Preface

Abstract

The current special issue of the International Journal of Quantum Chemistry presents the Proceedings of the Eighth European Workshop on Quantum Systems in Chemistry and Physics (QSCP VIII), covering a wide range of the conceptual development of modern molecular structure and its implications. The workshop was held from August 30 to September 4, 2003, on the Island of Spetses, Greece, at the Lefka Palace Hotel. Spetses Island, a superb summer resort, is located 52 nautical miles southwest of Athens, in the Saronic Gulf. The magical harmony created by the concordance of the light blue of the sea water, the blue skies, and orchestrated by the brightness of Apollo's light proved ideal for a pure concept-enhancing, strongly interacting group of scientists. The QSCP VIII was attended by 66 participants who delivered 30 25-minute talks, while three plenary lectures were given by Nobel Laureate W. Kohn (on “van der Waals Energies and Time-Dependent Density Functional Theory”), R.J. Bartlett (on “New Developments in Coupled-Cluster Theory: What Have We learned?”), and T.H. Dunning, Jr. (on “Calculations of Molecular Binding Energies: From van der Waals Interactions to Chemical Bonds”). Thirty posters were also exhibited during the conference. The topics included very accurate calculations of small molecules and potential energy surfaces (“The right result for the right reason”), electronic properties of materials and their applications, new developments and applications of Density Functional Theory, coupled-cluster theory, conical intersections, geometric optimization of large floppy systems, relativistic quantum chemistry, spectroscopy, and photochemistry. This by now well-established annual series of workshops included those held in Bratislava (VII), Sophia (VI), Uppsala (V), Marly-le-Roi (IV), Granada (III), Oxford (II), and Pisa (I). QSCP IX was organized in Les Houches (September 2004), while the next one (X) is going to take place in Carthage, Tunisia. I would like to express my sincere gratitude to the International Scientific Committee and the Local Committee for their organization and their excellent spirit of cooperation. In particular, I thank two members of the Local Committee, Drs. A. Tsekouras and A. Papakondylis, members of the faculty at the Chemistry Department of Athens University, whose help from the inception of this workshop until its full completion was most welcome. One can only realize the infinite and unexpected number of problems surfacing continuously in a gathering of about 100 people from all over the world only if one has been exposed to such an experience. I also thank the Pacific Northwest National Laboratory (USA) for its financial support and the help of Dr. S.S. Xantheas for organizing many aspects of the conference, as well as all the participants who really were the driving force of this endeavor. My last thanks go to Professor Erkki Brändas, who undertook the effort to act as editor of the QSCP VIII Proceedings.