It is a great pleasure for us to invite you to take part of the First International Meeting on Applied Physics (APHYS 2003), organized from the Spanish city of Badajoz and open to researchers all over the world through Information and Communication Technologies. A high level Applied Physics meeting, also covering Educational aspects as usual in our activities.

Applied Physics is not a branch of physics but is the application of all the branches of physics to the broad realm of practical problems in engineering, science, and industry. Applied physics is the interface between science and technology, between the pure and the applied, between the laboratory and practice. An international meeting on Applied Physics like this must then necessarily be a really multi and inter-disciplinar meeting. For this reason, a broad range of people are invited to attend this Conference, from pure or applied physicists interested or applying physics principles to any scientific or tecnologial field, to any other scientints, technicians, etc. from other disciplines (chemistry, biology, medicine, etc.) where physics can open new ways of facing a problem.

How does Applied Physics Impact Society? 
(Take a look at some Physics Success Stories as reported by the American Institute of Physics)
Physics Saves Money - Energy Efficiency 
Physics Improves Health - Medical Physics 
Physics Creates Jobs - Computers 
Physics Drives Progress - Transportation 
Physics Protects People - National Defense 
Physics Fills Your Home - Consumer Goods 
Physics Connects the World - Telecommunications 
Physics Stimulates Industry - Lasers 
Physics Saves Lives - Medical Imaging 
Physics Designs the Future - New Materials 
Physics Clears the Air - The Environment 
Physics Launches New Business - Global Positioning System

Many of the actual scientific and technological problems clearly require an interdisciplinary approach and collaboration projects between research groups. Information and Communication technologies have clearly made this approach much easier and permitted research groups very far one from another to (net)work in quite efficient collaboration initiatives. For this reason, this Conference will promote contacts for the creation of multinational and multidisciplinar thematic and research networks, as well as to promote the knowledge of the available sources of funding for collaboration projects (specially those of the European Union). Presentation of results of alreadly executed collaborative programs or Call for Partners presentations are also welcomed.

Although some different simposia will be programmed during the Conference, paralell sessions will be avoided to permit the maximum possible interaction between all the attendees (we do not want to program many paralell specialized "mini-conferences"). You will find information on the final structure of the Conference in due time.

With this interdisciplinar perspective, you are cordially invited to actively participate in this International Meeting as presenter, attendee, reviewer, sponsor, exhibitor...

We look forward to seeing you in Badajoz !

Antonio Mendez Vilas
APHYS2003 Coordinator