The XVIII International Sol–Gel Conference: Sol–Gel 2015 was held in Kyoto, Japan, September 6–11, 2015

It is our great honor to have had the opportunity to organize this important event and the professional activities that took place during the Kyoto edition of the International Sol–Gel Conference series. It was the third time that the Conference was organized in Japan, and the second time in Kyoto, following the successful series that have begun 35 years ago in Padova (Italy, 1981) and those of Würzburg (Germany, 1983), Montpellier (France, 1985), Kyoto (Japan, 1987), Rio de Janeiro (Brazil, 1989), Sevilla (Spain, 1991), Paris (France, 1993), Faro (Portugal, 1995), Sheffield (UK, 1997), Yokohama (Japan, 1999), Padova (Italy 2001), Sydney (Australia, 2003), Los Angeles (USA, 2005), Montpellier (France, 2007), Porto de Galinhas (Brazil, 2009), Hangzhou (China, 2011) and finally Madrid (Spain, 2013).

Sol–Gel 2015 brought together experts from many research areas who presented and discussed the most recent developments and future trends in this exciting field. Sol–Gel 2015 offered to the multidisciplinary and growing scientific Sol–Gel Community an exciting forum to get in contact with international key researchers and stimulate new collaborations for the development of novel ideas, materials and applications.

The exciting program of the Sol–Gel 2015 Conference, featuring the cutting-edge research and progress in the field of Sol–Gel Science and Technology, was elaborated by the Local Organizing Committee, together with the ISGS and the International Advisory Board (IAB). Sol–Gel 2015 intended to contribute not only to purely scientific research but also to stimulating exchanges between academia and industry.

Professor Kazuki Nakanishi (center), Chair, and Dr. Kazumi Kato (left) and Professor Hiromitsu Kozuka (right), Co-Chairs of the XVIII International Sol–Gel Conference—Sol–Gel 2015.

As Chairs of the XVIII International Sol–Gel Conference, we would like to thank the Kyoto Convention & Visitors Bureau, 4 public foundations, 20 industrial sponsors, the International Sol–Gel Society (ISGS), the Local Organizing Committee (LOC), the Financial Committee, the Scientific Committee, the Executive Committee, the International Advisory Board (IAB) and the Japanese Sol–Gel Society (JSGS) for their contributions to make Sol–Gel 2015 a very successful event.

Chair

Professor Kazuki Nakanishi

Co-Chairs

Professor Hiromitsu Kozuka and Dr. Kazumi Kato