X60

X60

Organized by the Microscopy Society of America Student Council (StC)
Saturday, July 27, 2024 • 9:00 AM - 5:30 PM

Annual Pre-Meeting Congress for Students, Post-Docs, and Early-Career Professionals in Microscopy and Microanalysis

Separate registration required — Make sure to check the box when registering for M&M 2024!

INCLUDED IN REGISTRATION FEE: Breakfast, Lunch, Coffee and Refreshments, Evening Banquet

  • PROGRAM CHAIR: Yifan Wang, Arizona State University
  • BIOLOGICAL SCIENCES CO-CHAIR: Abayomi Adegboyega, Purdue University
  • PHYSICAL SCIENCES CO-CHAIR: Huiming Guo, University of California, Irvine
  • SOCIAL CHAIR: Daniel Zangeneh, University of Illinois - Chicago
  • POST-DOC SUBCOMMITTEE CHAIR: Jake Garcia, Ph.D., National Institute of Standards and Technology

This pre-meeting congress is organized by and for students, postdocs, and early-career professionals, and provides:

  • Technical workshops from leading industry experts
  • A forum for students to deliver presentations to peers ahead of the meeting
  • Career guidance from established researchers in academia, industry, and national labs
  • Overview of career trajectories for postdocs, and tackling the transition between fields
  • Mentoring and recruiting opportunities for early-career professionals
  • Opportunities to share your research in an engaging, constructive, and interactive setting
    to practice ahead of the main meeting and win awards
  • Expanded professional networking and career development mentoring

PMC X60 Schedule of Events

Friday, 26 July 2024 
6:00 - 8:00 PM                 

Friday Night Social Reception

Location TBA

Saturday, 27 July 2024 
8:00 - 9:00 am  Breakfast & Poster Check In
9:00 - 9:15 am Opening Remarks
9:15 - 10:00 am                      

M&M Award Winning Abstracts: Students & Postdocs

10:00 - 10:45 am                                  

Poster Session & Break, refreshments provided

10:45 - 12:00 pm

Early Career Professional Talks - Alighing your Focus on Professional Possibilities

12:00 - 1:00 pm Lunch
1:00 - 1:45 pm Advantages of Society Membership for Career Advantages
1:45 - 2:30 pm Sponsorship Talks - Navigating the Many Pathways into Industry
2:30 - 3:15 pm Poster Session & Break, refreshments provided
3:15 - 5:30 pm Career Session with Group Photo to End
6:30 - 9:30 pm Saturday Night Banquet at Lakeside - The Event Space at Nuevo

Invited Early Career Professionals (more on the way)

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 Spencer A. Reisbick, Brookhaven National Laboratory

Spencer A. Reisbick received his B.A. from Ripon College where he majored in chemistry and physics. Then, he obtained his Ph.D. under the guidance of David Flannigan at the University of Minnesota where he focused on laser-driven ultrafast electron microscopy (UEM). After graduation, he did his postdoc under the guidance of Yimei Zhu where he helped to develop laser-free UEM at Brookhaven National Lab. Recently, he has become a staff scientist and remains dedicated to enhancing and developing the performance, applications, and capabilities for new UEM advancements.

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 Dr. Steffi Woo, Oak Ridge National Laboratory

Dr. Steffi Woo is a R&D Associate in the Center for Nanophase Materials Sciences at Oak Ridge National Laboratory in Oak Ridge, TN. She has a B.Eng. in Materials Engineering and Society with a minor in Chemistry from McMaster University (Canada). She obtained her M.A.Sc. in Materials Engineering for her thesis work on the characterization of extended defects in group III-V semiconductor thin films by conventional transmission electron microscopy (TEM) also at McMaster University in the group of Prof. Gianluigi Botton. Her Ph.D. work focused on the structural and chemical variations in group III-nitride nanowire heterostructures at the nano- and atomic-scale, also supervised by Prof. Botton. She was previously a post-doctoral researcher in the STEM group at the Laboratoire de Physique des Solides in Orsay (France) with a focus on the optical response of 2D materials, including hexagonal boron nitride and transition metal dichalcogenides using electron energy-loss spectroscopy (EELS) and cathodoluminescence.

