A. Mooradian - Böcker

The Tunable Lasers and Applications Conference was held in Loen, Norway, on June 6-11, 1976. This conference dealt with the technology of tunable lasers from the vacuum ultraviolet to the far infrared and their application in the areas of photochemistry, chemical kinetics, isotope separation, at­ mospheric photochemistry and environmental studies, photobiology, and spec­ troscopy. The need for such a conference grew out of the rapidly expanding use of tunable lasers in a broad range of disciplines. The conference was attended by 130 scientists representing Japan, Italy, West Germany, Canada, Israel, France, England, Norway, Sweden, Brazil, Den­ mark, Finland, the Netherlands, the Soviet Union, and the United States. The location of the conference in Loen, Nordfjord, was chosen because of the magnificent beauty of its aqua-blue fjords surrounded by glacier-capped mountains and lush green hillsides. The Alexandra Hotel was a perfect host for such a conference with first class services, superb smorgesbord, and ex­ cellent audio-visual facilities. The atmosphere was free of distractions and provided for a relaxed interchange of ideas. An afternoon hike was arranged to the Briksdal glacier while the highlight of the outdoor activities was a bus-ship excursion to the magestically splendid Geiranger fjord. A sumptuous banquet was followed by an interesting'and entertaining illustrated talk on high-speed and underwater photography by Professor Harold Edgerton from MIT. Financial support from our sponsors is gratefully acknowledged in help­ ing to make this conference a complete success.

The International Conference on Lasers and Applications was held in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil from 29 June to 3 July 1980. This conference was held to commemorate the memory of Professor Sergio Porto who died suddenly about one year earlier while attending a laser conference in the Soviet Union. The sub­ ject matter covered the active areas of laser devices, photochemistry, non­ linear optics, high-resolution spectroscopy, photokinetics, photobiology, photomedicine, optical communication, optical bistability, and Raman spec­ troscopy. The conference was attended by over 150 people including scientists from Japan, France, England, West Germany, Norway, Italy, Brazil, Chile, Argentina, India, Canada, and the United States. Amemorial session attended by members of the Porto family and ranking Brazilian government dignitaries preceded the start of the conference. The location of the conference in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, was chosen be­ cause it was in the homeland of Sergio Porto and provided an opportunity for his friends, colleagues, and countryrnen to pay hornage to hirn. The setting on Copacabana Beach afforded access to the lovely beaches, restaurants, and nightlife of one of the most beautiful and exciting cities of the world. There were tours of the city together with a banquet that featured a performance by one of the best Samba Schools in Rio. Financial support from many sponsors in Brazil and the United States is gratefully acknowledged in making this working conference a fitting tribute to the memory of Professor S.P.S. Porto.