Thermodynamics is an extremely powerful tool applicable to a wide range of science and technology. However, its full potential has been utilized by relatively few experts and the practical application of thermodynamics has often been based simply on dilute solutions and the law of mass action. In materials science the main use of thermodynamics has taken place indirectly through phase diagrams. These are based on thermodynamic principles but, traditionally, their determination and construction have not made use of thermodynamic calculations, nor have they been used fully in solving practical problems. It is my impression that the role of thermodynamics in the teaching of science and technology has been declining in many faculties during the last few decades, and for good reasons. The students experience thermodynamics as an abstract and difficult subject and very few of them expect to put it to practical use in their future career.

Today we see a drastic change of this situation which should result in a dramatic increase of the use of thermodynamics in many fields. It may result in thermodynamics regaining its traditional role in teaching. The new situation is caused by the development both of computer-operated programs for sophisticated equilibrium calculations and extensive databases containing assessed thermodynamic parameter values for individual phases from which all thermodynamic properties can be calculated. Experts are needed to develop the mathematical models and to derive the numerical values of all the model parameters from experimental information.