Book excerpt: This volume contains the edited version of lectures and selected research contributions presented at the NATO ADVANCED STUDY INSTITUTE on MECHANICAL BEHA VI OUR OF MATERIALS AT HIGH TEMPERATURE, held in Sesimbra, Portugal, 12th-22nd September 1995, and organized by 1ST-Lisbon Institute of Technology, PortugaL The Institute was attended by 88 participants, including 15 lecturers from 17 countries including five CP countries. The lecturers were leading scientists and technologists from universities, research institutions and industry. The students were mainly young PhD students and junior academic or research staff with postgraduate qualifications (MSc or PhD). Fourteen students were from the five CP countries. The students presented research papers or posters during the Institute reporting the current progress of their research projects. A total of thirty three lectures, ten research papers and fifty posters were presented. This book does not contain the poster presentations and seven research papers were selected for publication. All the sessions were very active and quite extensive discussions on scientific aspects took place during the Institute. The Advanced Study Institute provided a forum for interaction among scientists and engineers from different areas of research, and young researchers.