"Call it a clan, call it a network, call it a tribe, call it a family; whatever you call it, whoever you are, you need one." --Jane Howard

All families cherish traditions and annual gatherings. They are times when we come together to share and bond, as well as to discuss, plan, and learn from each other. They are also times when we have fun, break bread together, and enjoy each other's company. On a personal note, I cannot imagine life without family and friends and traditions. The TMS family will be coming together at its Annual Meeting in San Francisco (February 15-19, 2009 at the Moscone West Convention Center); it is the venue for us to network, to learn from each other, and to meet up and connect. Nearly 4,000 professionals are expected to attend from industry, government, and academia, traveling from 68 countries.

I believe I have attended every TMS Annual Meeting since 1975, perhaps with one or two exceptions. It is the time of the year when I meet up with colleagues that I have not seen in a while and make new friends. At the Annual Meeting, I have the opportunity to hear presentations in emerging areas, as well as presentations that are in my area of interest. It is a time of the year that I connect with young graduate students and post-doctoral researchers. Over the years I have been involved with the Solidification Committee, as well as the Aluminum Committee. Organizing sessions, editing the Light Metals proceedings, and making presentations have been valuable learning experiences. The exhibits are always fun and instructive. The honors and awards banquet is also a special occasion in that we recognize accomplishments of our colleagues and we celebrate their achievements; I have not missed one of these banquets. It is a time to recharge and to socialize. For me, the Annual Meeting is a tradition, a time of the year that I am with my TMS family! The meeting is a link to the past as well as a path to the future.

The 2009 Annual Meeting continues--and enhances--that tradition of quality programming. Some highlights of the upcoming conference include:

Record number of abstracts: With a jump of 10 percent over last year, more than 3,000 papers are planned

Emphasis on "greening" of the meeting: Greater use of recycled materials and more recycling of on-site waste materials

Beautiful downtown San Francisco location: Convenient to our friends from the Pacific Rim

Guest tours to Wine Country and Alcatraz (Personally, I prefer the Wine Country)

Huge exhibit with new Employer's Row feature: Meet representatives from organizations that are hiring now

138th TMS and AIME Honors and Awards Presentation: Meet the new slate of award recipients and greet the new president (and say adieu to the old one!)

See students compete in the 3rd Annual Materials Bowl: Our most challenging competition yet, with several new surprises

Volunteer for a community service project: On the Saturday before the meeting, help us help low-income members of the Bay community sustain themselves via a gardening initiative

2009 Distinguished Lectures Series: Featuring three renowned speakers, invited to present talks on critical technology areas

The following special lectures are also on the schedule for this year's conference:

Women in Science Breakfast Lecture: "Women in Science and Engineering: A Personal Perspective" by Dawn Bonnell, Professor, University of Pennsylvania

Young Leaders Tutorial Luncheon Lecture: "Atomistic and Mesoscale Modeling of Materials: Towards Predictive Tools for Materials Design" by Alejandro Strachan, Purdue University, Recipient of the TMS Early Career Faculty Fellow Award

Extraction & Processing Division/Materials Processing & Manufacturing Division Luncheon Lecture

Extraction & Processing Division Distinguished Lecture: "The Hydrometallurgical Extraction and Recovery of High Purity Silver" by James E. Hoffmann, President, James E. Hoffmann and Associates Company

Light Metals Division Luncheon Lecture: "Nano Approaches to Using Light Metals Magnesium and Aluminum in Hydrogen Storage" by Rajeev Ahuja, Uppsala University

Let us not forget networking and social functions, which are always popular, particularly the president's welcoming reception on Monday night and the Exhibition grand opening reception on Tuesday night. A number of technical symposia will also include special networking receptions.

This meeting will be bittersweet for me in that I will end my presidency and will pass on the duties and responsibilities of the office to my successor, current Vice President Ray Peterson, who is eminently qualified to continue the journey. It has been a most engaging year in that the board has embarked on many critically important issues to the MSE community, and it has been exciting and also productive. TMS members should know (if you do not already know) that we have an amazing corps of volunteer leaders who make things happen. There are a large number of our colleagues devoting much of their time for the good of the community, and it has been an absolute pleasure working with them to move the agenda forward. We are an amazing family and look forward to connecting with you all in San Francisco.

To learn more about the annual meeting, visit the new TMS 2009 Annual Meeting web site. View a complete list of symposia, get the latest news, and register on-line for the conference at www.tms.org/annualmeeting.html.

Diran Apelian is a professor in the Mechanical Engineering Department of Worcester Polytechnic Institute and the 2008 TMS President.