President’s Welcome and Invitation to ICF15
With the warmest greetings I welcome you to the website for ICF15, the 15th International Congress to be held in Atlanta, Georgia, June 11-16, 2023.
The International Congress on Fracture (ICF) was formally organized and founded in 1969 on the occasion of ICF2 in Brighton, UK. The foundation of the Congress occurred under the leadership of Professor Takeo Yokobori following his successful meeting, designated ICF1, in Sendai, Japan in 1965. Since then ICF has held Congresses every 4 years, with some adjustments to the timing for geographical reasons. In addition, ICF has organized and sponsored other, smaller, specialist meetings on various topics on fracture of materials, and some conferences and symposia focused on bringing together researchers on a regional basis. Through these meetings, and especially via the quadrennial Congresses, ICF has become the leading conference venue for all aspects of fracture of materials. For its meetings, ICF brings together scientists and engineers engaged in experimental, theoretical and characterization research on the mechanisms and mechanics of fracture, fatigue and structural and component integrity. ICF Congresses provide a unique and premier setting for the exchange of findings, ideas and experience in areas related to fracture, and our meetings involve participants from academia, industry, research institutes and governmental laboratories and centers. As a result, ICF has stimulated much important research and development on fracture that has contributed to safer, more reliable and more cost-efficient engineering.
On a personal note, I have been involved in fracture since I began my career in research as a student, attending many ICF events and Congresses starting with ICF4 in 1977 in Waterloo, Ontario, Canada. I am honored to be President of ICF for 2017 to 2021, and look forward to participating in ICF15, in my capacity as President, as a speaker, and as an attendee who will learn much from the excellent talks that will be presented.
I look forward to welcoming you to Atlanta for ICF15 and anticipate that it will be a superb Congress under the able and forward-looking leadership of Professor Ashok Saxena.
Robert M. McMeeking
Tony Evans Professor of Structural Materials, University of California, Santa Barbara
Distinguished Professor of Mechanical Engineering, University of California, Santa Barbara
Sixth Century Professor of Engineering Materials, Aberdeen University, Scotland