MRS International: Coping with New Dimensions
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MRS International: Coping with New Dimensions Elton N. Kaufmann, MRS President
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As any avid reader of the MRS BULLETIN knows, we are continually reminding our readers and ourselves of the multidimensional breadth spanned by the Society's mission. MRS spans research from the basic to the applied. It deals in materials ranging from concrete to coal to catalysts, from metals to semiconductors to insulators, and so forth. Topics as disparate as nuclear waste containment and energybeam processing appear together on our programs. And, presentations of research at our meetings, and soon in the new Journal
Clifton W. Draper, MRS Treasurer
and very visible advances are on the horizon. In the crucial area of the legal status of the organization, a preliminary version of a set of statutes (called a constitution in the United States) was presented at the meeting of the European Committee on May 14. Its language is French and once a final version is accepted, it will be the basis for legalizing MRS-Europe under the relevant laws of France. This is a natural and practical choice because the meetings have run and are continuing to run in Strasbourg. It was interesting to observe, however, of Materials Research, come from each of the that the scientists present and discussing major scientific disciplines, individually and the document were in many cases handicombined. It all works well because under- capped by the language, even though they lying the diversity is the unity of approach were fluent in more than their native and technique common to materials re- tongue. It turns out that to be fluent as a search — a unity which imbues the work in scientist in both French and English, for distant subspecialties with relevance to our example, in no way guarantees that one can own. translate legal terminologies faithfully. The The spreading recognition of the value of document has been referred to a committee, encompassing broad segments along the comprised of Drs. von Allmen, Krimmel, basic-applied, topical, material, and disci- Laude, Rimini, Rodot, Sirtl, and Speight, pline dimensions has spurred the formation and will be reported back soon. In the of MRS-Europe and is also pointing toward meantime, through the good offices of the similar activities in Asia and the Pacific Council of Europe and Dr. J. P. Masue, an Basin. There are, however, yet additional English reference version is being prepared. dimensions to consider when in the truly The text of the founding document will be international context. MRS events in the reproduced in the pages of the BULLETIN United States are international in atten- as soon as it is ratified. dance but not in organization or logistical The need to identify reliable sources of support. When Dan Ehrlich, Walter Brown, external funding beyond meeting registraand we recently attended the meeting of tion fees also doubly plagues the multiMRS-Europe in Strasbourg, we were struck national group. Transport of individual by the need exhibited there to also span the government support across national bo
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