About the editor Albert Lee Smith is Scientist Emeritus at Dow Corning Corporation. In the past he has served in a variety of capacities for Dow Corning, including manager of its analytical department, analytical scientist, and global analytical coordinator. Dr. Smith is a recipient of the Williams-Wright Award (1987) and the American Chemical Society Local Section Award for outstanding achievement and promotion of the chemical sciences (1988). He has been president of the Coblentz Society and chairman of the Joint Committee on Atomic and Molecular Physical Data. Dr. Smith received his PhD in physical chemistry from Ohio State University. He is the author of Applied Infrared Spectroscopy (Wiley, 1979).