We are pleased to announce that the Geophysical Laboratory (Carnegie Institution of Washington), Bayerisches Geoinstitut (Bayreuth University), and the Institute for Study of the Earth's Interior (Okayama University) will co-sponsor the fourth in a series of topical meetings that will be held in a newly built convention center in Kurayoshi (near Misasa), Japan from October 2 - 5, 2001. The theme of the meeting is "Transport of Materials in the Dynamic Earth" and we have planned five topical sessions with keynote and invited lectures for each session to be made by experts in the field. Additionaly, there will be one session for viewing and discussing poster presentations.

You are cordially invited to participate in this meeting. We are inviting abstracts for this meeting, which will be assembled into an abstract volume. Abstracts should be no longer than two pages in length, including figures and references, and electronic submissions are preferred. Detailed instructions for abstract submission as well as instructions for poster presentation will be available soon on the ISEI home page at
http://www.misasa.okayama-u.ac.jp/.

ABSTRACT DEADLINE IS July 15, 2001

We have planned the following five topical sessions, to be held from October 3 - 5. Each session will include keynote and invited lectures (persons in paranthesis have agreed to deliver invited lectures and/or serve as session chairs):

* Formation and evolution of geochemical reservoirs (Stan Hart, Woods Hole; Al Hoffman, Max Planck)
* Slab dehydration and material flux to the mantle (Max Schmidt, ETH)
* Magma genesis and the role of melting (Eiichi Takahashi, TITech.; Bernie Wood, Bristol)
* High pressure mineral physics (Rus Hemley, Geophysical Lab; Dave Rubie, Bayreuth)
* Imaging the mantle (Rob Van der Hilst, MIT; Yoshio Fukao, Tokyo)

Lectures will be followed by an extensive discussion period that will be moderated by an expert in the field. Meeting participants are urged to come prepared with slides, transparencies, movies or other presentation materials in order to make short (less than five minutes) presentations of new data and ideas. There will be one session dedicated exclusively for viewing and discussion of posters, although posters will be on display throughout the meeting.

A post-meeting field trip is being planned to Sambagawa Metamorphic Belt on Shikoku Island, and will be led by Mitsuhiro Toriumi (Univ. of Tokyo) and other Japanese geologists working in this area. The trip will be held from October 6 - 8, including two nights of lodging in a Japanese style hotel (ryokan) on Shikoku. Transportation will be by chartered bus. Shikoku is very convenient for post-trip transportation to Osaka Kansai Airport on October 8. Further details of the field trip will be available soon at the ISEI web site.

A REGISTRATION FEE OF 20,000 yen is DUE July 15, 2001. The registration fee includes the abstract volume, use of conference facilities, welcome party, and farewell dinner. Payment can be made securely through the ISEI web site using Visa or Master Card.

Kurayoshi city is located in the western part of Honshu Island, about 10 km from ISEI. Foreign travelers can arrive in Japan either at Narita Airport (60 km from Tokyo) or Kansai Airport (40 km from Osaka). Detailed travel instructions from these airports to Kurayoshi will be available at the ISEI web site. Those interested in field trip are advised that post-trip transportation is much more convenient to Kansai airport.

A block of about 70 rooms have been reserved at Kurayoshi St. Palace Hotel. The hotel is conveniently located across the street from the Kurayoshi train station. The room charge is about 7000 yen (about $60 U.S. at current exchange rate) per person per night. Transportation to and from the conference center will be provided each morning and evening.

Travel support for meeting attendees may become available for travel to and within Japan, pending approval from funding agencies. Preference will be given to students and post-doctoral researchers.