The 1990s: A Growing International Context
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The 1990s: A Growing International Context It is fitting that-the last décade of the 20th century should begin in the midst of events which for most of us who grew up after World War II were only dreams. From the sudden émergence of démocraties in Eastern Europe to the tearing down of the Berlin Wall, we watch in awe as the world we knew and learned to live with is flying apart. Thèse events are signaling that World War II is finally over and that the ideas of the West hâve shown their power in the face of the ideology of communism. It is also the end of "Pax Americana," that period of rime after World War II, unprecedented in history, when the United States enjoyed unparalled prosperity and économie dominance. But as a powerful Japan emerged and Europe began moving toward 1992, we saw this prosperity and dominance slowly eroding in the 1980s. Now with a mixture of appréhension and exhilaration we observe the events in Eastem Europe unfold, and we wonder what the world will be like at the turn of the century. In the same way the members and staff of MRS look forward and ask, "Where will this organization which has enjoyed such tremendous success and vitality be at the turn of the century?" The answer of course is "wherever it wants to be." I feel confident with this answer because MRS has always gone wherever it wanted to because of the unfaltering vision and commitment of its officers, members and staff. We as an organization hâve always been exhilarated by the challenge of the future in materials science, and I believe that this excitement will fuel a new décade of growth in MRS. Because of its history of dedication to interdisciplinary research, MRS is, in my opinion, uniquely positioned to play a major rôle in the science and technology of a rapidly integrating world economy. In the next décade it will become increasingly clear that countries and corporations can no longer do everything alone. Complex technologies and économie relations will force thèse entities to take on coopérative and interlocking alliances. A sort of "éco-
nomie and technological interdisciplinarity" will be required for success. To meet this challenge, we at MRS will hâve to expand our model of interdisciplinary research to include many new fields of materials research. Economie disciplines as related to materials science wjll become increasingly important as industries and nations struggle with competing materials technologies. Good materials éducation will play a central rôle in materials research stratégies, and MRS should take the lead. Environmental issues in materials science will corne to the forefront of materials science research in the next décade. It will no longer be enough to produce the best material for a particular application. Industries will be required to adopt "cradle-tograve" stratégies for new materials. Older, environmentally unacceptable materials will be replaced with new, safer materials. Electronic communications will change the face of our meetings, allowing us to simultaneously reach members ail over the world
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