Following the establishment of university departments in Italy by Law no. 28 of February 21, 1980, an intense debate arose concerning the formation of either a single Department of Mathematics or a separate Department of Applied Mathematics as well. Eventually, the majority of the professors agreed to remain within a unified department, while also founding an Interdepartmental Research Center for Applied Mathematics, known as CIRAM (Centro Interdipartimentale di Ricerca per le Applicazioni della Matematica), officially established in 1989. This initiative preserved both the achievements and facilities of the former Institute of Applied Mathematics.
Over time, CIRAM—endowed with administrative autonomy—welcomed several colleagues from engineering. With the acquisition and renovation of new premises in Via Saragozza 8, the center expanded its activities. Under the directorship of Giulio Cesare Barozzi (1989), followed by Silvano Matarasso (1990) and, from 1991 to 1997, by Tommaso Ruggeri, CIRAM modernized its infrastructure, including implementing network cabling and introducing email and personal computers using a SUN workstation and the UNIX-based Solaris system. Later, directors of CIRAM were Giulio Cesare Barozzi (1998-2001), Silvano Matarasso (2001-2007), and Fiorella Sgallari (2007-2013).
During this period, the first CIRAM website was developed by Tommaso Ruggeri with an initial help by Olzap Babaoglu. The website, in an era when sites were basic by today's standards, proved to be remarkably successful and pioneering in that it implemented an idea that was as simple as it was effective: it contained, among other things, links to various sites of general utility, thus enabling the CIRAM website to become a hub of considerable traffic. This technological enthusiasm led to the introduction of computer-based simulations in Rational Mechanics courses and to the publication of educational textbooks. Noteworthy collaborations included initiatives with engineering colleagues, such as a conference on computer-assisted mathematical teaching, whose proceedings were published in 1992.
Among CIRAM’s applied research projects was an interdisciplinary study on the conservation of Ravenna’s ancient mosaics, carried out with the help of multispectral image processing and MATLAB software. The project received significant media attention and institutional support, culminating in the creation of a mosaic reproduction of the Sigillum Magnum, now housed in the main hall of the Engineering Faculty in Forlì.
CIRAM hosted many visiting professors, especially in the fields of Mathematical Physics and Numerical Analysis, fostering international collaborations and academic advancement for young researchers. Despite being a research center, CIRAM also played a significant role in engineering education, offering space for teaching, examinations, and office hours for students.
Although a plan to transform CIRAM into a Department of Applied Mathematics gained considerable support, it was ultimately blocked, partly due to concerns about departmental fragmentation. Nevertheless, the center continued to contribute to academic life, and from 1995 to 2001, its director Tommaso Ruggeri served as vice-dean of the Engineering Faculty, promoting digitalization and launching its first website.
With the implementation of the Bologna Process in the late 1990s and the resulting curricular reform, Rational Mechanics was phased out in several programs and replaced by courses in Applied Mathematics focusing on probability and statistics. Former instructors of Rational Mechanics gradually adapted to these new teaching responsibilities.
Ultimately, CIRAM was closed in 2013 amid a general dismantling of interdepartmental centers. However, thanks to institutional support, its legacy continued through the establishment of the Alma Mater Research Center on Applied Mathematics (AM²) within the Department of Mathematics, which preserved part of the Via Saragozza premises.