The Symposium on Orientation Effects in the Mechanical Behavior of Anisotropic Structural Materials sponsored by the ASTM Division of Materials Sciences was held in one session on Nov. 2, 1965, in Seattle, Wash., during the Fifth Pacific Area National Meeting of ASTM. Anisotropic characteristics of structural materials have received increased emphasis with the advent of recent man-made materials such as composites and sandwich constructions which need these determinations. This influenced the development of the symposium as being a timely presentation of information. The session was opened by Stephen Yurenka. Douglas Aircraft Co., and symposium chairman, who reviewed the purpose of the symposium and introduced the speakers.