In 1921, Joseph Valasek published the first paper on the ferroelectric behaviour in RochelleSalt: J. Valasek, Piezoelectric and allied phenomena in Rochelle salt, Phys. Rev., 17 (1921)475-481.

A ferroelectric material can be described as one in which there is a spontaneouspolarization which can be reoriented between two or more crystallographically defined statesby applied external electric field. In the following century, numerous ferroelectric materialshave   been   designed   and   developed   to   enable   countless   device   advances.   This   includesdielectric capacitors, piezoelectric sensors and actuators, pyroelectric detectors, electrocaloricsolid state cooling, electro-optical devices and non-volatile memories, to name just a few.  Please join us during a special session of the meeting for topical celebrations of the impact offerroelectrics on society, predictions of the next century of ferroelectricity, and a birthdaycelebration for this scientific milestone.   The special presentations below will be given inhonour of this event.