International symposium brought mathematics and mechanics together
Researchers from seven countries gathered at Uppsala University on 14–16 September for the Symposium on Trends in Applications of Mathematics to Mechanics, STAMM. This year's symposium was the 25th in the series, with 21 scientific talks over three days on research at the intersection of mathematics and mechanics.
STAMM is organised by the International Society for the Interaction of Mechanics and Mathematics, ISIMM, which aims to promote interaction between mathematics and mechanics and create meeting places for research spanning the two disciplines.
This year's symposium was held at the University Main Building, the Ångström Laboratory and Blåsenhus, bringing together researchers from Sweden, Germany, the UK, France, Italy, Czechia and China.
The local organiser was B. Emek Abali from the Division of Applied Mechanics, who is also Secretary of ISIMM. This was the first time STAMM had been held in Sweden.
“STAMM has a history of more than 50 years of interdisciplinary meetings in different European countries. This year's symposium is the 25th in the series and the first to be organised in Sweden. Uppsala University is a particularly fitting location, as mathematicians and researchers in mechanics work under the same roof at the Ångström Laboratory” says B. Emek Abali.
Interaction between the disciplines is a central part of both the conference and ISIMM's activities.
“The interaction allows mathematics and mechanics to benefit from and contribute to developments in each other” says B. Emek Abali.
Three researchers received ISIMM awards
ISIMM's scientific awards for 2026 were also presented during the symposium. The senior award, the ISIMM Medal, was presented to Francesco dell'Isola from the University of L'Aquila in Italy.
Dell'Isola also gave the open lecture The Principle of Virtual Work and the Problem of Synthesis of Metamaterials. The lecture addressed, among other topics, how materials with unusual mechanical properties can be developed by designing their microstructures in particular ways.
This year's two junior awards went to Emilio Barchiesi from the University of Sassari and Chiara Gavioli from Czech Academy of Sciences.
The symposium received financial support from the CONCENTRATE research project, led by Filip Rindler at the University of Warwick. The project is an ERC Consolidator Grant funded by UK Research and Innovation, UKRI, through the UK's guarantee for ERC funding.