Compelling Global Issues in Science and Technology and the Role of Materials Science

As we enter the 21st century, we confront three global challenges that can be resolved only with forefront science and technology: growing demands for energy, the adverse effects of climate change, and emerging threats to national and global security. Materials science is critical to the fields of research, development, and application that are essential to meeting these challenges. The increasing globalization of scientific research and technology development presents its own challenges at the national level, but also opens the way to new opportunities for fruitful collaboration in materials science.