The beginnings of ICIAM and the history of its officers
In 1986 the four societies GAMM, IMA, SIAM and SMAI decided to organize large International Conferences on Industrial and Applied Mathematics (ICIAM) every four years. To fulfill that aim, they created the so-called Standing Committee of the ICIAM. The first of those conferences took place in Paris in 1987 (see these SIAM News articles from May 1987 and September 1987), and the next ones, in Washington D.C (1991), Hamburg (1995) and Edinburgh (1999). In the meantime, in 1990 the Standing Committee decided to become a more formal entity, with formal members, and they created the CICIAM (Committee for the International Congresses on Industrial and Applied Mathematics). Note that the conferences became congresses from 1991 on.
The CICIAM had a chair, but no formal president, secretary or a treasurer either. The organization was very much linked to that of the coming or the past congresses. More societies became members little by little. And in 1999, the CICIAM decided to become ICIAM (International Council for Industrial and Applied Mathematics) and to start other activities apart from the pure organization of the congresses. At the same time, ICIAM was to have a president, a secretary and a treasurer. Later, the officers-at-large were added to the set of officers of ICIAM.
A very good and humorous history of the early congresses has been written by I. Duff and can be found here.
History of current and past Officers
ICIAM Presidents:
- Wil Schilders (2023-)
- Ya-xiang Yuan (2019-2023)
- Maria J. Esteban (2015 - 2019)
- Barbara L. Keyfitz (2011- 2015)
- Rolf Jeltsch (2007 - 2011)
- Ian Sloan (2003 - 2007)
- Olavi Nevanlinna (1999 - 2003)
- Reinhard Mennicken (1995 – 1999), Chair of CICIAM
- C. William Gear (1991-1995), Chair of CICIAM
- Roger Temam (1987 - 1991), Chair of CICIAM
- Roger Temam (1986 - 1987), Chair of The Standing Committee of the first ICIAM (also called FICIAM)
ICIAM Secretaries:
- Suzanne Shontz (2022 - )
- Sven Leyffer (2015 - 2022)
- Alistair Fitt (2007 - 2015)
- Alain Damlamian (1999 - 2007)
ICIAM Treasurers:
- Heike Fassbender (2019 - )
- José Cuminato (2010-2019)
- Barbara L. Keyfitz (2003 - 2010)
- Bob O’Malley (1999 - 2003)
ICIAM Officers-at-large:
- Kenji Kamiwara (2023 -)
- Yvonne Stokes (2023 - )
- Liliane Basso Barichello (2021 - )
- Wil Schilders (2019 - 2021). He is ICIAM President-Elect since September 20, 2021
- Luis Vega (2019 - )
- Volker Mehrmann (2015 - 2019)
- Takemoto Mitsui (2011 - 2019)
- Mario Primicerio (2007 - 2015)
- Li Ta Tsien (2003 - 2011)
Note: ICIAM introduced one officer-at-large for the first time in 2003, and a second officer-at-large in 2007. In 2023, ICIAM has four individuals who serve in the role of officer-at-large.