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Important dates

May 8, 1963 — Decision No. 275 of the Latvian SSR Council of Ministers on foundation of the Institute of Polymer Mechanics
1965 — The Latvian SSR State Prize is awarded to J. Tarnopolskis
1965 — The Latvian SSR State Prize is awarded to P. Linarts and L. Faitelson
1965 — The first number of All-Union journal "Механика полимеров" is issued. The journal, entitled "Polymer Mechanics", is translated into English and published in the United States
November 10 – 12, 1965 — I All-Union Conference on Polymer Mechanics (825 participants)
1967 — The Special Designing Bureau for Scientific Instrumentation with Experimental Production is established at the Institute (the Bureau ceased its activities on 1992)
1967 — Newly constructed laboratory building is to put in service
1969 — The Institute is authorized to award academic degrees of the degrees of Candidate of Science (Ph. D. in Western countries)
1969 — The honorary title of Hero of Socialist Labour is awarded to the founder and the first director of the Institute A. Malmeisters
1970 — The Institute acquires the first high-power computer "Dnepr"
November 10 – 12, 1971 — II All-Union Conference on Polymer Mechanics (612 participants)
1971 — The Laboratory of biomechanics is established (in 1987, the laboratory was transferred to the Riga Polytechnic Institute, now Riga Technical University)
1972 — The Latvian SSR State Prize is awarded to A. Balodis, V. Latisenko, I. Matiss and M. Medvedev
1972 — The Frīdrihs Canders Prize of the Academy of Sciences of Latvian SSR is awarded to G. Teters
1974 — The Institute acquires the first mini-computer HP 9600
1974 — The Komsomol Prize of the Latvian SSR is awarded to V. Kasjanov
October 28 – 31, 1975 — 1st All-Union Conference on Problems of Biomechanics
November 10 - 12, 1976 — III All-Union Conference on Polymer Mechanics (380 participants, including 10 from 3 socialist countries)
1976 — The Latvian SSR State Prize is awarded to I. Knets and B. Purina
1976 — The Frīdrihs Canders Prize of the Academy of Sciences of Latvian SSR is awarded to J. Urzumcev and R. Maksimov
1977 — The Specialized Doctoral Thesis Presentation Council is organized at the Institute
October 6 – 7, 1977 — I Young specialist conference IPM on the mechanics of polymers (76 presentations)
September 4 – 7, 1978 — 1st Soviet-American Symposium on Deterioration of Composite Materials (60 participants from USA, USRR, Great Britain, France and Germany)
1979 — Title of the journal "Механика полимеров / Polymer Mechanics" is changed to "Механика композитных материалов / Mechanics of Composite Materials". The journal is indexed in Chemical Abstracts, Applied Mechanics Rewiev, etc., as well as is included in data base of ISI Material Science Citation Index
April 18 – 20, 1979 — 2nd All-Union Conference on Problems of Biomechanics (398 participants, including 23 from abroad)
1979 — The Institute acquires Servo hydraulic testing system MTS 809.40
1979 — The Institute acquires computer ES 1022
October 4 – 5, 1979 — II Young specialists conference IPM on the mechanics of polymers (70 presentations)
October 29 – 31, 1980 — IV All-Union Conference on Polymer and Composite Material Mechanics (125 presentations, 430 participants)
1980 — Gold medal at the International Fair in Plovdiv (Bulgaria) is awarded to the dielectric constant meter IDP 7211
October 8 – 9, 1981 — III Young specialists conference IPM on the mechanics of polymers (120 participants, 106 presentations)
October 22 and 23, 1981 — 1st Conference on Non-destructive Testing and Diagnostics of Properties of Composite Materials (63 presentations, 98 participants)
October 28, 1981 — 5th All-Union Symposium on the use of synthetic polymers in medicine (96 presentations, more than 200 participants)
1981 — The Frīdrihs Canders Prize of the Academy of Sciences of Latvian SSR is awarded to A. Malmeisters, V. Tamuzs and G. Teters
1982 — The Komsomol Prize of the Latvian SSR is awarded to A. Bogdanovic
1982 — The Latvian SSR State Prize is awarded to A. Kregers, R. Maksimov, A. Malmeisters, V. Tamuzs and G. Teters
April 20 – 22, 1983 — 3rd All-Union Conference on Problems of Biomechanics ( 389 presentations, more than 200 participants)
