While it is tempting to label computational materials modeling as an emerging field of research, the truth is that both in nature and foundation, it is just as much an established field as the concepts and techniques that define it. It is the recent enormous growth in computing power and communications that has brought the activity to the forefi-ont, turning it into a possible com ponent of any modem materials research program. Together with its increased role and visibility, there is also a dynamic change in the way computational modeling is perceived in such a vast field as materials...

While it is tempting to label computational materials modeling as an emerging field of research, the truth is that both in nature and foundation, it is just as much an established field as the concepts and techniques that define it. It is the recent enormous growth in computing power and communications that has brought the activity to the forefi-ont, turning it into a possible com ponent of any modem materials research program. Together with its increased role and visibility, there is also a dynamic change in the way computational modeling is perceived in such a vast field as materials...