Toward an International Materials Research Network
Materials are more than mere components in technology; rather, the basic properties of materials frequently define the capabilities, potential, reliability, and limitations of technology itself. Improved materials and processes play an ever increasing role in efforts to improve energy efficiency, promote environmental protection, lower healthcare costs, develop an information infrastructure, and provide modern and reliable transportation and civil infrastructure systems. Advances in materials science and engineering, therefore, enable progress across a broad range of scientific disciplines and technological areas with dramatic impacts on society. Continued progress in materials science and engineering increasingly depends on collaborative efforts among different disciplines, as well as closer coordination among funding agencies and effective partnerships involving universities, industry, and national laboratories. In addition, because of the rapidly growing interdependence of the world's economies, partnerships are not only important at the national level but from an international point of view as well. The National Science Foundation is cosponsoring a series of international workshops to help stimulate enhanced collaboration among materials researchers and create networks linking the participating countries:
Workshop on International Collaboration and Networking [57kb pdf]
Cancun, Mexico, August 28, 2001
U.S.-Africa Materials Workshop, representatives from the United States and African countries [272kb pdf].
South Africa, August 2000
U.S.-Asian Pacific Materials Research, Technology, and Education for the 21st Century in Service of Society, participants from the United States and Asian Pacific countries [279kb pdf].
Hawaii, November 1998
Frontiers in Materials Research, Technology and Education: A Workshop to Advance Panamerican Collaboration, participants from the United States and Pan American countries, including Brazil, Argentina, Chile, Uruguay, and Venezuela [252kb pdf].
Brazil, June 1998
Workshop on Materials for Future Technologie, a joint National Science Foundation-European Commission venture [6Mb pdf].
Belgium, December 1996
Trilateral Materials Workshop, researchers from the United States, Canada, and Mexico [290kb pdf].
Mexico, May 1995
These workshops identified possible areas for mutually beneficial collaborations. They also led to the recommendation that extensive use be made of electronic communication, information exchange, and data bases to promote and facilitate research collaborations and educational activities. A sixth workshop involving the Middle East countries is being explored. As a result of the joint National Science Foundation-European Commission workshop, an implementing arrangement between the European Commission and the National Science Foundation for cooperative activities in the field of materials sciences is now in effect. An important goal common to all of these activities is to develop a worldwide electronic net that will enhance international cooperation in the field of materials.
