NMI3 was present at the ICNS2013

Thanks to NMI3 support conference fees for students could be kept low

By Inês Crespo, Information Manager, 29/07/2013

ICNS2013 Opening Session

Andrew Harrison at the ICNS2013 Opening Session Audience at the ICNS2013 Opening Session

This year the International Conference on Neutron Scattering took place from 8 – 12 July in the Edinburgh International Conference Centre. The beautiful city of Edinburgh, a UNESCO heritage site, welcomed us with a full week of sunshine.

The conference counted with over 800 delegates who listened to very interesting talks that exemplified the contribution of neutrons to a myriad of research fields. In the corridors during the poster sessions, we could hear lively discussions that likely fostered brilliant research ideas.

The NMI3 stand and Neutron-Geographical Competition

The NMI3 Coordination Team at the NMI3 stand

NMI3 M&M's Ultra sweet cold neutrons with chocolate quarks inside

In the exhibition hall, conference delegates could visit the circa fifty stands where they could learn about the work developed in a number of neutron facilities from around the globe as well as about neutron-related materials offered by the companies present.

NMI3 had a stand where delegates could taste special sweet ultra cold neutrons with chocolate quarks inside while appreciating the posters with the results of the NMI3 Joint Research Activities (JRAs) or reading the recently published brochure NMI3: a success story , where they could read scientific highlights, interviews with the JRAs' coordinators, and important results from the previous phase of funding of the project (if you would like to receive a copy please get in touch at info@nmi3.eu).

NMI3 competition – winner Julia Repper

The ones willing to test their neutron-geographical skills were given the logos of the facilities part of the NMI3 Access Programme , which they had to place in the right place on a map.
Given that NMI3 encourages inter-cultural collaboration among facilities, our map had no boarders, which made the participants' task even more difficult.
We were glad to see that the ones who took on the challenge were very successful!

NMI3 competition at ICNS - Winner Stefano Bellissima

NMI3 competition – winner Stefano Bellissima

NMI3 competition: Benedict NMI3 competition: Elliot NMI3 competition: Erik NMI3 competition: Francesco and Giacomo NMI3 competition: Gabin NMI3 competition: Giovanni NMI3 competition: Giulia NMI3 competition: Henrik and Jomas NMI3 competition: Kazu NMI3 competition: Laura and Inês NMI3 competition: Marc NMI3 competition: Michael NMI3 competition: Stefan NMI3 competition: Susan and Juergen NMI3 competition: Sven and Tommy

To increase the delegates' motivation to take part of our competition we offered two copies of the book “Neutron Scattering in Condensed Matter Physics” (A. Furrer, J. Mesot and T. Straessle).

As the pictures show, to keep NMI3's collaborative spirit the competition was often made in groups where people helped each other.

Unfortunately we could offer only two books so we made a tombola with the participants' names. The lucky winners were Julia Repper from the Paul Scherrer Institute and Stefano Bellissima from the Universita' degli Studi di Firenze.

We are sorry for the other participants and we hope they are happy with the NMI3 bookmarks, brochures and sweets they have received!

The NMI3 Industry Workshop

Participants at NMI3 Industry Workshop at ICNS

Participants at the NMI3 Industry Workshop

Helmut Schober workshop introductory speech at ICNS Ed Mitchell at the NMI3 Industry Workshop at ICNS Ed Mitchell, Business development officer at ESRF, was discussion moderator Bruno Guerard at the NMI3 Industry Workshop at ICNS Bruno Guerard from ILL gave a talk on "Detectors: View of Research infrastructures" Robert McKeag at the NMI3 Industry Workshop at ICNS Robert McKeag from Centronic, gave a talk on "Detectors: success story of co-innovation" Oleg Kirichek at the NMI3 Industry Workshop at ICNS Oleg Kirichek from ISIS gave a talk on "Sample Environment: ISIS co-innovation with Oxford Instruments and Hiden Isochema" Oxford instruments talk at the NMI3 Industry Workshop at ICNS Talk on "Sample Environment: possibilities of co-innovation - Cryostat" Peter Link at the NMI3 Industry Workshop at ICNS Peter Link, Head of Optics group at FRM II, gave a talk on "Neutron delivery systems: View of RIs" Christian Schanzer at the NMI3 Industry Workshop at ICNS Christian Schanzer from Swissneutronics gave a talk on "Neutron delivery systems: Company" Xavier Philippe at the NMI3 Industry Workshop at ICNS Xavier Philippe, procurement officer at ILL, gave a talk on "Procurement officers view (RIs) - identification of strategic suppliers”" Juan Tomás Hernani at the NMI3 Industry Workshop at ICNS Juan Tomás Hernani, General Secretary for Innovation and Industry at ESS, gave a talk on "Innovative Procurement at ESS" Bernhard Fabianek at the NMI3 Industry Workshop at ICNS Bernhard Fabianek from the European Commission DG Research & Innovation gave a talk on "Research infrastructures in Horizon 2020 – Industry and Innovation" Audience at the NMI3 Industry Workshop at ICNS Audience at the NMI3 Industry Workshop at ICNS Post-NMI3 Industry Workshop discussions

At ICNS, NMI3 held a workshop to explore interaction between neutron and muon facilities with industry. The Industry as a Supplier workshop took place on Tuesday afternoon, July 9. The meeting brought together suppliers of key equipment for neutron and muon instruments with people from the facilities who are responsible for purchasing and procurement and the clients who are the facility engineers and scientists.
This short meeting brought together an audience of around 40 people from industry, the facilities and the European Commission. Participants could receive important insights from nine presentations on different aspects of 'industry supplying facilities'. To conclude the meeting, all participants enrolled in a fruitful round-table discussion about the issues addressed.
A second workshop, to be held in 2014, will focus on 'industry as a user'. For further information please click here .

Neutronsources.org

ICNS was the perfect opportunity to announce the launch of Neutronsources.org. Coordinated by NMI3 and supported by a network of Press Officers from the neutron centres, this comprehensive website contains useful information about the neutron world. For further information about what neutronsources.org has to offer, please click here.

Closing session

The AONSA Prize at ICNS2013

Among highlights of the conference was the prize ceremony that took place during the closing session. The prizes included a total of 17 posters recognised as the best ones presented at ICNS; the award of the “Young Scientists Prize” to Elisa Wheeler from ILL; the “AONSA Prize” to Balebail Anantha Dasannacharya retired from the Bhabha Atomic Research Centre in India; the “Erwin Felix Lewy Bertaut” Prize to Johan Chang from the École Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne, Switzerland; and finally the “Walter Hälg” Prize awarded to Joe Zaccai from the Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS), France.

Between interesting talks, insightful posters, informative stands, and a taste of the Scottish culture, everyone seems to have enjoyed the week.
This successful series of conferences will continue. The next one will be the European Conference on Neutron Scattering that will take place in 2015 in Saragoza, Spain, and ICNS2017 in Daejeon, South Korea.

For a complete account of ICNS2013 please read the respective article in the next issue of Neutron News.