The World Materials Research Institutes Forum (www.wmrif.org), established at the National Institute for Materials Science in Japan in 2005, is comprised of directors and executives of over 50 materials research institutes from around the world. WMRIF’s composition positions it to identify and define worldwide grand challenges in materials science, to establish collaborative research efforts to address global challenges, and to provide premier materials education and training to young scientists to enable sustained innovation in materials sciences.

WMRIF members meet in a biennial general assembly at one of the participating materials research institutes. The 7th WMRIF Symposium and General Assembly took place June 19–22, 2017, at the National Science and Technology Development Agency in Bangkok, Thailand, hosted by the National Metal and Materials Technology Center (Figure 1). Michael Fasolka of the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST), the current WMRIF president, led the 7^th WMRIF along with current WMRIF secretary general Nick Barbosa, also of NIST. The symposium, which took place prior to the general assembly, brought together more than 170 participants, including leaders and technical staff from 16 world materials research institutes. The main theme of the symposium was advances in materials for renewing and protecting critical infrastructure and resources.