October 11 – 13, 1983 — V All-Union Conference on Polymer and Composite Material Mechanics (219 presentations, 350 participants)
1983 — The Prize of the USSR Council of Ministers is awarded to R. Maksimov
April 17 - 19, 1984 — All-Union Seminar on Metallic Composite Materials (220 participants)
October 30 – November 1, 1984 — 2nd Conference on Non-destructive Testing and Diagnostics of Properties of Composite Materials (62 presentations, 80 participants)
1985 — The USSR State Prize is awarded to A. Malmeisters, V. Tamuzs, J. Tarnopolskis and G. Teters
November 18 – 20, 1986 — VI All-Union Conference on Polymer and Composite Material Mechanics (350 participants)
November 1 – 3, 1988 — 3rd Conference on Non-destructive Testing and Diagnostics of Properties of Composite Materials (80 participants) 1988 — Gold medal is awarded to Dielectric spectrometer 7051 at the International Leipzig Spring Fair
May 23 – 26, 1989 — 1st Soviet-American Symposium on Mechanics of Polymer Materials (155 participants, including 29 from USA)
1989 — The Frīdrihs Canders Prize of the Academy of Sciences of Latvian SSR is awarded A. Bogdanovic
April 17 – 19, 1990 — VII All-Union Conference on Polymer and Composite Material Mechanics (290 participants)
September 17 – 21, 1990 — I Baltic- Scandinavia Symposium on Mechanics
1991 – 1993 — 15 funding grants of the Latvian Council of Science are awarded to the Institute
October 22 – 24, 1991 — International Conference on Non-destructive Testing and Diagnostics of Properties of Composite Materials
1992 — The Habilitation and Promotion Council is organized at the Institute
1992 — Experts from the Danish Research Council give high assessment of the scientific work of the Institute
January 22, 1993 — The Institute is listed in the Latvian State Register of Enterprises as non-profit National research institution – the Institute of Polymer Mechanics of the Latvian Academy of Sciences
January 29, 1993 — Vitauts Tamuzs is elected as Chairman of the Scientific Council of the Institute
April 30, 1993 — Juris Jansons is elected as Director of the Institute
April 20 – 22, 1993 — VIII International Conference on Mechanics of Composite Materials (115 participants from 11 countries)
1994 – 1996 — 15 funding grants of the Latvian Council of Science are awarded to the Institute
May 15 – 18, 1995 — Seminar on EC Joule 2 Project (30 participants from 7 countries)
July 16, 1997 — Order No. 364 of the Cabinet of Ministers of the Republic of Latvia on incorporation of the Institute of Polymer Mechanics into the University of Latvia as non-profit National scientific enterprise "The Institute of Polymer Mechanics of the University of Latvia"
October 17 – 20, 1995 — IX International Conference on Mechanics of Composite Materials
1997 — The Vinogradov Prize is awarded to professor L. Faitelson
1997– 2000 — 15 funding grants of the Latvian Council of Science are awarded to the Institute, including 13 for projects of fundamental and applied research and 2 for research programs of national importance
April 20 - 23, 1998 — X International Conference on Mechanics of Composite Materials (180 participants from 15 countries)
1998 — Laboratory of Mechanical Testing of Structural Materials is organized at the Institute
1998 — The Frīdrihs Canders Prize of the Latvian Academy of Sciences is awarded to professor J. Tarnopolskis
2000 — The Promotion Council is approved at the Institute
June 11 -15, 2000 — XI International Conference on Mechanics of Composite Materials (146 participants from 20 countries)
2000 — The Prize of the Latvian Academy of Sciences and the Joint stock company "Grindex" is awarded to professor V. Tamuzs
2000 — The prize of the Latvian Academy of Sciences to young scientists is awarded to S. Tarasov
2001 – 2004 — 15 funding grants of the Latvian Council of Science are awarded to the Institute for projects of fundamental and applied research
2002 – 2005 — 2 funding grants of the Latvian Council of Science are awarded to the Institute for collaborative projects
June 9 – 13, 2002 — XII International Conference on Mechanics of Composite Materials (149 participants from 19 countries)
2002 — The Frīdrihs Canders Prize of the Latvian Academy of Sciences is awarded to V. Polakov
2004 — Ludvigs and Māris Jansons Prize for the young scientists' is awarded to O. Starkova
