This brief article sets the context for the March 2002 issue of MRS Bulletin focusing on Alternative Gate Dielectrics for Microelectronics. Contributors are several experts from industry and academia engaged in the search for manufacturable solutions for a suitable alternative gate dielectric to SiO2 using high-dielectric-constant (high-ĸ) materials. Issues discussed in the articles include thermodynamics criteria for materials selection, materials interactions in the construction of the transistor gate stack, characterization of alternative materials, determination of suitable band offsets for candidate dielectrics, and integration of these alternative gate dielectrics in a manufacturable environment.