This volume is an outcomeof invited lecturesdelivered at the Ring Theory Section of the 23rd
Ohio State-DenisonConferencein May 1996. It also contains articles by some invited
mathematicianswho could not attend the conference. These peer-refereedarticles showcasethe
latest developmentsand trends in classicalRing Theory highlighting the cro- fertilization of
new techniquesand ideaswith the existing ones. Providing a wide variety of methodologies this
volume should be valuable both to graduatestudentsas well as to specialistsin Ring Theory. We
would like to thank our colleagueswho investeda lot of their time to make the conferencea great
success. In particular our thanks go to ProfessorsTom Dowling Dan Sanders SurinderSehgal Ron
Solomonand Sergio R. L6pez-Permouthfor their help. The financial support for the Conference
provided by the Departmentof Mathematics The Ohio State University and
MathematicsResearchInstitute Columbus is gratefully acknowleged. Many thanksgo to Dean Violet
I. Meek for her commitment to the promotion of researchby her continuousencouragement of such
efforts and for providing financial support from the Lima campusof The Ohio StateUniversity. We
havereceivedimmensecooperationfrom all the refereeswho meticulouslyand in a very short time
provided us with their reports in spite of their busy schedules. We expressour sincerethanks to
all of them. Finally we thank Ms. Cindy White for her excellent job in typing parts of this
volume. We are pleasedto dedicatethis volume to ProfessorBruno J. Miiller on the occasionof his
retirementfor his many contributionsto the Theory of Rings and Modules. As this volume was
going to presswe have learned that ProfessorCarl Faith is retiring this year.
