The 9th edition of Smart, an international conference on materials and structure , will be held for the first time in France at the Arts et Métiers campus Arts et Métiers Paris from July 8 to 11.
The 2019 Smart edition (ECCOMAS Thematic Conference on Smart Structures and Materials) was initiated by a trio: Prof. Nazih Mechbal (Arts et Métiers), Prof. Jean-François Deü (CNAM), and Prof. Ayech Benjeddou (SUPMECA/UTC). Smart structures, smart materials, smart systems, structural control, health monitoring, manufacturing technology, and engineering applications are the seven general themes that make up the conference program. The co-organizers bring a unique perspective to this framework thanks to the diversity of their specialties and fields of research.
"I come from the world of automation and signal processing, which is unusual for a conference on materials, structures, and materials mechanics," explains Nazih Mechbal. He believes that this interdisciplinary approach is essential. "Creating materials that are intelligent requires working with different specialists." This interdisciplinarity is typical of the Pimm (Processes and Engineering in Mechanics and Materials) laboratory where he is a professor. The laboratory is involved in the organization, supported by the DYSCO (DYnamique Structures Systèmes et Contrôle) research team.
Open up new avenues of research
"Embracing the world of smartness can spark new internal debates, guide research directions, and pave the way for further progress,"says Professor Nazih Mechbal. What's more, the conference is co-organized by members of various institutions belonging to the HESAM University consortium. "This event is therefore creating new internal synergies,"he adds. This openness is in line with the school's general research policy and supports Smart 2019 by providing its premises.
In addition, this conference will raise the institution's profile after its entry into the Shanghai ranking in the discipline of "Mechanical Engineering" (more information). The participation of the editors-in-chief of the three most prestigious journals in this field (Journal of Intelligent Material Systems and Structures, Smart Materials and Structures, and Journal of Vibration and Control) is therefore important for the school's image and ranking. "Two hundred authors from around thirty countries will submit contributions, which we will select for publication in the regular or special editions of these journals," explains Professor Nazih Mechbal.
This is a real source of inspiration for the laboratory's doctoral students and colleagues from the conservatory who are participating. "For our doctoral students, this conference is a great opportunity to give a presentation, publish their work, and, above all, participate in the organization."