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Alexis Williams, Oak Ridge National Laboratory

Alexis Williams received her BS degree in Biochemistry, Cellular, and Molecular Biology from the University of Tennessee. She spent two years in a post-baccalaureate research program at Oak Ridge National Lab learning protein crystallography and neutron scattering. She received a PhD in Biophysics and Structural Biology from the University of Texas Medical Branch where she was a McLaughlin Infectious Disease and Biodefense Graduate Research Fellow. During her PhD, she was interested in understanding how viruses utilize host factors to evade immune system detection in efforts to further vaccine design. She went on to be an NIH Endocrinology and Gastroenterology Postdoctoral Research Fellow at Vanderbilt University Medical Center. She was interested in understanding the effects of lipid sensing on the function of nuclear receptors and how molecular glues drive protein polymerization. Alexis is currently an Associate Research Scientist at Oak Ridge National Lab in the Center for Nanophase Materials Sciences. Her research interests are in designing abiotic interfaces to detect and combat pathogens, understanding how carrier physiochemical properties alter the delivery of cancer therapeutics, and engineering enzymes to aid in the degradation of plastic wastes. She also works with users interested in utilizing cryoEM to study proteins, cells, and soft matter through CNMS and SNS user programs and manages ORNL’s cryoEM sample preparation labs, the G4 Krios Cryo S/TEM, and workstations for data processing.

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Martina Heller, Carl Zeiss Microscopy GmbH

Martina Heller is an Applications Development Engineer for Nanoscience and Nanomaterials at Carl Zeiss Microscopy GmbH, Germany. She received her Masters degree at the Friedrich-Alexander-Universität Erlangen-Nürnberg (FAU) in Material Science. After receiving her degree, she joined the institute of general material properties at FAU and worked as a research associate. The research focus of the PhD project was Hydrogen embrittlement in iron investigated by Atom Probe Tomography (APT). To facilitate this research a deep understanding of cryo-FIB/SEM preparation techniques and APT were needed. To keep the samples between a charging device, a FIB/SEM and APT system in an ambient environment and at cryogenic temperature, she worked on developing a cryo-transfer system for the investigation of Aluminum alloys and Hydrogen embrittlement in iron. A side focus of her work was to prepare atom probe samples with a Laser ablation device. The investigated materials ranged in collaboration projects from coatings to fuel cells. 

Submit Today!

Apply for the PMCx60 Scholarship

 The PMCx60 organizers are pleased to offer financial support to qualifying PMCx60 registrants. All PMCx60 registrants are welcome to apply. The awards will be granted primarily on the basis of financial need — those who are unable to attend the PMCx60 without financial aid will be prioritized.

 There is a limited number of awards available that will cover costs associated with attending

PMCx60 up to $500 to be reimbursed after the meeting. Early Rate registration ends on May 9, so register now!

Click here to apply for PMCx60 Scholarship.

 

Submit a Poster for PMC X60

We are now accepting submissions to the poster session at PMCx60. This is a great opportunity to showcase your work and practice your presentation in a more informal setting ahead of the main meeting. We will also be offering a number of speaker prizes!

 If you have any questions feel free to reach out to the PMCx60 chair, Yifan Wang, ywan1240@asu.edu.

 

Click here to submit a poster abstract.  

Submit an Image for the StC Image Contest

 

Submit to the StC image contest! The winner's PMC registration fee will be waived, and their image will be used as the new background on next year's StC flyer advertisements.

 

Submission deadline is Friday, July 12th!

 

Click here to submit your great image!

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2023 Image Contest Winner

Makoto Schreiber, University of Alberta

Copper Flower

FAQS

Frequently Asked Questions

 

What is the purpose of this pre-meeting congress (PMC) X60?
The pre-meeting congress is organized by the Microscopy Society of America (MSA) Student
Council (StC) to provide students, postdocs, and early career professionals with an opportunity to engage in discussions, workshops, and networking sessions tailored to their needs and interests. It aims to enhance their understanding of current trends, challenges, and opportunities in their respective fields and foster collaboration and knowledge exchange among participants.

 

How do I register for the pre-meeting congress?
Registration is available on our website. While registering for the main conference, on the page
of “Optional Registration Add-Ons”, please select “X-60 Pre-Meeting Congress for Students,
Post-Docs, and Early-Career Prof - Student”. The registration fee for the PMCx60 is $95 for
students, and $191 for others.

 

What does the registration fee cover?
Registered participants will have access to sessions, workshops, and networking opportunities
throughout the day. Breakfast, lunch, coffee, and refreshments will be provided. Additionally, an evening banquet will offer further networking opportunities.

 

What is the Friday night social event? Do I need to register for PMCx60 to attend it?
The Friday social event is a casual event where everyone just grabs a drink (on our tap!) and
enjoys chatting with each other before the PMC and M&M! Everyone is welcome and you don’t have to register for the PMCx60 to join this event.

 

Are there any opportunities for financial assistance or scholarships?
Besides the travel award for PMCx60, students can also apply for the bursary program during
the whole conference. Detailed information will be provided through email closer to the
conference date.

 

Do I need to submit my poster to present at PMCx60?
You don’t have to! The only thing we need is your accepted abstract from M&M! Feel free to submit your abstract and get a chance to win the poster prize!

 

Who can I contact for further assistance or inquiries about the pre-meeting congress?
For further assistance or inquiries about the pre-meeting congress, please contact our
organizing committee at studentcouncil@microscopy.org.

 

Pictures from Last Year