Announcement   Abstract Submission   Registration   Information for Sponsors

Aims and scope

The EMAS Regional Workshops are biennial events designed to provide postgraduate-level and research workers in materials science, material engineering and related subjects, with basic knowledge of the capabilities and limitations of microbeam analysis.  The 2018 meeting will focus on the specific requirements of microbeam analysis as utilised by the Earth Science community.  The meeting is organised in collaboration with the Mineralogical Society of GB and Ireland who presented the workshop “Microbeam Techniques in Geosciences” at Imperial College, London in 1998.  Here we revisit the subject to look at the range of techniques now available and the technological advances made in the intervening two decades.

Past EMAS Regional Workshops were held in Finland (1994), Hungary (1996), Spain (1998), the Czech Republic (2000), Poland (2002), Slovenia (2004), Germany (2006), Italy (2008), the Netherlands (2010), Italy (2012), Austria (2014), and France (2016).

The core topics of the 13th EMAS Regional Workshop are:

• Scanning electron microscopy (SEM) – Imaging and X-ray microanalysis
• Electron probe microanalysis (EPMA)
• Cathodoluminescence (CL)
• Electron backscatter diffraction (EBSD)
• Transmission electron microscopy (TEM)
• Laser ablation inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (LA-ICPMS)
• Secondary ion mass spectrometry (SIMS)
• NanoSIMS
• Synchrotron-based microanalysis (XANES, XRF)
• Sample preparation and ion beam preparation including focussed ion beam (FIB)
• Raman spectroscopy
• Fourier-transform infra-red spectroscopy (FT-IR)
• Micro-computed tomography (MicroCT)
• Atom probe tomography (APT)

A technical tutorial by analytical experts on each of the subject areas will consider the essential purpose and limitations of the technique and outline the recent advances.  Applications talks by renowned Earth Scientists will then describe how individual and combined techniques are applied to a range of Earth Science research fields such as:

• Volcanology
• Palaeobiology
• Petrology
• High pressure experimental petrology
• Geochemistry – high and low temperature
• Isotope geochemistry
• Cosmochemistry

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Scientific programme

The programme will consist of technical tutorials given by analytical experts and invited lectures delivered by renowned Earth Science researchers, three sessions of contributed talks and two poster sessions.  The invited lectures and poster abstracts will be published in the Workshop Book of Tutorials and Abstracts.  The official language of the workshop will be English.

Download the complete scientific programme.

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Contributed talks and poster presentations

All participants to the workshop are invited to present their work in the form of either a poster or a contributed talk. Abstracts to be presented during the workshop must fit no more than two A4 pages, using the Word-template available on the EMAS website (www.microbeamanalysis.eu/abstract-submission).  Detailed guidelines are mentioned on the template.  Online submission details are given on the workshop webpage.

Those presentations selected for contributed talks will have a 15-minute platform presentation.  A further 12 posters will be selected for a lightning ‘3-minute’ platform presentation in two dedicated sessions.

Late poster abstract submission deadline is August 15th.

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Poster and contributed talk prizes

A jury will decide on two prizes: One awarded by EMAS for the best poster contribution and the second by MinSoc for the best contributed talk.

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EMAS Bursaries

A number of EMAS bursaries are available to student members of the Society. They include a free “student” registration and 3 nights free accommodation package for the duration of the Workshop at Wills Hall assigned by the Workshop.  The conditions for the award of an EMAS bursary are as follows:

• the applicant must submit an abstract for an oral or poster contribution;
• the applicant must be a student member of EMAS;
• a letter from the applicant's supervisor supporting the application must accompany the application (see further).

A number of EMAS bursaries are available to technician members of the Society. They include a free “student” registration and 3 nights free accommodation package for the duration of the Workshop at Wills Hall assigned by the Workshop.  The conditions for the award of an EMAS bursary are as follows:

• the applicant must submit an abstract for an oral or poster contribution;
• the applicant must be a member of EMAS and <30 years of age at the time of application;
• a letter from the applicant's supervisor/manager supporting the application must accompany the application (see further).

The quality and relevance of the work presented in the abstract are the main criteria on which successful applications will be judged.  Previous bursary awardees may apply; however, a maximum of 2 bursaries per person is imposed.

Bursary applications must be sent to the Workshop Secretariat referring to the relevant poster contribution abstract, reaching it before 15 May 2018.  Applicants will be notified of the allocation of an EMAS bursary by 15 June 2018.

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Mineralogical Society Bursaries

The MinSoc is also making bursaries available. They include a free “student” registration and 3 nights free accommodation package for the duration of the Workshop at Wills Hall assigned by the Workshop, valued at £ 350 each.

As for the EMAS bursaries above, those applying for the MinSoc Bursaries should note the following:

• the applicant must submit an abstract for a poster contribution;
• the applicant must be a member of the MinSoc and <30 years of age at the time of application;
• a letter from the applicant’s supervisor/manager supporting the application must accompany the application (see further).

