The Symposium on "The Influence of Polymer Additives on Veloc ity and Temperature Fields" was proposed to the General Assem bly of the International Union of Theoretical and Applied Me chanics (IUTAM) by the "Gesellschaft fur Angewandte Mathematik und Mechanik" (GAMM). The Symposium was held under the auspices of IUTAM in association with the "Deutsche Rheologische Ge sellschaft" (DRG) with responsibility for the organization ly ing with B. Gampert (Universitat-GH-Essen). The main aim of this IUTAM Symposium was to consider the funda mental aspects of the phenomena that occur when small amounts of polymers are added to turbulent flows (turbulent drag re duction) and laminar porous media flows. In particular atten tion was devoted to - the influence of molecular parameters of the polymers and solution properties, especially the elongational viscosity, on turbulent flow and laminar porous media flow; the influence of polymers on the turbulence structure in polymer drag reduction