A Global Role of the iMechanica Is Emerging

The report about the iMechanica get-together with the McMat 2007 is definitely exciting, because we have found a community beyond the usual professional conferences we are familiar with.  Besides, we may have more, if not less, common interests and languages through this coordinated and yet diversified group with thousands of members in different places of this world.  It is indeed exciting to meet as friends you make from the Internet, except it is professionally:-)

In last week, I was in the ICNM 5 in Shanghai, China.  Surprisingly, a few partcipants I have never met before came to me and told me that they came this conference because of my posting on this iMechanica.  I am really moved because these mechanicians not only read news pieces but also pictures.  Besides good memory in matching my old picture and me, they are also so nice to tell me about my contribution to this community.

This encounter reminds me that we can do more to promote and improve this community through informal get-together in similar meetings.  Our friends in the McMat 2007 has done a great job and it can be easily duplicated in other events, particularly those have been advertised in the iMechanica, with our volunteers.

Another idea is that we open this site for other languages so more people, particularly students, can participate.  There are more interests and news to share in countries like China.  many of my friends have expressed their interests in reading and contributing.

Let us just try to generate more interests and links with the iMechanica.