A colloquium will be held to mark the retiral of Professor John Spence, former Vice Principal of the University of Strathclyde, former Head of the Department of Mechanical Engineering and past President of the Institution of Mechanical Engineers.

Professor Spence has been involved with pressure vessel technology both in industry and in academia throughout his entire working life and so it is fitting that the colloquium should reflect this theme. The conference is being held at the University of Strathclyde in the Court-Senate Suite and is being sponsored by the Pressure Systems Group of the Institution of Mechanical Engineers.

The colloquium will focus on the theory and practice of pressure vessel technology. This again reflects Professor Spence's interests in research and analytical treatments, together with the practical application to real industrial problems and the on-going developments within codes and standards driving towards safer design. Invited papers have been received from national and international experts in their fields and a balanced programme has been prepared bringing together some of the latest developments in pressure vessel technology.