It is with great pleasure that we dedicate this double issue of Adsorption Science & Technology to Professor K.S.W. Sing in honour of his 65th year of active work and research in the field of adsorption as well as to coincide with his 88th birthday. This special issue brings together a total of 13 invited academic and industrial contributions from his former doctoral students and colleagues. The papers come from all corners of the globe, including Argentina, Australia, Brazil, Egypt, Japan, Mexico, Portugal, Spain, U.S.A. and the U.K., emphasizing the overarching influence his work has spawned. The collection of articles provided in this issue recognizes his many contributions in the areas of physisorption, characterization of porous materials, discovery of novel materials and his influence on the field in general. Professor Sing was the founding editor of the journal Adsorption Science & Technology; however, he has been courteous enough not to use the journal for his own papers. Notwithstanding, his last two papers in the journal have been amongst the most cited ones (Sing and Williams 2004, 2005) in the journal’s history, paying tribute to the quality of his production. A showcase of his publication record until last year is described in detail in the “Biography” section, which is preceded by a short descriptive curriculum vitae that highlights the details of his most illustrious career. We have been very honoured to edit this special celebration issue and hope it becomes an inspiration to younger generations.