The 78th Glass Problem Conference (GPC) including the 11th Advances in Fusion and Processing of Glass (AFPG) Symposium is organized by the Kazuo Inamori School of Engineering, The New York State College of Ceramics, Alfred University, Alfred, NY 14802 and The Glass Manufacturing Industry Council (GMIC), Westerville, OH 43082. The Program Director was S. K. Sundaram, Inamori Professor of Materials Science and Engineering, Kazuo Inamori School of Engineering, The New York State College of Ceramics, Alfred University, Alfred, NY 14802. The Conference Director was Robert Weisenburger Lipetz, Executive Director, Glass Manufacturing Industry Council (GMIC), Westerville, OH 43082. Donna Banks of the GMIC coordinated the events and provided support. The Conference started with a half-day plenary session followed by technical sessions. The themes and chairs of four half-day technical sessions were as follows:

Modeling, Sensors, and Furnace Design
James Uhlik, Toledo Engineering Company, Inc., Toledo, OH and Michelle Korwin-Edson, Owen Corning Composite Solutions, Granville, OH

Refractories & Testing
Laura Lowe – North American Refractory Company, Pittsburgh, PA, Larry McCloskey – Anchor Acquisition, LLC, Lancaster, OH, and Laura Lowe – North American Refractory Company, Pittsburgh, PA and Larry McCloskey – Anchor Acquisition, LLC, Lancaster, OH
 
Combustion
Glenn Neff, Glass Service USA, Inc., Stuart, FL and Uyi Iyoha, Praxair Inc., Tonawanda, NY

Environmental & Safety
Phil Tucker, Johns Manville, Denver, CO and Elmer Sperry, Libbey Glass, Toledo, OH

S. K. SUNDARAM, PhD, is an Inamori Professor of Materials Science and Engineering at Alfred University. Before joining Alfred University, Dr. Sundaram was a chief materials scientist at the Pacific Northwest National Laboratory (PNNL). He joined the PNNL in 1994 as a post-doctoral fellow and became a senior research scientist in 1996. He was then promoted to chief materials scientist in January 2002. Dr. Sundaram is internationally recognized for interdisciplinary research. He has made over 100 technical presentations, edited/contributed to twelve books, published over eighty peer-reviewed publications and technical reports, mentored/supported over forty-five students, and organized/co-organized several national and international symposia on advanced topics in materials science. He is also a co-inventor in three issued patents and two provisional patent applications.