Welcome to the 21st National Conference on Solid State Nuclear Track Detectors and Their Applications (SSNTDs-21)

Solid State Nuclear Track Detectors (SSNTDs) -a class of passive detectors, developed by R.L.Fleischer, P.B. Price and R.M. Walker in the early 1960s have found innumerous applications in various fields of science and technology. SSNTDs have been recognized as very potential and effective tools in exploring various areas of research. The intrinsic features of SSNTDs like low cost , availability, versatility and their remarkable stability have contributed to applications in a wide range of fields opening up new vistas which were practically unthinkable and unbelievable about a decade or two ago. In fact, nuclear tracks find applications wherever solid damage occurs and in the present times, there is hardly any branch of science and technology where these detectors don't have a potential application. Apart from the direct applications of far reaching consequences in nuclear physics, other areas as diverse as bio-medical sciences, cosmic rays and space physics, environmental research, geochronology and geophysics, materials sciences, lunar science, meteorites and tektites; microanalysis, mine safety, nuclear technology, uranium prospecting and most recently nano-/micro technology etc., have been greatly influenced by SSNTDs. They have a very important role to play in radiation measurement, micro technology and dosimetry and thus are potent enough in spreading awareness about the radiation environment and its impact on the general public and the academic peers. In order to disseminate the knowledge generated in this fast growing field, there is a need to bring material science and radiation community on a common platform and discuss various operational and radiation protection aspects.