Message from Chair
Dear BSSM Member,
First of all, I would like to wish you a very Happy New Year from all of us at the British Society for Strain Measurement (BSSM). We had a fantastic year in 2023 with the breadth of topics and activities from across the Society proving as popular as ever. From training opportunities to specialised workshops as well as our annual conference, this time hosted by the University of Glasgow, again drawing a very high number of delegates with excellent research to share.
2024 marks the 60th anniversary of the BSSM! This is a significant milestone in the history of the Society which will be acknowledged throughout the year at our events and meetings. There is so much that has changed over the decades with the advancements in experimental mechanics techniques, technology as well as computational methods, and how they are used and integrated into everyday activity across industries and academia. There are also those important qualities and practices that have been maintained throughout from the beginning, for instance, with the application of strain gauges and dissemination of best practice. The first edition of the Society Journal, STRAIN, was released at the end of the first year of the Society's founding. We will mark the 60th Anniversary with a special issue to capture the growth and advancements in the field as well as the fantastic contributions over the years from our members.
In terms of events, we have a full programme planned for 2024, It is fantastic to see the founding principles of the BSSM remain and our activities and reach has grown and flourished in these 60 years. We will be making special announcements regarding the 60th anniversary throughout the year and I would like to take this opportunity to share some of the forthcoming events already in the calendar for 2024.
Our Workshop on Experimental Mechanics, at the University of Bristol, is an established and well attended annual course, which will take place on the 26th – 28th Feb. This is a fantastic training opportunity to learn advanced experimental mechanics methods including non-contact imaging and non-destructive evaluation techniques as well as combination methods to study structures.
We are also organising one-day workshops on topics including: "Strain Measurement in Composites" at Northumbria University and the ORE Catapult, and "High Temperature Testing" at The Open University. The details of these events will be announced once they are finalised. Details of all our events can be found at www.bssm.org/events. We have had fantastic feedback from across the Society in highlighting areas of interest and need. Therefore, there are plenty more themes for upcoming events to look forward to.
The BSSM's 18th Annual Conference on Advances in Experimental Mechanics will take place at the University of Liverpool on the 3rd – 5th September, chaired by Dr Will Christian and Dr Ksenija Dvurecenska. The conference will bring together internationally leading researchers across a wide range of disciplines in both academia and industry, to exchange ideas and discuss new research. Conference highlights include EMex, the Annual Exhibition of Experimental Mechanics, which is held during the conference, where exhibitors can introduce themselves to our conference delegates. Corporate members can benefit from reduced rates for exhibiting and free of charge inserts in our conference delegate bags. Please contact info@bssm.org for further information.
Other conference highlights include the BSSM's Young Stress Analyst Competition (YSA), the Measurements Lecture and Keynote speakers. All details of the conference highlights are available online.
For early career researchers, we also have our Postgraduate Experimental Mechanics (PGEM) Conference. The 8th PGEM Conference which will take place at the National Physical Laboratory between 2nd – 3rd May, chaired by Dr Ksenija Dvurecenska from the University of Liverpool. Details on guest speakers and prizes on offer are all available online. This is a fantastic opportunity for early career researchers to network and develop their skills in a relaxed environment.
Our training, certification courses and exams continue to be extremely popular with extra training and assessment sessions needing to be booked in with our Certification Committee. Dates for 2024 are now available at www.bssm.org/events. There are a host of courses, workshops and events in the events calendar that can enhance your continuing professional development, knowledge, and awareness across experimental mechanics techniques.
Membership renewals for 2024 will be sent out shortly, I hope you will once again continue your support of the BSSM.
As a BSSM member you would receive benefits including reduced rates for attending BSSM and co-sponsored events. There are also a host of other benefits, a full list can be found at www.bssm.org/membership. We also welcome members' views and involvement.
Please continue to promote our events to your contacts. Your support for continued engagement across the community is vital to ensure advancement and maintenance of good experimental mechanics practice and knowledge exchange. I wish you all the best for 2024 and look forward to seeing you soon.
Best wishes,
Hari Arora
BSSM Chair