The quality and relevance of the work presented in the abstract are the main criteria on which successful applications will be judged. Bursary applications must be sent to the Workshop Secretariat referring to the relevant poster contribution abstract, reaching it before 15 May 2018. Applicants will be notified of the allocation of a MinSoc bursary by 15 June 2018.

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Registration

Online registration is available on the EMAS website (www.microbeamanalysis.eu/workshop-registration).  Participants are encouraged to complete registration and arrange for their payment, preferably by 30 June 2018 to qualify for reduced rates.  Please note there is a limit to the total number of registrations so participants are encouraged to register early.

Workshop registration fees

The registration fee for respectively EMAS & MinSoc members, non members, students and EMAS Bursary recipients, includes:

• A PDF copy of the workshop’s Book of Tutorials and Abstracts (extended abstracts of the invited lecturers and abstracts of the oral and poster contributions).
• Three lunches (Wednesday to Friday).
• Refreshment breaks during the workshop.
• The welcome buffet (Tuesday 4 September).
• The workshop dinner (Thursday 6 September.
• Accommodation for 3 nights (4-7 September) in an en-suite room at Wills Hall including breakfast.  In case of non-resident, a discount of £ 90 applies on all rates.

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Payment

Payment of the registration fee should be preferentially made through the EMAS website (www.microbeamanalysis.eu) using the online PayPal system (no account necessary); no credit card information will be stored on the EMAS website; various payment options are available (e.g., credit cards) depending on your country.  An invoice/receipt will be generated by the system.
    
Alternatively, if you prefer to pay by bank transfer or any other offline payment method, please choose the "pay offline" button and follow the instructions; this will generate your invoice, which includes bank transfer and contact details.

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Cancellation policy

A refund of the registration fee (less £ 50 administration costs) will be granted only if notification of cancellation is given to the workshop secretariat before 01 August 2018.  After this date no refund will be made.  Refunds will be processed after the Workshop.

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Insurance

The organizers cannot be held responsible for any personal accident or damage to the property of the participants.

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Personal data

Personal information supplied to EMAS will be held on computer and will be used only for purposes connected with the activities of the European Microbeam Analysis Society.

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Accommodation

Accommodation booked through EMAS is at Wills Hall (BS9 1AE) offering en-suite rooms on a bed and breakfast basis. Car parking for a daily fee is available at Wills. Other hotels in Bristol can be accessed via normal booking and travel agent services.

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Location

The workshop will be held at Wills Hall, Parry’s Lane, University of Bristol, UK. See map at the bottom of this page.

Bristol is the largest city in the South West of England and was recently named the “Best place to live in the UK”, 2017 (The Sunday Times). Famed for its engineering and naval history, hot air balloons and modern gritty graffiti. It is 90 minutes from London by train and has its own international airport.

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How to get to Bristol

- By air:

Bristol Airport is eight miles (13 km) south of the city and has scheduled flights to many UK and European cities. To get to the University from Bristol Airport:

• The Airport Flyer Express bus (service A1) runs approximately every ten minutes at peak times between the airport and Bristol Bus and Coach Station near the University campus.
• Checker Cars offer taxis from Bristol Airport. The journey should take around 30 minutes.
• Further travel information is available from the Bristol Airport website.

Also rail services will connect to both London Heathrow and London Gatwick airports.

- By train:

Bristol has two mainline train stations. Visitors should travel to Bristol Temple Meads as it is closer than Bristol Parkway. To get to Wills Hall from Bristol Temple Meads:

• The no. 3 bus will connect from city centre bus station to Parry’s Lane.
• Taxis are available from the exit to the station. The journey should take about 25 minutes.

Find out more about rail services via National Rail Enquiries.

- By coach:

Coaches from a range of UK cities arrive and depart from Bristol Bus and Coach Station on Marlborough Street in the centre of Bristol.

For information about coach times and fares, consult the National Express Coaches or Megabus websites.

- By car:

The M4 and M5 motorways put both London and Birmingham within a two-hour drive, while the M32 allows direct access from the M4 to the heart of the city.

Directions to the University campus from the M32 (also available as a Google Map):

• Postcode of Wills Hall is BS9 1AE
• From the city, follow signs for Clifton then head out on the A4018
• On the downs (open green area) turn left into Parry's Lane
• From J17 on M5 follow A4018 into Bristol and turn right into Parry's Lane.
• Tuesday 4th September - beware of road closures due to Tour of Britain Cycle race which starts and finishes on Ladies Mile close to Wills Hall.

If travelling from the South and South West, the A4, A38 and A37 provide direct access to the city centre (see Google map for A4, Bath Road).

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Key dates

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International Scientific Committee

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Local Organising Committee

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Workshop Secretariat

European Microbeam Analysis Society (EMAS)
c/o University of Antwerp
Department of Chemistry, Research group PLASMANT
Mr Luc Van’t dack
Campus Drie Eiken, Universiteitsplein 1
2610 Antwerpen-Wilrijk, Belgium
tel: +32-3-265.23.43,  fax: +32-3-265.23.43
e-mail:
URL: http://www.microbeamanalysis.eu/

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