he Nobel Prize is a truly international prize. The aim of the Nobel Prize is to recognize people whose contributions have been of the greatest benefits to mankind. The annual awards are given in physics, chemistry, medicine, literature, peace and economic sciences.

In celebration of the centennial of the Nobel Prize in 2001, World Scientific and Imperial College Press are proud to be co-publishing for the Nobel Foundation an invaluable volume entitled, The Nobel Prize: The First 100 Years, which will be distributed worldwide.

Edited by Agneta Wallin Levinovitz and Nils Ringertz of the Nobel Foundation, Sweden, this book provides a very clear perspective on the development of human civilization over the last century. It covers the Nobel Prizes in Physics, Chemistry, Physiology or Medicine, Literature, Peace and the Bank of Sweden Prize in Economic Sciences. These prizes have not only captured the most significant contributions to the progress of mankind, they are also distinct markers of the major trends in their respective areas.

Besides featuring the major trends and developments, this interesting volume also presents some information about the life and philosophy of Alfred B. Nobel, the history of the Nobel Foundation and the procedures for nominating and selecting Nobel laureates.

orld Scientific is honored to have been named an Enterprise 50 company in Singapore for the year 2000. This award, jointly established by Accenture (formerly Andersen Consulting), The Business Times and the Economic Development Board, is conferred on the top 50 privately held companies in Singapore,in recognition of their vital role in the country's economy. World Scientific made it to the list for its strong performance in terms of profit, turnover, training, R&D spending, and other qualitative factors such as knowledge management, management philosophy and innovation.

Established in 1981, World Scientific has expanded rapidly and now ranks among the top 10 scientific publishers in the world. As a guiding principle, we are constantly innovating and seizing emerging opportunities, and we are fully aware that the cornerstone of a business is a welltrained workforce.

Our notable successes include being awarded exclusive rights by the Nobel Foundation to publish the entire series of Nobel lectures in English, from 1901 to 1995.