VIU PREFACE 



of workers in the U.S.S.R. who found themselves unable to participate, the 

 group was fairly representative both on the basis of discipline and nationality. 



The symposium was divided into six three-hour sessions each of which 

 dealt with specific topics. The final and seventh session was devoted to general 

 discussion and was led by Professor Z. M. Bacq. For this general discussion 

 the technique was adopted of posing a number of controversial statements 

 and asking only those to speak who disagreed with the formulation of this 

 statement. This method of running the general discussion was first adopted 

 by Professor Bacq in Moscow where it proved eminently successful. In each 

 of the first six sessions there was only one formal presentation, which was in 

 the form of an introduction to the subject, and which took not more than 

 30 minutes. The remaining time was devoted to free discussion. The partici- 

 pants were asked beforehand to give an indication of sjDecific scientific com- 

 munications which they wished to make in the various sessions, and the 

 titles of these contributions were known to the Chairman of each session. 

 These contributions usually occupied between five and ten minutes and con- 

 sisted of presentation of new data directly relevant to the subject under 

 discussion. The Chairman's task was to plan each session around the list of 

 contributions. In this book the specific contributions have been written up 

 in the form of papers and are not printed in the form in which they were 

 given. The general discussion which surrounded these contributions was 

 tape recorded and after suitable editing is reproduced here. 



Although no formal committee was set up to help in the planning of this 

 conference, my task of organizing it was greatly assisted by the advice of 

 colleagues and friends, of whom I particularly wish to mention Dr. Vladimir 

 Zeleny, Professor P. C. Koller and Professor L. F. Lamerton. As already 

 stated, the organization of the individual sessions was left to the Chair- 

 men, all of whom took great trouble and discharged their duties splendidly. 

 The success of the meeting was in a large measure due to the efforts of the 

 Chairmen. In the general organization, I received a great deal of help from 

 the staff of the IAEA and I am particularly indebted to Dr. Zeleny, who was 

 indefatigable in straightening out many difficulties. The IAEA also carried 

 out the arduous task of transcribmg the tape recording. It is a particular 

 pleasure to thank the many members of the staff of the Chester Beatty 

 Research Institute and, in particular, Mr. N. P. Hadow, Mr. K. Moreman, 

 and Miss M. Samuel, all of whom put in a great deal of work in the general 

 running and administration of the meeting. We must also acknowledge with 

 gratitude the help of the National Science Foundation of the U.S.A. who 

 generously made available travel funds to some of the U.S. participants. 



December 1962 P. Alexander 



