Raj B.K.N. Rao (COMADEM Centre, Faculty ofEngineering and Computer Technology, Birmingham Polytechnic, Perry Barr, Birmingham, UK) Y.H.J. Au and B.J. Griffiths (Department ofManufacturing and Engineering Systems, BruneI University, Uxbridge, Middlesex, UK) To create, to engineer, to err and to destroy are basic human traits. Human progress depends upon the balanced exploitation of some of these traits. Our quality and standards of living are closely intertwined with the effective management ofsome of these traits and the limited physical resources that are at our disposal. The only sensible approach to harmonize and blend these two spheres is to effectively monitor, diagnose and control our own actions and reactions, at every stage. We are now privileged to live in an age of advanced technology which is significantly influencing the basic infrastructures of our societies, on which our lives nowdepend. The rapid rate atwhichthe technological changesarespreading is causing much confusion and uncertainty in communities, governments and industries at different levels. This, in tum, is creating and widening gaps and mismatches of unknown dimensions in almost all human endeavours. Such undesirable tendencies mustbe monitored, diagnosed, prognosed and controlled with the utmost haste and urgency.

This volume contains papers presented at the International Conference on Science and Technology of Nanostructured Materials held in India during 4 to 8 January 2001 which aimed at examining various aspects of these nanoscale entities. The venue of the meeting was the Toshali Sands Hotel in Puri. Puri is a coastal town in the Indian state of Orissa famous for centuries-old temples, and the surrounding area is known as the 'Golden Triangle' for the tourists. The idols in the holy temple of Jagannath in Puri have incomplete structures which portray symbolically that there is always room for improvement. The organisers of the conference were perhaps influenced by that symbolism. They aimed at bringing together international leaders in the areas of Nanostructured materials and providing a forum for meaningful discussion among the senior scientists and young researchers. They were successful in reaching their goal as the conference indulged in vigorous debates and discussions in the novel area of Nanostructures and contributed toward advancement of knowledge in the field.

Presents invited lectures given at the International Symposium on Novel Materials held at Puri, India, during March 1997, discussing novel materials' growth, morphologies, and electrical and magnetic properties as well as related first principles, electronic structure calculations, simulations, and