This publication presents papers from Symposium 8A, "Cultural Heritage and Archaeological Issues in Materials Science (CHARIMSc)," of the XXII International Materials Research Congress (IMRC) held in Cancun, Quintana Roo, Mexico, in August 2013.

There were eleven symposia conducted with a focus on biomaterials under the sub-class of "Biomaterials and Soft Matter" at the MRS 2013 fall meeting. Symposia H, C, D and J have been combined into this proceedings volume. The aim of this volume is to provide state-of-the-art research in biomaterials and bio-inspired materials - their structures, properties, and applications.

This MRS Proceedings book contains the papers presented in Symposium 7E: "Low-Dimensional Semiconductor Structures" at XXII International Material Research Congress, IMRC 2013, and in Symposium 6B: "Low-Dimensional Semiconductor Structures" at XXI International Material Research Congress, IMRC 2012, which were held in Cancun, Mexico on August 11-15, 2013 and August 12-16, 2012, respectively.

Symposium K, "Nanostructures, Thin Films and Bulk Oxides--Synthesis, Characterization and Applications" and Symposium RR, "Solution Synthesis of Inorganic Functional Materials" were held April 21-25 at the 2014 MRS Spring Meeting in San Francisco, California. Oxide materials from bulk down to nanostructures are used for applications in microelectronics, communications, sensing, energy, catalysis, nanophotonics, and optoelectronics. As the characteristic dimensions of oxide systems shrink into the nanometer range, there are increased technological challenges for synthesis, processing, and...

The XXIII International Materials Research Congress was held on August 17-21, 2014, in Cancun, Mexico. It was organized by the Sociedad Mexicana de Materiales (SMM). About 1,500 specialized scientists from more than 40 countries participated in the 30 different symposia, workshops, plenary lectures and tutorial courses. This special issue covers several aspects of the structural and chemical characterization of materials in the following areas: metals, alloys, steels, composites, polymeric compounds, welding, nanomaterials, and surface coatings, among others. They are amorphous, crystalline,...

The Materials Research Society Symposium B, 'Multifunctional Polymeric and Hybrid Materials', was held November 30-December 5 at the 2014 MRS Fall Meeting in Boston, Massachusetts. This symposium proceedings volume includes recent advances in the process of achieving multifunctionality of materials by mimicry of biological structure and interactions, by the presence of natural or biologically active components, such as enzymes or polymeric prodrugs, via complex, but controlled physical behavior, e.g., actively moving polymers (shape-memory, shape-morphing), or by simultaneously performing...

Symposium M, 'Materials and Technology for Nonvolatile Memories', was held November 30-December 5 at the 2014 MRS Fall Meeting in Boston, Massachusetts, which was a follow up of previous symposia on nonvolatile memories. Main research areas featured in Symposium M were advanced Flash memories, organic memories, resistive switching memories (ReRAM), magnetoresistive random access memories (MRAM), ferroelectric random access memories (FeRAM), phase-change memories, as well as emerging materials and technologies for nonvolatile memories. In addition, a highly successful one-day tutorial session,...

The Materials Research Society's Symposium EE, entitled 'Scientific Basis for Nuclear Waste Management XXXVIII', was held from 30 November to 5 December 2014, at the MRS Fall Meeting in Boston, Massachusetts. The symposium discussed the key scientific challenges for the safe and effective management of spent nuclear fuel and radioactive waste and provided an overview of the international research and waste management programs around the world. Waste forms and engineered barrier system properties, interactions between engineered and geological systems, radiation effects, chemistry and...

This volume is a compilation of papers that were presented at the Symposium 4A: 'Advanced Structural Materials' of the XXIII International Materials Research Congress, organized in collaboration with MRS, which was held from August 17-21, 2014 in Cancun, Quintana Roo, Mexico. The symposium was devoted to fundamental and technological applications of structural materials, and continued the tradition of providing a forum for scientists from various backgrounds with a common interest in the development and use of structural materials to come together and share their findings and expertise. The...