2004 — Joint stock company "Aldaris" Prize for the young scientists' is awarded to E. Sparnins
June 16 – 20, 2004 — XIII International Conference on Mechanics of Composite Materials (159 participants from 34 countries, 169 presentations of 382 authors from 34 countries)
2004 – 2006 — 2 funding grants of the Latvian Council of Science are awarded to the Institute for projects of fundamental and applied research
2005 – 2008 — 9 funding grants of the Latvian Council of Science are awarded to the Institute for projects of fundamental and applied research
2005 — The Cabinet of Ministers Award is granted to V. Tamuzs
2006 – 2009 — 2 funding grants of the Latvian Council of Science are awarded to the Institute for collaborative projects
2006 — 3 years grant "To women in science" of SIA "L'OREAL BALTIC" & the Latvian National Commission for UNESCO is given to O. Starkova
May 29 – June 2, 2006 — XIV International Conference on Mechanics of Composite Materials (174 participants from 27 countries, 189 presentations of 423 authors from 37 countries)
June 1, 2006 — The Institute is listed in the Latvian State Register of Enterprises as the Agency of the University of Latvia "Institute of Polymer Mechanics of the University of Latvia"
December 18, 2006 — The Scientific Council of the Institute approves a long-term strategy plan "Development Strategy of the Institute of Polymer Mechanics"
2007 — The prize of the Latvian Academy of Sciences to young scientists is awarded to T. Glaskova
2008 — The Grand Medal of the Latvian Academy of Sciences is awarded to professor V. Tamuzs for establishment of the Latvian school of materials mechanics
May 26 – 30, 2008 — XV International Conference on Mechanics of Composite Materials (164 participants from 26 countries, 214 presentations of 505 authors from 33 countries)
2009 — 7 funding grants of the Latvian Council of Science are awarded to the Institute for projects of fundamental and applied research
2009 — The Frīdrihs Canders Prize of the Latvian Academy of Sciences is awarded to A. Lagzdins for a cycle of works in the theory of plasticity
2009 — The Certificate of Merit of the Ministry of Education and Science of Latvia is granted Juris Jansons because of a significant anniversary in the life and remarkable contributions to the development of material science and Latvian science organization
2009 — 3 years grant "To women in science" of SIA "L'OREAL BALTIC" & the Latvian National Commission for UNESCO is given to T. Glaskovai
2009 — The Institute begins to realize European Social Fund (ESF) project "Involvement of human resources in complex research on modern composite materials"
2010 – 2012 — 3 funding grants of the Latvian Council of Science are awarded to the Institute for projects of fundamental and applied research
May 24 – 28, 2010 — XVI International Conference on Mechanics of Composite Materials (161 participants from 25 countries, 204 presentations of 451 authors from 28 countries)
2010 — The Institute begins to realize 4 European Regional Development Fund's (ERDF) projects
2011 — The Frīdrihs Canders Prize of the Latvian Academy of Sciences is awarded to J. Andersons
2011 — The Institute begins to realize 3 ERDF projects
May 6, 2011 — E. Plume is elected as Director of the Institute
October 14, 2011 — J. Jansons is elected as Chairman of the Scientific Council of the Institute
2012 — The Institute begins to realize ERDF Project "Development of research infrastructure for research centre of national importance for nanostructured and multifunctional materials, constructions and Technologies"
May 29 – June 1, 2012 — XVII International Conference on Mechanics of Composite Materials (174 participants from 24 countries, 218 presentations of 477 authors from 36 countries)
2013 — The Institute begins to realize EC 7th „European Network for Durable Reinforcement and Rehabilitation Solutions” (ENDURE)
2013 — The Institute begins to realize COST Action TU1207 Project „Next Generation Design Guidelines for Composites in Construction” (TUD COST Action TU1207)
2013 — The Institute begins to realize 3 ESF projects
June 2 - 6, 2014 — XVIII International Conference on Mechanics of Composite Materials. Devoted to the 50 Anniversary of the Institute of Polymer Mechanics University of Latvia.