Awarenes s of the great significance of surface consti- tution in understanding the behavior and perforITlance of ITlaterials has been growing in proportion to the ITleans which have becoITle available for surface study. Recent years have seen iITlportant advances in analytical tools and ITlethods; their applications to date will certainly suggest ITlany other fruitful lines of investigation. The Conference "Surfaces and Interfaces of Glass and CeraITlics" held at the New York State College of CeraITlics at Alfred University under the sponsorship of the U. S. ArITly Research Office, DurhaITl, and the National Aeronautics and Space AdITlinistration, in August 1973, was tenth in the Uni- versity Series in CeraITlic Science, held in rotation aITlong North Carolina State University, the University of California at Berkeley, the University of Notre DaITle and Alfred Uni- versity. The chapters are arranged in order of their particular eITlphasis beginning with those principally concerned with analytical ITlethods. Chapters dealing with friction and wear follow, highly topical in the present-day concern with effi- cient use of energy in finishing processes, on the one hand, and the avoidance of preITlature failure by frictional daITlage to ITloving parts on the other. Surface reactions are then considered, including the iITlportant questions of physiological interactions with ceraITlic candidates for prosthetic applica- tions. Material-ITlaterial interfaces and transition zones are discussed through exaITlples which include grain bound- aries in ceraITlics as well as interfaces aITlong various solid, liquid and gaseous phases.

The Conference on Emerging Priorities in Ceramic Engineer ing and Science, held at Alfred University, November 4-6, 1974, was arranged to provide a basis for reassessment of professional goals, procedures and outlook. American priorities among comfort, safety, national prestige, security, convenience and environmental quality are significantly different from those of a dozen years ago. Economic factors have shifted, as exempli fied by scarcities in energy, mate rials and world food supplies. At the same time, demands for safer products, healthier work ing conditions and fairer rules of behavior are making them selves felt. Governmental, corporate and consumer interests are all involved and they are intricately inte rrelated. Higher education, for its part, must not only respond wisely to changing student attitude, itself a part of the national scene, but must gain perspective toward the present and toward changes of yet unknown nature which can be expected in the future. Persistent and pointed questions from engineers, managers, and students were an indication to us of wide-spread concern to understand the new pattern of priorities that is presently emerging. In response to this need, Conference papers were invited from distinguished engineers, scientists, and other specialists; their willingness to contribute from their expertise and their thinking is very much appreciated by the editors. The first four chapters of the volume deal with the larger scene and with the viewpoints of those concerned with it in behalf of government, corporations and the professions."