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Not only did 1991's break-up of the Soviet Union mark a critical turning point in world relations, but it also opened an era of new opportunities for market and science development. With the business goal of exploring these opportunities and the professional one of helping to integrate Russian technology into the world metallurgical community, I visited Moscow on behalf of the firm Rhenium Alloys during May 13-21,1996.I also served as a representative of TMS and ASM International to the people I met and the facilities that I visited.
In order to facilitate cooperative research interaction in the area of refractory metals, the focus of the trip centered on the creation of joint R&D projects with different Russian institutions; the identification of technical and technological resources for such development; and the collection of current scientific and technical information from recently published Russian papers, books, and research reports. Although establishing any business or technological relationship in Russia can be distinguished by a high level of bureaucracy and uncertainty with regard to regulations that govern any business enterprise, it seems to be well worth the effort, as the technical resources are great, the promise...