Preface

Co-Chairman) and Santiago Garcia Espallargas (Scientific Secretary) had a difficult job in setting up an international meeting of this kind at the precise moment when the world was on the edge of a severe financial downturn.I will always remember our crisis meeting in December 2008, held in my home, where we had to decide either to cancel the meeting or to go ahead.The meeting, of course, went ahead and was a great success thanks to the efforts of these individuals and the fact that ASST is heavily supported by all the participating companies.These factors, together with the enthusiasm of the organizers and corporate support, made ASST V happen and also achieve, if not exceed, the high standards of previous ASST symposia.The symposium brought about 120 people together with a nice mix between countries, between academics and industrialists, and between young and old.Science was discussed during the lectures and during the poster sessions and late into the night in the bar!