Symposium Z, 'Oxide Semiconductors', and Symposium F, 'Oxide Thin Films for Renewable Energy Applications', were held November 25–30 at the 2012 MRS Fall Meeting in Boston, Massachusetts. Oxide materials are attracting considerable attention both as semiconductors for a wide range of potential device applications but also in energy research spanning from photo- and electro-catalysis, to electrolytes and electrodes used in batteries or fuel cells. This symposium proceedings volume collects recent reports from the meeting aimed at providing a fundamental understanding of bulk oxide materials as well as thin films and nano-structures. The topics covered in this volume are quite broad and include such areas as growth and doping, defects and characterisation, and device applications.