NIST Hosts Two International Materials Research Meetings in June

For the materials research community, all roads will lead to the Gaithersburg, Md., headquarters of the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) during the week of June 21, 2009, when the agency hosts two major international meetings.

First up from June 22-23, 2009, is the Symposium on Materials Challenges for Clean Energy. This assembly of international experts will examine current and emerging challenges to sustainable energy that may require new or improved materials. Lectures will focus on the materials aspects of solar energy, hydrogen and biofuels, energy storage and conversion, energy efficiency and nuclear energy. The symposium is co-organized by NIST and the Department of Energy's Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL).

During the following two days, June 24-25, 2009, NIST will host the World Materials Research Institute Forum (WMRIF). The WMRIF fosters international cooperation in materials research by bringing together executives from the world's leading materials research institutes to exchange information on research priorities, management approaches and strategic directions.

Featured presentations will cover sustainability, synchrotrons and the environmental health and safety of nanomaterials.

Details about both meetings are available at https://www.wmrif.org/. Registration for both the WMRIF and the Energy Workshop is $350; for the Energy Workshop only, $275. Registration deadline is June 15, 2009. Register online at http://www.nist.gov/public_affairs/confpage/090621.htm or contact Angela Ellis, angela.ellis [at] nist.gov (angela[dot]ellis[at]nist[dot]gov), (301) 975-3881.

For technical information, please contact Steve Freiman, stephen.freiman [at] nist.gov (stephen[dot]freiman[at]nist[dot]gov), (301) 975-5310.