Peter A. Psaras and H. Dale Langford,
eds. National Academy Press,
Washington, DC, 1987. 408 pp.
$47.50.
This enlightening book is destined to survive the test of time as a historical record of a momentous pe- riod of change. Its wide-ranging articles represent views of distinguished leaders in the interdisciplinary field of materials science. Conceived primarily in commemoration of the 25th anniversary of the Interdisciplinary Laboratory/Materials Research Laboratory (IDL/MRL) initiative in the United States, the book conveys the sense of vitality and strength that the program has breathed into the body of materials research for nearly three decades.
In the first section, William Baker, Robert Sproull and Lyle Schwartz do a fine job of conveying a feeling for the ferment that ultimately led to the MRL elixir. The second section describes the current status of materials research interests in the United States. It accounts for about 70 percent of the ...
