This volume is based on the NATO Advanced Study Institute, "Advances in
Mor- phometries" held in 11 Ciocco, Tuscany, Italy from July 18-30,
1993, and directed by Leslie F. Marcus. The "Advances in Morphometries"
ASI was advertised in Nature and a number of professional journals.
Announcements were sent to relevant institutions and departments
throughout the world. Because NATO required that the majority of
attendees be from NATO countries, the 71 persons attending represented
nine NATO countries, four eastern European countries, now recognized as
equal partners for AS Is, and a few participants from non-NATO
countries. Participants were all active scholars in different
disciplines within biology, as well as computer science, statistics,
geology and paleontology. Their experience ranged from that of graduate
students to senior faculty, as well as one emeritus scholar. A complete
list of the those attending and their addresses, phone and FAX numbers
and, where available, e-mail addresses is given in the participants
list. All the local arrangements were made by Marco Corti and Anna Loy
of the University of Rome "Ia Sapienza. " They made the initial contact
with the II Ciocco conference center and then arranged for computer and
Xerox rentals, design of logos, organization of posters, and publication
of poster abstracts.