Meeting Report Microscopy & Microanalysis 2015
Mark A. Sanders , Program Chair University Imaging Centers , University of Minnesota , Minneapolis , MN 55445
msanders@umn.edu
The Microscopy Society of America (MSA), the Microanalysis Society (MAS), and the International Metallographic Society (IMS), the world’s leading triumvirate of societies showcasing the smaller worlds around us, had the most successful Microscopy & Microanalysis meeting to date (M&M 2015). The meeting was held in beautiful Portland, Oregon, August 2–6. As a host city, Portland provided outstanding weather, facilities, and hospitality. T e conference included 43 symposia with a total of 1,294
scientifi c presentations (847 talks and 447 posters). T ere were 1,843 scientifi c attendees and 1,377 exhibitors representing 122 companies. T us, total attendance was a new all-time high of 3,220 registrants. T is attendance number was over 10% higher than any previous year. T e number of exhibitors was up 18% over 2014; the exhibition showcased the most innovative microscopy and microanalysis gear on the planet. From the pre-meeting congress, workshops, and opening reception on Sunday until the last session on T ursday, the crowds were noticeable to all who attended. Monday’s plenary session opened the meeting with two distinguished speakers from quite diff erent fi elds. Nobel Prize Laureate Prof. Roger Tsien ( Figure 1 ) presented “New Molecular Tools for Light and Electron Microscopy.” Centering his talk on probes that facilitate intrinsic labeling, he showed how correlative modes of light and electron microscopy at
Figure 1: Nobel Laureate Prof. Roger Tsien delivering his plenary presentation.
multiple scales can be used to resolve sub-cellular features. He concluded his presentation by describing how he “closed the loop” on a career goal of his: to create the tools that changed the direction of biological studies for future generations of scientists. T e second plenary talk by NASA Astronaut Dr. Donald Pettit ( Figure 2 ) revealed some “out of this world” challenges in “Some Unexpected Diffi culties in Microscope Operation in Microgravity.” He showed how microgravity environments, cosmic rays, and fl uid dynamics aff ect experiments conducted on the International Space Station (ISS). Dr. Pettit spent some 370 days in orbit where he conducted scientifi cally challenging experiments and photographed beautiful views of Earth from an altitude of 249 miles. It was not only great to hear their presenta- tions, in addition our plenary speakers attended lectures, exhibits,
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and social events throughout the meeting ( Figure 3 ). Two memorial symposia honored microscopy pioneers who passed away in recent years: Dr. Peter Swann (1935–2013) and Dr. Robert Apkarian (1953–2006). T e Apkarian symposium, “Advances in High Resolution Scanning Electron Microscopy,” recognized his life, his work in the fi eld of biological electron microscopy, and his service to MSA and other microscopy
Figure 2 : Astronaut Dr. Donald Pettit making a point during his plenary lecture.
societies. Dr. Peter Swann’s symposium, “Bringing the Real World in to the Electron Microscope,” recognized the impact his many contributions made on TEM and materials science. He designed over 600 pioneering instruments, including a differentially pumped gas reaction cell that brought the “real world” inside the electron microscope. Both symposia dovetailed with other symposia on topics that grew from these past leaders. T e exhibition fl oor was, once again, the place to learn about the latest techniques and applications. Tutorials and demonstrations took place throughout the meeting. T e MSA MegaBooth was again the central hub of the exposition fl oor, whether to fi nd out what was going on, fi nd a job, schedule a tutorial, or just to relax and read email. T e poster sessions in the exhibition area were heavily attended because of the high quality of the poster presentations and the selection of Portland beers on hand. Daily poster awards were announced for the most outstanding scientifi c posters, once again reinforcing poster sessions as a highlight of M&M meetings. T roughout the week, in-meeting courses focused on some perennial topics: SEM imaging, X-ray compositional analysis, specimen preparation for biological microscopy, and analysis of nanomaterials. Attendees also sought out the educational opportunities intended for broader audiences like Project MICRO, Microscopy in the Classroom, and It’s a Family Aff air. As the meeting drew to a close on Thursday, concluding a week of engaging science and learning, the weather in Portland was still as fantastic as the hospitality and the sponsored social activities. Those activities included a riverboat dinner cruise, a pedal pub tour of Portland, and winery tours—welcome distractions to our jam-packed
doi: 10.1017/S1551929515001157
www.microscopy-today.com • 2016 January
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