The mission of the 48th Annual International Waterborne, High-Solids and Powder Coatings Symposium is: To administer the preeminent educational/technical forum in the United States directed to the science and technology of surface coatings and to provide revenue to support and advance students at the School of Polymers and Engineering at The University of Southern Mississippi. Waterborne attendees typically include: coatings formulators, research and development scientists/chemists, technical managers or technical sales managers in the coatings or related fields, management or marketing executives, owners of small paint companies, coatings end users, coatings applicators/technicians, academicians, and students in chemistry/polymers/coatings. The majority (75-85%) of attendees are employed in private industry, while the balance are academic/government.