The objective of this conference, the first of broad interest in the field of nonlinear optics, is to provide an international forum for presentation and discussion of new and original research in this field. The emphasis will be on new fundamental or applied scientific discoveries in theory and on experiments on materials, processes, and devices. This conference will bring together the physicists, engineers, material scientists, and chemists that make up this multidisciplinary research area. It is also intended to be international in scope, with a selected group of eminent scientists from various representative regions of the world.