“The International Interactive Conference on Functional Glasses: Properties and Applications for Energy & Information” took place on January 6–11, 2013, in Siracusa, Sicily. This unique conference resulted from a multiyear effort by the NSF-funded International Materials Institute for New Functionality in Glass (IMI-NFG) to bring together active glass researchers with the industries using or manufacturing glass. The conference promoted extensive discussion among academics, technologists, and manufacturers with invited speakers only, defined discussion leaders, an industry panel, a detailed summary report, and a roadmap outlining glass-based needs and opportunities for energy and information technologies. (Table 1 lists participants and presentation topics.) This short summary outlines the topics covered and the key outcomes.

We encourage you to download the complete report at www.lehigh.edu/imi and to register your opinion about the relative importance of the technologies discussed.