Papers are invited for a Symposium on Firestopping, sponsored by ASTM Committee E05 on Fire Standards and E06 on Performance of Building Construction. The symposium will be held Dec. 6, 2004, in Washington, DC, in conjunction with the Dec. 5-8, 2004, standards development meetings of Committee E05.

The objectives of the symposium are to: (1) focus attention on firestopping products and assemblies testing, installations and standards; (2) provide rationale for current full-scale and intermediate scale fire testing, perimeter joint testing and smoke testing; (3) identify new opportunities based on product performance, system capabilities via smoke resistance and movement capabilities; and (4) investigate application of international standards for development of new standards.

To participate in the symposium, presenters/authors must submit the online Abstract Submittal Form (www.astm.org/SYMPOSIA/callforpapers.htm) and attach a 250-300 word preliminary abstract by Feb. 5, 2004. The abstract must include a clear definition of the objective and approach of the work discussed, pointing out material that is new, and it must present sufficient details regarding results. The presentation and manuscript must not be of a commercial nature nor can it have been previously published. If the preliminary abstract is accepted, the presenter/author will be requested to submit a final camera-ready abstract several months before the symposium. The final abstracts will be distributed in an abstract booklet at the symposium.

Publication of the peer-reviewed symposium papers in the Journal of ASTM International (JAI) is anticipated. The symposium chairmen will notify you by April 8, 2004, of your paper's acceptability for presentation at the symposium. All accepted manuscripts to be peer reviewed for JAI will be due at ASTM by Oct. 8, 2004.

More information is available from Symposium Co-Chairmen Ms. Amal Tamim, W. R. Grace & Co. (phone: (617) 498-4441; fax: (617) 498-4419; or amal_tamim@yahoo.com); or John D. Nicholas, Omega Point Labs, Inc. (phone: (210) 635-8100; fax: (210) 635-8133; or jnicholas@opl.com).