each uniquely concerned with a timely ceramic theme, have been well attended by audiences which typically were both international and interdisciplinary in character; their published Proceedings have been well received and are frequently cited. This three day conference addressed the fundamental scientific background as well as the technological state-of-the- art of several novel methods which are beginning to influence present and future directions for non-traditional ceramic processing, thus affecting many of the advanced ceramic materials needed for a wide variety of research and industrial applications. The number, the importance and the application of new ceramic processing techniques have expanded considerably during the last ten years.