The Hellenic Society of Rheology

The Society of Rheology

The European Society of Rheology

ESR Rheology Portal:
Online access to Rheologica Acta, the official journal of ESR

Rheology

Rheology, a branch of mechanics, is the study of those properties of materials which determine their response to mechanical force. The word rheology was coined in the 1920's to represent the science of the deformation and flow of matter. Its origin goes back to the 6th century B.C. and to the Greek philosopher Herakleitus, who observed that " Τα πάντα ρει, πάντα χωρεί και ουδέν μένει (Ta panta rei, panta hwrei, kai ouden menei)".

The Hellenic Society of Rheology (HSR)

HSR was officially formed on June 16th, 1996, in Athens, Greece, recognised by the Greek judicial authorities having the necessary core of the first 20 founding members. Thus came into fruition the original attempts by the late Professor Tasos Papanastasiou to organize the Greek Rheological community and the many scientists and engineers who practice rheology in their professional careers.

The establishement of HSR was followed by the 1st meeting of the Society in Nicosia, Cyprus, in July 1996, where the 1st Executive (President: E. Mitsoulis) was elected and the Constitution was ratified.

The 2nd meeting of the Society was held in Heraklion, Crete, in August 31-September 2, 1998, where a 2nd Executive was elected for the period 1998-2000. The 3rd meeting of the Society was held in Cambridge, in August 20-25 2000, the 4th in Erlangen, in September 1-6 2002, the 6th meeting was held in Vouliagmeni on June 28, 2006, and the 7th meeting was held in Patras, on November 5, 2006, where the current Executive was elected for the period 2006-2008.

The HSR has organized four Conferences in Nicosia (1996), Heraklion (1998), Patras (2001) and Vouliagmeni, Athens (2004). In April 2006, HSR organized the 3rd Annual European Rheology Conference on behalf of the European Society of Rheology (ESR), in Hersonissos, Crete.

Rheology enters in some form into almost every study of material properties. Many physicists, chemists, engineers, biologists and mathematicians find a common meeting ground in The Society's meetings and publications. It is a small society compared to many others, membership currently being about 40. The membership represents a wide spectrum of individuals from academic, industrial, and governmental institutions whose activities include both phenomenological and molecular theories, instrumentation, the study of many types of materials such as polymers, metals, petroleum products, rubber, paint, printing ink, ceramics and glass, foods, biological materials, floor preparations and cosmetics, and a wide range of practical applications.

The Hellenic Society of Rheology is one of the fifteen founding members of the European Society of Rheology. By virtue of this affiliation, all Members of The Society receive the ESR's Newsletter. The Society is also a member of the International Committee on Rheology, which organizes the International Congress on Rheology, held every four years (the last one, took place in Seoul, Korea, in August, 2004)