This conference has attempted to achieve a balance in the presentation of papers on the application of current methods to established problem areas and on the introduction of new methods and applications. It has recognized the relevance of papers on basic physics and chemistry and on the total interaction of x-r~s with matter. In order to achieve sufficient depth, a topic is chosen each year for special emphasis. This conference had as its central theme, "The Interactions and Applications of Low Energy X-R~s." Those who were invited as speakers and as contributors to this volume are among the outstanding workers in the application of low energy x-ray and the associated photo-Auger electron interactions. These include A. K. Baird and W. L. Baun on Light Element Analysis and Long Wavelength Instrumentation; J. E. Hollid~, D. W. Fischer, R. J. Liefeld and D. J. Nagel on Bonding and Valence State; H. Friedman and W. P. Reidy on X-R~ Astronomy; and R. Nordberg on Photo-Auger Electron Spectroscopy. Upon reading over the papers as presented here, one cannot help but be impressed by the steady, dynamic growth and expansion of the field of applied x-ray analysis, beginning about thirty years ago with quantitative elementary analysis and extending to the present time with dramatic and exciting applications to x-r~ astronomy. It has been most appropriate and indeed a privilege to have Dr. Herbert Friedman as a speaker and contributor to this volume.

This conference has attempted to achieve a balance in the presentation of papers on the application of current methods to established problem areas and on the introduction of new methods and applications. It has recognized the relevance of papers on basic physics and chemistry and on the total interaction of x-r~s with matter. In order to achieve sufficient depth, a topic is chosen each year for special emphasis. This conference had as its central theme, "The Interactions and Applications of Low Energy X-R~s." Those who were invited as speakers and as contributors to this volume are among the outstanding workers in the application of low energy x-ray and the associated photo-Auger electron interactions. These include A. K. Baird and W. L. Baun on Light Element Analysis and Long Wavelength Instrumentation; J. E. Hollid~, D. W. Fischer, R. J. Liefeld and D. J. Nagel on Bonding and Valence State; H. Friedman and W. P. Reidy on X-R~ Astronomy; and R. Nordberg on Photo-Auger Electron Spectroscopy. Upon reading over the papers as presented here, one cannot help but be impressed by the steady, dynamic growth and expansion of the field of applied x-ray analysis, beginning about thirty years ago with quantitative elementary analysis and extending to the present time with dramatic and exciting applications to x-r~ astronomy. It has been most appropriate and indeed a privilege to have Dr. Herbert Friedman as a speaker and contributor to this volume.