The 33th International Association for Bridge and Structural Engineering (IABSE) was held in Bangkok, Thailand on Sep 6th, 2009, where Prof Ge YaoJun, Director of the national key Laboratory of Disaster Reduction in the civil engineering of Tongji University, and Director of Department of Bridge Engineering, was elected as Deputy of International Association for Bridge and Structural Engineering through secret ballots of Representatives of member states and standing Committee of IABSE composed of current chairman and deputies. The first four-year term is from Sep, 2009 to Sep, 2013.

  It was once again that an important position is filled by a Chinese scholar after Academician Xiang HaiFan, an honorary professor of Tongji University was elected as Deputy of International Association for Bridge and Structural Engineering in 2004.

  International Association for Bridge and Structural Engineering is internationally the largest one and has broad influence in its industry, which is established on Oct 29th, 1929 and located at Zurich, Switzerland. The association is aimed to enhance international cooperation of people in the engineering and research, especially in the representatives of technology, industries and public bodies, to improve consciousness and responsibility of members needed in society, to promote academic exchange, and publish achievements and experiences in science.