Materials science is an applied science concerned with the relationship between the structure and properties of materials. Chemists who work in the field study how different combinations of molecules and materials result in different properties. They use this knowledge to synthesize new materials with special properties. Eduardo Kamenetzky, a senior research scientist at Cytec Industries, explains, "The central concept of materials science is relating the microstructure of a material to the properties you want it to have. By working with the microstructure, you can tailor the central properties of that material." Materials scientists are generally employed by industry or in laboratories where the focus is on developing product-related technologies. But, not all ideas become products and, as a result, possessing the quality of persistence is helpful in this field. "Persistence is important," says Bob Haddon at AT&T Bell Laboratories. "You have to have a high tolerance for frustration because 99% of your experiments do not work." Barry Speronello, an engineering fellow at Englehard Corporation, agrees, "There are a dozen bad ideas for each fair idea, and a dozen fair ideas for each good idea. You sort out which ideas are worth pursuing. Most ideas break down when you look at the economics." But when an idea succeeds, it's very gratifying. This is often what materials scientists say they enjoy most about their work -- seeing an idea through from the basic microstructure research to the manufacture and commercialization of a product made of the developed material.