The 9th International Conference on Enhancement and Promotion of Computational Methods in Engineering and Science (EPMESC IX) is organized by the University of Macau, and will be held at the International Library at UM from November 25 to 28, 2003.

The series of EPMESC international conferences on computational methods began her history in 1985 by having the first meeting in Macao. The conference is thereafter held alternately in Macao and a city in China including Guangzhou, Dalian and Shanghai. As a tradition, the ninth conference this year is held in Macao again at the University of Macau. The series of EPMESC conferences is devoted to the dissemination of development in computational methods for the solution of theoretical and practical problems in engineering and science. The conferences attract scientists and engineers from Europe, China, USA and other Asian countries and foster closer academic ties and cooperation within the international scientific community. Traditionally the conferences are characterized by many keynote lectures and large number of participants from Europe and China.

This year, our conference received about 200 abstracts submissions from 30 countries and regions. By a panel of experts, 91 papers are selected for presentation in the conference. To enhance the scientific level of the conference, the organizing committee also invites 16 distinguished scholars and researchers in their fields of expertise from the world (Australia, Austria, Belgium, China, Germany, Hong Kong, Macao, Portugal, Russia, Singapore, Taiwan, and U.S.A.) to deliver keynote-lectures throughout the conference period. At the same time, the conference organizing committee would like to promote scientific research to the younger generation, hence a student-paper competition is held for the first time in the EPMESC series this year. It immediately attracts 18 students worldwide to participate. Overall, the papers reflect the robust computational methods research activity worldwide in recent years. They also provide a rich variety of examples of engineering and science problems to which computational me

thods can be usefully applied. The themes of the conference covers extensive areas including Artificial intelligence and software engineering; computer aided design, engineering and instruction; fluid mechanics and applications; geographical information systems; geotechnics; numerical methods; physics and material science; software technology; solid mechanics; structural mechanics.

All papers presented in the conference are collected in a book entitled “Computational Methods in Engineering and Science” published by the international publishers, A.A. Balkema.

The EPMESC IX is mainly supported by the Secretary for Social Affairs and Culture and the Macau Foundation, other sponsors includes MGTO, the Science & Technology Council, IACM, CEM, BOC and BNU.