Constitution

ISSMO Constitution – May 2019

PREFACE

One of the aims of ISSMO is to bring together researchers and practitioners in the field of structural and multidisciplinary optimization (SMO), by means of international meetings having a high scientific standard. Host selection criteria should include:

  • up-to-date conference facilities,
  • affordable costs to all members of the society (including registration, hotel, travel expenses, considering also free lunches, banquet, excursions etc.),
  • proven congress organizing experience and strength of the local organizing group,
  • geographical diversity reflecting the distribution of SMO researchers over the world.

This is meant to imply a reasonably uniform distribution of congresses over three zones, namely Asia-Australia, Europe-Africa and North & South Americas.

World Congresses of Structural and Multidisciplinary Optimization, which is the official Congress of ISSMO, are being held biennially.

1. Objectives

The objectives of the International Society for Structural and Multidisciplinary Optimization are:

  • to stimulate and promote research into all aspects of the optimal design of structures as well as multidisciplinary design optimization where the involved disciplines deal with the analysis of solids, fluids or other field problems;
  • to encourage practical applications of optimization methods and the corresponding software development in all branches of technology;
  • to foster the interchange of ideas amongst various fields contributing to structural and multidisciplinary optimization;
  • to support the role of optimization in multidisciplinary design;
  • to provide a framework for the organization of meetings, forums and other means for the dissemination of knowledge on structural and multidisciplinary optimization; and
  • to promote teaching of structural and multidisciplinary optimization in tertiary institutions.

2. Membership

Full membership requires participation in at least one of the World Congresses of Structural and Multidisciplinary Optimization.

Any person with an interest in structural and multidisciplinary optimization and being a graduate in engineering or mathematics or related other sciences can become an Associate Member. Organizations engaged or having an interest in structural optimization can become Institutional Members. Associate membership is granted upon recommendation by one of the members of the executive committee based on record of activity in the field of Structural or Multi-disciplinary Optimization.

3. Executive Committee (EC)

The Executive Committee shall consist of the President, two Vice-Presidents, the Secretary-General, the Treasurer and up to six other members, which include the Past-President and Past-Secretary-General. The office-bearers (the President, two Vice-Presidents, the Secretary-General and the Treasurer) are elected by the Executive Committee members.

Responsibilities of the Executive Committee include:

  • endorsing meetings and conferences;
  • endorsing publications of the Society which may include one or several journals;
  • arranging affiliation of the Society with other scientific and professional organizations;
  • appointing other committees.

4. World Congresses of Structural and Multidisciplinary Organization (WCSMO)

The Society is to organize a meeting called “World Congress of Structural and Multidisciplinary Optimization” normally every two years or at intervals decided by the Executive Committee. The organization of each World Congress is carried out by the Committees appointed by the Executive Committee.

5. General Meeting (GM)

A General Assembly meeting shall be held every two years and must be announced at least six months before the first day of such a Meeting. Whenever possible, General Assembly meetings should be held in conjunction with a World Congress. All Full Members may attend the General Assembly Meetings and each Institutional Member may be represented by one delegate.

6. Voting

Each Full Member of the Society and each delegate representing an Institutional Member attending a General Assembly meeting have one vote in all matters of broad concern to the Society. The quorum consists of at least twenty members.

Ballots for the election of the Executive Committee will be conducted through an electronic voting process. Electronic mail will be used to solicit votes from eligible voting members of the Society. Electronic voting rights are given to those who have attended, with paid registrations, at least one of the last two World Congresses of Structural and Multidisciplinary Optimization prior to the current congress and to those attending, with paid registrations, the current congress. The voting process will be organized so that the election result can be announced at the GA. The slate of candidates and dates of polling will be communicated to eligible voters by electronic mail.

7. Finances

The Executive Committee may introduce annual membership fees subject to resolutions at General Assembly meetings. A part of registration fees for World Congresses may be used to cover expenses of the Society.

8. Change of Constitution

This constitution can be amended at a General Assembly meeting by a two third majority of the members voting.

STATUTES

1. Executive Committee

The Executive Committee shall consist of the President, two Vice-Presidents, the Secretary-General, the Treasurer and six additional members, which include the Past-President and the Past-Secretary-General. The members of the Executive Committee are to be elected for a four year term. Members of the Executive Committee may serve no more than two consecutive terms.  An exception is made if the Executive Committee member is serving as President or Secretary-General in their second of the consecutive terms, in which case they may continue for one additional consecutive term in the role of Past President or Past-Secretary-General, respectively.  
Any Full Member of the Society can be nominated for the Executive Committee. A call sent via e-mail to all Full Members of ISSMO for nomination of members of a new EC should be launched six weeks before the voting process begins. Nominations, including a one page candidate bio-sketch, will be closed one week before the voting process starts. Information on nominees will be uploaded on the ISSMO home page on the day before the voting process starts. The nominator will have the responsibility to check with the candidate whether he/she will accept the nomination. The electronic voting is to be closed at mid-night before the ISSMO General Assembly Meeting is being held. Normally nine new EC members are to be elected and thus only those ballots are valid in which exactly nine candidates are voted for.
Members of the Executive Committee must represent a fair geographical distribution, reflecting the membership of the Society. No more than 50% of the Executive Committee may be from any one geographic zone and at least three geographic zones must be represented in this group. If only two zones would be represented on the EC on the basis of the election, then the elected candidate with the least number of votes from those two zones is replaced by the candidate with the highest number of votes from the remaining geographic zone. The new Executive Committee takes over immediately and elects the new office bearers.
The Executive Committee is to meet at least once every two years and is to comply with all decisions at General Assembly meetings. All important decisions between meetings must be approved by the Executive Committee.

2. Functions of various officers

Secretary-General (SG)

Day-to-day administration of the society, including all correspondence with Members and Executive Committee Members, preparing minutes of meetings, presentation of a report at General Assembly meetings. Minutes should be posted on the ISSMO’s web page and in the society journal.

President

The text of all circulars sent to Members or Executive Committee Members must be approved by the President, who also supervises the day-to-day activities of the Secretary-General and chairs all General Assembly meetings as well as meetings of the Executive Committee. All ballot papers are to be received and evaluated by the President, who also is to receive all complaints and suggestions from members via the SG.

Vice-Presidents (VP)

The President and Secretary-General are to consult regularly the two VP’s. A VP is to replace the function of the President or SG if the latter are temporarily incapable of carrying out their duties. One VP is to coordinate activities with other societies and the other VP supervises the organization of congresses and other conferences.

Treasurer

To look after all financial matters of the Society, including collection of membership fees, setting up bank accounts and handling registration fees for meetings.

3. Founder president

George Rozvany has been awarded the permanent title “Founder President” of ISSMO.

4. Society Journal

Since 1996 the Structural and Multidisciplinary Optimization (SMO) Journal published by Springer-Verlag has become the official journal of the Society. SMO publishes ISSMO news, minutes of the General Assembly and Executive Committee meetings and related announcements.

※ Last amendments were accepted at the General Assembly Meeting on May 23, 2019.