Society for Experimental Mechanics (SEM)

1960	Ben Lazan was the SESA President. Bonney Rossi was hired as Executive Secretary. Len Vidmark, and Carl Willers also joined the Westport Headquarters Staff. 1960 SESA Spring Meeting was held at the Severin Hotel in Indianapolis, IN, May 18-20. 1960 SESA Annual Meeting was held in Berkeley, CA, October 19-21. Attendance: 200 Bob Steidel was the meeting chairman. R. E. Peterson presented the Murray Lecture. Edward Teller was banquet speaker.
1961	Dan Drucker was the SESA President. Bonney Rossi was the Executive Secretary. 1961 SESA Spring Meeting was held at the Hotel Franklin in Philadelphia, May 10-12. S. Sennet was the meeting chairman. 1961 SESA Annual Meeting was called "The First International Congress on Experimental Mechanics" and was held at the Hotel New Yorker in New York City, November 1-3. Attendance: 300 E. R. Lewis was the meeting chairman SESA President Dan Drucker opened the meeting by reading a message to the SESA from U.S. President John F. Kennedy. E. Orowan presented the Murray Lecture.
1962	Irwin Vigness was the SESA President. Bonney Rossi was the Executive Secretary. 1962 SESA Spring Meeting was held at the Sheraton-Dallas Hotel in Dallas, TX, May 16-18. Bob Franklin was the meeting chairman. "Practical Applications Sessions" were held in addition to the traditional sessions. This was the first time that the Society scheduled simultaneous sessions. 1962 SESA Annual Meeting was held at the Hotel Schroeder in Milwaukee, WI, October 24-26. Attendance: 330 Bill Bloedorn was the meeting chairman. Ray Mindlin presented the Murray Lecture.
1963	Walter Soroka was the SESA President. Bonney Rossi was the Executive Secretary. 1963 SESA Spring Meeting was held at the Benjamin Franklin Hotel in Seattle, WA, May 8-10. Attendance: 200 Harry Majors was the meeting chairman. 1963 SESA Annual Meeting was held at Statler Hilton Hotel in Boston, MA, November 6-8. Attendance: 350 Jim Flanagan was the meeting chairman. Hugh Dryden presented the Murray Lecture.
1964	Chuck Perry was the SESA President. Bonney Rossi was the Executive Secretary. 1964 SESA Spring Meeting was held at the Hotel Utah in Salt Lake City, UT, May 6-8. Attendance: 200 Cliff Barton was the meeting chairman. 1964 SESA Annual Meeting was held at the Manger Hotel in Cleveland, OH, October 28-30. Attendance: 575 Fred Main was the meeting chairman. Stan Manson presented the Murray Lecture.
1965	John New was the SESA President. Bonney Rossi was the Executive Secretary. 1965 SESA Spring Meeting was held at the Cosmopolitan Hotel in Denver, May 4-7. Attendance: 300 Dale Fietz was the meeting chairman. 1965 SESA Annual Meeting, called "The Second International Congress on Experimental Mechanics", was held at the International Inn in Washington, DC, September 28-October 1. Attendance: 400 Mike Lunchick was the meeting chairman. A. J. Durelli presented the Murray Lecture. U. S. President Lyndon B Johnson sent a greeting to the SESA Congress.
1966	Ros Guernsey was the SESA President. Bonney Rossi was the Executive Secretary. 1966 SESA Spring Meeting was held at the Hotel Pick-Fort Shelby in Detroit, MI, May 4-6. Attendance: 300 Bob Byrum was the meeting chairman. 1966 SESA Annual Meeting was held at the Pittsburgh-Hilton Hotel in Pittsburgh, PA, November 4-6. Andy Andrejasik was the meeting chairman. Ed Wenk presented the Murray Lecture.
1967	Chuck Taylor was the SESA President. Bonney Rossi was the Executive Secretary. 1967 SESA Spring Meeting was held at the Holiday Inn in Ottawa, Ont., Canada, May 16-19. Attendance: 300 Dick Thurston was the meeting chairman. 1967 SESA Annual Meeting was held at the Sherman House in Chicago, Oct. 31-Nov. 3. Attendance: 400 Bob Marino was the meeting chairman. Dan Drucker presented the Murray Lecture.
1968	Fred Bailey was the SESA President. Bonney Rossi was the Managing Director (formerly the Executive Secretary). 1968 SESA Spring Meeting was held at the Thruway Motor Inn in Albany, NY, May 7-10. Attendance: 325 Dick DeMichele was the meeting chairman. Honorary Members Tatnall, Hetényi, and Frocht gave featured lectures. 1968 SESA Annual Meeting and 25th Anniversary Celebration was held at the Sheraton-Palace Hotel in San Francisco, CA, October 28-November 1. Attendance: 400 Hank Kirkwood was the meeting chairman. Charles Lipson presented the Murray Lecture. SESA Awards were Inaugurated: Frank Tatnall received the first F.G. Tatnall Award. Max Frocht received the first M.M. Frocht Award. Greer Ellis received the first Distinguished Contribution Award (later named the Lazan Award). Warren Rhines received the first M. Hetényi Award.
1969	Bonney Rossi was the Managing Director. 1969 SESA Spring Meeting was held at the Marriott Motor Hotel in Philadelphia, PA, May 13-16. Fred Bailey was still the SESA President (Prior to 1968 the Annual Meetings were held in the Fall, but starting in 1969 the Annual Meetings were held in the Spring. Officers begin their terms at the end of an Annual Meeting. Thus Fred Bailey served one term, from the Fall 1967 to Spring 1969 - eighteen months. All other SESA/SEM Presidents served in office for twelve months). Attendance: 350 Clyde Moyer was the meeting chairman. 1969 SESA Annual Meeting was held at the Rice Hotel in Houston, TX, October 14-17. Attendance: 325 Ardis White was the meeting chairman. Tom Dolan presented the Murray Lecture.

Conference History