Anthony Evans

The 17th University Conference on Ceramics, which also was the 7th LBL/MMRD International Materials Symposium, was held on the campus of the University of California at Berkeley from July 28 to August 1, 1980. It was devoted to the subject of surfaces and interfaces in ceramic and ceramic-metal systems. The program was timely and of great interest, as indicated by the large number of contributed papers, which included contributions from ten foreign countries. These proceedings are divided into the following categories dealing with the chemistry and physics of interfaces: calculations of interface/surface states, characterization of surfaces and inter­ faces, thermodynamics of interfaces, influence of surface and inter­ faces on selected ceramic processes, grain boundary structures, effects of grain boundaries on deformation and fracture, interfacial phenomena, formation of interfaces, development of adhesion, and reactions at interfaces. A number of papers deal specifically with the Si-Si02 interface, which probably has received more attention than any other because of its importance in the electronics industry. This coverage fulfills the principal objective of the symposium which was to explore and assess the current fundamental understand­ ing of interfaces and surfaces. A parallel objective of the symposium was fulfilled by a group of papers dealing with the correlation of interfacial characteris­ tics with mechanical behavior. This group includes papers dealing with the adherence of dissimilar materials at interfaces.

Previous writings on Charles Yelverton O'Connor, the farsighted Irish civil engineer who has become an almost legendary figure in the history of Western Australia, have tended to concentrate on the political, economic and engineering aspects of his life and work. Today, his works are revered and his memory honored, though whether this enduring interest stems as much from a fascination with the events surrounding his tragic suicide than with a genuine appreciation of his work is debatable. In this biography, the author seeks to focus more on the man himself, the quintessential Victorian, brimming with confidence and a belief that the great technical advances of the era, together with social reforms, would eventually bring harmony and prosperity to all. As a man of his age, his character can only be understood by understanding the aspirations of the age - the ideals and values that shaped his life and, ultimately, the manner of his untimely death.