The 41st Annual Conference on Applications of X-Ray Analysis was held August 3-7, 1992, at the Sheraton Colorado Springs Hotel, Colorado Springs, Colorado. The Conference is recognized to be a major event in the x-ray analysis field, bringing together scientists and engineers from around the world to discuss the state of the art in x-ray applications as well as indications for further developments. In recent years, one of the most exciting and important developments in the x-ray field has been the applications of grazing-incidence x-rays for surface and thin-film analysis. To introduce the conference attendees to these "leading-edge" developments, the topic for the Plenary Session was "Grazing-Incidence X Ray Characterization of Materials. " The Conference had the privilege of inviting leading experts in the field of x-ray thin film analysis to deliver lectures at the Plenary Session. Dr. D. K. Bowen, University of Warwick, U. K. , opened the session with a lecture on "Grazing Incidence X-Ray Scattering from Thin Films. " He reviewed and compared grazing incidence diffraction, fluorescence and reflectivity techniques. Results of experimental and theoretical analysis were also discussed. Dr. B. Lenge1er, Forchungszentrum Ju1ich, Germany, followed with a lecture on "Grazing Incidence Diffuse X-Ray Scattering from Thin Films. " He concentrated on the use of newly developed "off-specular" reflectivity techniques for the determination of vertical roughness, lateral correlation length and contour exponent on surfaces.