ISSMO - International Society for Structural and Multidisciplinary Optimization ISSMO has more than 500 members from more than 35 countries. Its objectives are: To stimulate and promote research into all aspects of the optimal design of structures and related topics, including engineering systems consisting partially of structures and/or fluids To encourage practical applications of optimization methods and the corresponding software development in all branches of technology To foster the interchange of ideas amongst various fields contributing to structural and multidisciplinary optimization To support the role of optimization in multidisciplinary design To provide a framework for the organization of meetings and other means for the dissemination of knowledge to promote teaching of structural optimization in tertiary institutions. One of the aims of ISSMO is to bring together researchers and practitioners in our field by means of international meetings having high scientific standards, up-to-date conference facilities, and affordable costs to all members of the Society. Along these lines, ISSMO has held bi-annual WCSMO since 1995: WCSMO1 was held in Goslar, Germany, 1995; WCSMO2 in Zakopane, Poland, 1997; WCSMO3 in Buffalo, NY, USA, 1999; WCSMO4 in Dalian, China, 2001; WCSMO5 in Lido di Jesolo, Italy, 2003; WCSMO6 in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, 2005; WCSMO7 in Seoul, Korea, 2007; WCSMO8 in Lisbon, Portugal,2009; and WCSMO9 in Shizouka, Japan in 2009.