9625945 Kuzyk This proposal seeks partial funding for an international conference on the topic of organic nonlinear optics with meeting headquarters on Marco Island, Florida. Travel funds are requested to support U.S. invited speakers and students. The purpose of the meeting is to bring together top researchers - whose expertise spans material design, material characterization, device fabrication, and integrated device architectures - to the captive setting of a small island to discuss and assess progress in the field. This upcoming conference is motivated by 3 previous NSF-supported conferences that were held in Pullman, Washington in the summer of 1992; in Val Thorens, France in the Winter of 1994 (ICONO'1); and in Kusatsu, Japan in the Summer of 1995(ICONO'2). This proposed meeting would be the fourth in the series of meetings that are held every 18 months. The demand for such a meeting was evidenced by full-capacity attendance at both ICONO'1 and ICONO'2. The strategy is to hold this meeting in those countries that are active in organic nonlinear optics. At the ICONO'1 meeting, U.S. and other non-European attendees had the opportunity to learn about a large array of European research activities that are normally not represented at U.S. conferences. Similarly, at ICONO'2, Pacific Rim research was show-cased. NSF supported students attended both conferences. The aim of this meeting is to bring together this group of internationally distinguished researchers to a forum in the United States that encourages discussion and interactions. ***
