EMI, I welcome you all to the Engineering Mechanics Institute, a premier organization that aims to promote research and innovation across the ever-changing and interdisciplinary field of engineering mechanics.
EMI is a flagship institute of ASCE that brings together engineers, scientists, theoreticians, and practitioners to push the frontiers of the broad field of civil engineering and to contribute to the building of our shared future. The grand challenge problems related to sustainable habitat, the effects of climate change on environment, the ever-increasing demand for energy, and issues concerning the health of the planet, all require cross-disciplinary solutions that span across traditional boundaries in engineering and sciences. These challenges highlight the importance of generating, understanding, and communicating fundamental knowledge across the various fields, and underscore an urgency to devise long-term solutions for a sustainable future, which is a primary goal of EMI.
On behalf of the institute, I would like to thank Professor Sankaran Mahadevan, our outgoing President, for his leadership and thoughtful stewardship of EMI over the past two years. Following our recent Board of Governors election, it is my great pleasure to welcome Michele Barbato (re-elected, UC Davis) and Raimondo Betti (Columbia U) to the Board of Governors for a three-year term. In 2023, EMI had a very successful annual conference that was held at Georgia Tech under the organizational leadership of Professors Chloe Arson and Yang Wang, and it attracted over 800 registered participants from around the world. The year 2023 also had the Engineering Mechanics Institute International Conference (EMI2023-IC) that was hosted by the University of Palermo, Italy, and successfully led by Professors Massimo Midiri and Antonina Pirrotta. On behalf of the institute, I would like to express my sincere gratitude to the organizers of both the conferences for their leadership and their efforts in promoting the cause of EMI. It is also my pleasure to recognize Verna Jameson and Tisha Kramer for their outstanding service to EMI.
Going forward, EMI will continue its tradition of fundamental research and application of engineering mechanics principles to addressing emerging scientific and technical problems of contemporary interest, and advancing engineering mechanics education, research, and practice. It will facilitate catalyzing new interactions in our multi- and cross-disciplinary community for exploring porous disciplinary boundaries, pursuing rigorous scientific ideas, and sharing our discoveries to address the core issues of our changing world's needs.
I am honored to serve as the EMI President and work with you to create an environment that strengthens our Institute and our community in new ways that are effective, engaging, inclusive, and enjoyable. Please reach out to me directly if there are any issues, topics, or initiatives that you think EMI should address.
Warm Regards,
Arif Masud
PhD, F. EMI, M. ASCE
President of EMI
John and Eileen Blumenschein Professor
University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign, USA
"Being an EMI member and participating in its technical committees is integral to my career growth. It enables me to extend my collaborative efforts in sharing groundbreaking technologies, fostering connections with peers, and actively contributing to the development of the next generation of mechanicians."
Ketson dos Santos, Ph.D. A.M.ASCE, University of Minnesota
"At EMI 23 IC, I was fascinated by the sessions that delved into data-driven modeling and the remarkable applications emerging from the realm of artificial intelligence. The conference was a remarkable experience that not only provided valuable insights into current trends but also facilitated meaningful connections within the global engineering community. "
Michael Heredia Perez, P.E., S.M.ASCE, National University of Colombia
"I have been working in industry for more than five years now. EMI 23 IC provided the opportunity to immerse myself in new technologies and research topics. Some research findings were very attractive and could directly help solve practical problems. I enjoyed the EMI International Conference and look forward to being more involved."
Zhi Zhang, Ph.D., P.E., M.ASCE, Senior Project Director
