The organising committee invites you to actively participate in the 9^th International Symposium on Group Five Elements to be held in New Delhi (India) from November 22^nd to 24^th, 2017. Group Five Elements are key components of functional materials and the purpose of this 3-day symposium is to bring together the community involved in pioneering research on Vanadium, Niobium and Tantalum, which are the main elements of this group.

The origins of the International Symposium on Group Five Elements can be traced back to a conference held in 1989 in Hawaii, USA, entitled "Catalytic Conversions with Niobium Materials", organized by Akira Morikawa, Kozo Tanabe, Israel E. Wachs and Edmond I. Ko. This meeting was followed by the first and second International Symposium on Niobium Compounds held in Tokyo, Japan (1992 and 1994). The Niobium focus conceived by Prof. Tanabe was enlarged to include Vanadium and Tantalum during the International Symposium on Group Five Elements held in Rio de Janeiro (Brazil) in 1999. Prof. Israel E. Wachs played a stellar role in organizing and continuing with the subsequent International Symposium on Group Five Elements that were held every three years at several scenic locations, Toledo (Spain) in 2002, Hancock (USA) in 2005, Poznan (Poland) in 2008, Riccione (Italy) in 2011, and Malaga (Spain) in 2014. The 9^th International Symposium on Group Five Elements to be held in New Delhi, India continues with this rich tradition. This symposium is being organized by Indian Institute of Technology, Kanpur and supported by the Catalysis Society of India.

The Group Five elements, which include Vanadium, Niobium and Tantalum, are key components in solid-state chemistry, materials science, catalysis and engineering for the preparation of functional materials. During the 9^th International Symposium on Group Five Elements we will continue with the previous emphasis on V, Nb and Ta, with stress on the experimental and computational structure-performance relationships of these elements and compounds containing them. Furthermore, presentations dealing with other applications and properties of Group Five elements will also be welcome. We look forward to hearing from you and welcoming you to New Delhi, India.

Indian Institute of Technology, Kanpur established by the Government of India in 1959 is one of the premier institutions in the field of engineering education and research. The Institute strives to impart quality education, conduct cutting edge original research, and provide leadership in technological innovation. Situated in the outskirts of Kanpur city in the state of Uttar Pradesh, it is home to about 400 faculty members and 6500 students. This lush green residential campus rich in biodiversity is planned and landscaped with a hope for environmental freedom. More about IIT Kanpur can be found here.