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| The Versailles Project on
Advanced Materials and Standards is an international research cooperation project, the
setting up of which was agreed at the 1982 G7 Summit. VAMAS promotes international
cooperation on standards of advanced materials to accelerate international
standardization and encourages the trading of advanced technology products. NIMS also
takes part in this initiative: one of the missions of MITS is to publish data sheets and
provide basic materials information. |
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VAMAS consists of 18 technical working
groups (TWA) that focus on surface analysis, ceramic materials, polymeric materials,
biomaterials, database construction, metal base composite materials, superconductive
materials, cryogenic structural materials, thin membranes, and high-temperature
vulnerable materials. It promotes pre-standardization research and proposes
international standards to ISO and IEC for official adoption. NIMS researchers currently
serve as international chairpersons in four of these TWA. |
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The VAMAS Steering Committee is composed
of general managers of major materials research institutes
and science policy planning staff of
the governments from G7 countries and EU member nations. Mr. Yagi, general
manager of the Materials Basic Information Station, is an active member of the
Committee. Since Japan is the host country this year, the Assembly was held in Japan,
for the first time in 11 years, on May 15 and 16, 2002. Chairman Kishi outlined the
research programs of NIMS in his message of greetings. The Assembly was an ideal
opportunity for NIMS to strengthen its links with overseas organizations. |
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The committee
discussed various issues, such as tie-ups and information exchange with other
international standardizing organizations, which is one of the VAMAS programs; a
proposal to set up new TWA for eco-materials and nanomaterials, in which many countries
are showing great interest, since it concerns future new materials standardization; and
re-organization of the biomaterials TWA. Japanese participants and organizers were very
active during the assembly in discussions and other events. |
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Over 70 people,
including 15 Steering Committee members, took part in the symposium. The symposium was
successful in providing the participants with a better understanding of Japan's VS
programs and other international contributions, and was rated as a great success by the
majority of the participants. |
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We thank the NIMS
staff and the symposium co-hosting organizations for their generous support and are
grateful to the speakers and Secretariat staff for their contributions. |
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Materials Information Technology
Station 
