SIM0216

RMS IN FOCUS
In 2017 the mmc scientific programme
will be set by the participants.
mmc2017 – It’s Your Congress
The Microscience Microscopy Congress returns
to Manchester at the beginning of July 2017,
and as always, it has something new to offer.
Dr Peter O’Toole and Professor Rik Brydson explain
how, for the first time, the microscopy research
community will define the final scientific
programme.
The Microscience Microscopy Congress
2017 will open in Manchester on 3 rd July
2017. It will be home to Europe’s largest
event of the year dedicated to microscopy
and imaging. The Microscience series
is well-known for introducing new
features and there is a noticeable one for
2017; one that will have a significant effect
on the content of the final scientific
programme.
“One of the big changes for this year
is the call for papers,” explained Dr. Peter
O’Toole, mmc2017 Life Sciences
Chair. “For previous events the session
titles have been set in advance and the
call has been made. This has advantages
in that it makes a very clear statement
as to what will be covered within
the conference. However, it also has its
drawbacks in that it can force submitters
to shoehorn their work into a par-
ticular session. As an organizer it is not
uncommon to receive papers that don’t
quite fit your session but which together
would make a really great session of
their own. The new keyword system will
be much more accommodating and it
means that the final program will be the
result of exactly what has been submitted.
It’s very exciting.”
The new system removes any barriers
to submission and should attract abstracts
from across the full breadth of
microscopy. It also allows for a program
to truly represent the current state of
microscopy.
“In the past, sessions may have been
set up to a year in advance. This creates
a snap-shot of ‘then’ rather than ‘now’,”
said Professor Rik Brydson, mmc2017
Physical Sciences Chair. “What we are
saying is, if you are using a microscope
in a new way, or developing a new technique,
or have achieved results that are
crying out to be shared, then you have a
place at mmc. We are, in effect, giving the
conference to those of you who are doing
the exciting work – giving you the opportunity
to present your work and to define
the content of the event. It means that
the final programme will be as ‘now’ as it
is possible to get.”
Representatives of the organizers, the
RMS, attend events all over the world and
are always on the look-out for new ideas
that will improve the experience for delegates,
exhibitors and day-visitors. Many
of these ideas find their way quickly into
RMS events. The Society is also open to
suggestions from its members and from
further afield. “We are proud of the mmc
series, but we are always looking to improve
it,” added Dr. O’Toole, who is also
an Honorary Secretary of the RMS. “In
particular we want to help people get to
the event. We are a charity that exists to
further microscopy and to support those
working with microscopes. There is still
more than a year to go until the doors of
the congress open, so there is time for us
to respond to new ideas and suggestions
as to how we can make it easier for you
to attend. We want everyone with a voice
in microscopy to be with us in 2017 so
my advice is go to the congress website,
see what is already planned, and start
thinking about how you can be a part of
what promises to be a great event. And, if
you have an idea to make it even better,
get in contact with us and let’s talk.”
Full details of mmc2017 can be found at:
www.mmc-series.org.uk
14 • G.I.T. Imaging & Microscopy 2/2016