CTS-9632847 Timothy Barbari Johns Hopkins University ABSTRACT The 1996 International Congress on Membranes and Membrane Processes (ICOM '96) will take place in Yokohama, Japan from August 18-23, 1996. ICOM '96 is sponsored by the Membrane Society of Japan and co-sponsored by the North American Membrane Society and the European Society of Membrane Science and Technology. The 1996 ICOM will focus on both synthetic and biological membranes in the hope that the exchange of information between these two fields will contribute to innovative and exciting membrane technologies in the future. Specific topics include multi-phase transport phenomena, hydrodynamics, reverse osmosis, nanofiltration, ultrafiltration and microfiltration, gas separation, pervaporation and vapor permeation, inorganic membranes, electro-membranes, liquid membranes, vesicles and microcapsules, biological and biomimetic membranes, membrane reactors, food processing and environmental applications. This grant will provide partial support of the expenses of about 15 participants. The United States academic community has long played a key role in membrane research. Interactions with international colleagues will help the American membrane researchers to maintain a leadership role in the field. This meeting could help to make the U.S. membrane industry more competitive globally and to handle environmental and biotechnological applications more effectively.