The International Society for Structural Optimization was founded during the NATO Advanced Study Institute "Optimization of Large Structural Systems" in Berchtesgaden, Germany in October 1991 by a group of participants. The meeting elected an Interim Executive Committee, who drafted a constitution defining the aims and organization of the Society. Its name was changed in 1993 to International Society for Structural and Multidisciplinary Optimization (ISSMO). Its first official meeting, the "5th Symposium on Multidisciplinary Analysis and Optimization", was organized jointly with AIAA, NASA, and US Air Force in Panama City, Florida from September 7 to 9 in 1994. ISSMO members boosted the participation at this meeting to a record number of over 370. A General Meeting of ISSMO in Panama City confirmed the Executive Committee and an amended version of the Constitution. One of the aims of ISSMO is to bring together researchers and practitioners in the field of structural optimization, including multidisciplinary aspects, by means of international meetings having

The objectives of the International Society for Structural and Multidisciplinary Optimization are:

Any person with an interest in structural optimization and being a graduate in engineering or mathematics or related other sciences can become an Individual Member. Organizations engaged or having an interest in structural optimization can become Institutional Members.

The Executive Committee shall consist of the President, two Vice-Presidents, the Secretary-General and up to six other members, which include the Past-President and Past-Secretary. The Executive Committee is to be elected for up to four years at a General Meeting. Any member of the Society can be nominated for the Executive Committee. Members of the Executive Committee must represent a fair geographical distribution (maximum 50 percent from any one continent).

Responsibilities of the Executive Committee include:

The Society is to organize a meeting called "World Congress of Structural and Multidisciplinary Optimization" normally every two years or at intervals decided by the Executive Committee. The organization of each World Congress is carried out by the Commit tees appointed by the Executive Committee.

A General Meeting shall be held every two years and must be announced at least six months before the first day of such a Meeting. Whenever possible, General Meetings should be held in conjunction with a World Congress. All individual Members may attend the General Meetings and each Institutional Member may be represented by one delegate.

Each Individual Member of the Society and each delegate representing an Institutional Member attending a General Meeting has one vote in the election of the Executive Committee and in all other matters of broad concern to the Society. The quorum consists of at least twenty members.

The Executive Committee may introduce annual membership fees subject to resolutions at General Meetings. A part of registration fees for World Congresses may be used to cover expenses of the Society.

This constitution can be amended at a General Meeting by a two third majority of the members voting.

The Executive Committee shall consist of the President, two Vice-Presidents, the Secretary-General, the Treasurer and five additional members which include the Past-President and the Past-Secretary-General. The President and other members of the Executive Committee are to be elected for a four year term at a General Assembly meeting. Any member of the Society can be nominated for the Executive Committee. A call via email to all members of ISSMO for nomination of members of a new EC should be launched one month before the election of the EC. Members of the Executive Committee must represent a fair geographical distribution, reflective of the membership of the Society. No more than 50% of the Executive Committee may be from any one continent and at least three continents must be represented in this group. When a general election does not yield this required distribution, the Executive Committee shall co-opt an additional member of the Society to its ranks. This increase in the size of the Executive Committee shall only be for the term affected by the election. The new Executive Committee takes over one month after its election.

The Executive Committee is to meet at least once every two years and is to comply with all decisions at General Assembly meetings. All important decisions between meetings must be approved by the Executive Committee by postal ballot.