The Importance of Numeric Databases to Materials Science.

Scientific numeric databases are important research tools for materials scientists. In distinction to bibliographic databases, these numeric databases are primarily useful because of the direct, immediate access to data, often evaluated data. Examples showing the application of crystallographic databases are given, including determining candidate materials for certain applications. Thermochemical data useful for the design of fiber optic cable is discussed showing the importance of high-quality data. In addition, these databases are an important tool that can be utilized in the graduate education of the next generation of materials scientists. This is an edited version of the talk presented as the Introduction to the Workshop on the "Role of Numeric Databases in Materials and Biological Sciences" on July 26, 1988 as part of the 1988 Annual Meeting of the American Crystallographic Association in Philadelphia.