The Materials Research Society of Singapore (MRS-S) was formed in 1999 as a not-for-profit organisation to serve a rapidly emerging materials science community in Singapore. The Society is affiliated with the International Union of Materials Research Societies (IUMRS) and currently hosting its Head Office. Since its inception the focus of MRS-S has been to promote materials science not only to researchers in Singapore, but also to publicise the niche capabilities of local researchers throughout Asia and further afield. To this end, the Society’s major activity is the organisation of a biennial event – the International Conference on Materials for Advanced Technologies or ICMAT – that is held in June/July and attracts more than ~2,500 delegates from all over the world.