Materials science and technology is driven by its practical applications. In implementing this charter, the Subcommittee will work closely with industry, academia, professional societies, trade associations, state and local governments and others representing the diverse constituencies within the materials community. The Role of Materials in Industrial Competitiveness A dvanced materials are the foundation and fabric of manufactured products. Without advanced materials, many of today's leading commercial products and military systems would not exist.
Materials establish and support entire industries.
Tens of millions of manufacturing jobs depend on the availability of advanced materials at affordable costs. Traditional applications of aluminum and steel in, for example, the aircraft and automotive industries, are expected to be augmented by further development and commercialization of composite materials, which are lighter than metals but still too expensive for widespread use. Other examples of materials-based products and industries abound. Technology always has been a driver of high-wage job creation and a steady rise in living standards. Today, with the end of the Cold War, the globalization of the world economy, and the proliferation of new information and manufacturing systems, technology is more powerful than ever as a mechanism for raising productivity and assuring world-class industrial and economic performance.