The 3^rd International Conference of the Hellenic Society of Rheology (HSR) took place in Patras, Greece, June 10-14, 2001. It was co-organized by the Institute of Chemical Engineering Sciences (FORTH/ICE-HT), the University of Patras (Department of Chemical Engineering) and the National Technical University of Athens (Department of Mining and Metallurgical Engineering).

The Conference was a special one, since it was dedicated to Professor Andreas Acrivos, one of the most influential chemical engineers of the last 50 years, on the occasion of his retirement from the City College of the City University of New York, where he held the A. Einstein Chair at the Levich Institute. Professor Acrivos’ research interests lie in the general areas of Applied Mathematics, Newtonian and non-Newtonian Fluid Mechanics, Transport Phenomena and, currently, in the rheology of concentrated suspensions and the study of the effective properties of two-phase materials. He has published more than 180 papers in well-reputed journals, and has graduated a large number of Ph.D. students who, in their majority, have become leading scientists and engineers. His academic tree includes more than 400 members. He has received a number of distinguished awards, which include election to the U.S. National Academy of Engineering, the U.S. National Academy of Sciences, and the U.S. Academy of Arts and Sciences.

The meeting was attended by 100 participants, 30 of which were former students of Professor Acrivos or students of theirs. They had been officially invited by HSR and participated in the Conference with invited talks. The program also included plenary lectures, oral presentations and a poster session, on topics encompassing all areas of the general theme of Rheology: Polymer melts and solutions, colloids and suspensions, molecular modeling and simulations, and experimental, theoretical, and computational fluid dynamics. A complete list of participants, as well as the final program of the Conference, are posted on the official web page of the Society. The Abstracts of the presentations given in the Conference were compiled in a Book, which is also posted there. Extended versions of some of the papers presented at the Conference have been submitted for publication in a special issue of the Journal of Non-Newtonian Fluid Mechanics (JNNFM), which is expected to appear within the year. The Organizing and Scientific Committees of the Conference are grateful to Professor Ken Walters, editor of JNNFM, for providing this opportunity in honor of Professor Acrivos.

In addition to the Scientific Program, the Social Program was also interesting. This included a tour to the Archaeological Site of Olympia, a reception by the FORTH/ICE-HT Director and Researchers followed by dinner, and the Formal Conference Dinner on June 13th, where HSR and Professor Acrivos celebrated his 65 birthday. During the Conference, commemorative tablets were awarded to Professor Acrivos by the Vice Rector of the University of Patras (Professor C. Vayenas) and the Director of FORTH/ICE-HT (Professor A. Payatakes). Gifts were also presented to Professor Acrivos by the HSR and friends of his. Photos in memory of these occasions are posted.