| Summary: | We express our opinion about the role of Computational Mechanics (CM) in
science, applications and education. The presented thoughts rely on our
experience gained by working over decades (first author in particular) in the
field of CM. First, as a challenge of an opinion that computational mechanics
is rather a tool, not the science, we give our view that computational
mechanics is a complex interdisciplinary scientific field where new methods
and solutions are sought, new hypotheses are tested, and events in material
world are elucidated or predicted. It is quite an art to achieve the goal
that general analytical formulations or experimental findings become useful
and practical numbers, graphs, and even simulations of living systems
response. Second, we would like to emphasize the enormous impact of CM in
applications; ranging from the support of experimental investigations, to
everyday engineering in design and industry, to bioengineering and medicine.
Giant steps have been undertaken by invention of the finite element method in
the 6th decade of last century. From that time on, a huge number of
researchers have opened new frontiers, introducing new computational methods,
improving the algorithms and incorporating achievements in computer
technology. Third, we want to address the issue of the CM participation
within university programs. We believe that the CM methods, software
development and application should be a significant part of the overall
education in engineering departments, but also (to appropriate extent) in
other departments of natural and biomedical sciences, technology and
medicine. All courses should be accompanied by the corresponding software. We
here cite our experience where around 40 PhD and MS theses have been
completed at University of Kragujevac, with the CM topics, development of
engineering software (our system of programs PAK) and applications in
engineering and bioengineering. This approach in education will result in
preparing students to use modern CM tools and software in their work after
university studies.
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