will take place at the University of Augsburg, Germany on September 17–20, 2002

Organizing Institutions: AMU (Application Center for Materials and Environmental Research, Institute of Physics, University of Augsburg)

WZU (Environmental Science Center, University of Augsburg)

WEC (World Environment Center)

IMU (Institute of Management & Environment)

BI (Bayern Innovativ) (Logistics)

Topic: An informative and at the same time strategic discussion meeting between scientists, high-ranking industrial leaders, and politicians is planned to highlight the crucial role of materials science for the development and the implementation of sustainable technologies. Based on the present state of affairs and the problems of a partly devastating utilization of resources, products, and fuel, new approaches and strategies for the design and production of sustainable and appropriate functional materials and efficient processes will be discussed. The aim of the meeting is the exchange of ideas and experiences on environmentally benign synthesis routes and utilization of materials by efficient and economically feasible process technologies.

The discussions during this meeting will be inspired by the newest political decisions of the Rio+10 world conference held in Johannesburg two weeks before.

Among others, the conference will comprise the following topics:

Fundamentals: Evaluation of the current state of affairs

Needs: Both industrial and human needs

Strategies: The fuel–energy enigma, functional composite materials, ceramics, catalytic materials, semiconductors, metals, glasses, carbon modifications, biomaterials and biomimetic materials, waste, and life-cycle assessment

Conclusions will be developed during a panel discussion with the goal that the participants of the conference reach a consensus on recommendations for adequate scientific, economic, and political programs in materials science leading to sustainable technologies to be launched by the individual governments. An information management system will be installed on the newest development in the area of materials science for sustainable technologies.

Invited speakers include: Hartmut Grassl, Max Planck Hamburg, Germany, advisor to the chancellor

Louis Schlapbach, EMPA, Switzerland

Mrityunjay Singh, NASA, USA

Contact: http://www.amu-augsburg.de/matforum

International Advisory Committee members include:

Hartmut Grassl, Max Planck Hamburg, Germany, advisor to the chancellor

C.N.R. Rao, IIS, India

Armin Reller, Uni Augsburg, Germany

Mrityunjay Singh, NASA, USA

John Meurig Thomas, Uni Cambridge, UK

Bernard Tramier, Total Fina Elf, France

Henrik Topsoe, Haldor-Topsoe, Denmark

James G. Veras, WEC, USA

Technical Organizing Committee:

Armin Reller, WZU (Chair)

Wolfgang Biegel, AMU

Siegfried Horn, Uni Augsburg

Josef Nassauer, Bayern Innovativ

Bernd Stritzker, AMU

Guido Weissmann, AMU

International Scientific Committee members include:

Bernd Stritzker, Uni Augsburg (Chair)

Johannes G. Bednorz, IBM Rüschlikon, Switzerland

Delcie Durham, National Science Foundation, USA

Jose M. Gonzalez-Calbet, Uni Madrid, Spain

Siegfried Horn, Physics Uni Augsburg, Germany

Marc Ledoux, Uni Strasbourg, France

Toni Marechaux, National Materials Advisory Board, USA

Josef Nassauer, Bayern Innovativ, Nürnberg, Germany

Bernd Wagner, Uni Augsburg

Jay Lee, University of Wisconsin, USA

Robert Pfahl, Motorola, USA