The International Workshop on Advances and In Situ Microscopies of Functional Nanomaterials and Devices (IAMNano) will be held in Matsue City, Shimane Prefecture, Japan, from June 28th to July 1st, 2023. IAMNano serves as a venue for researchers and other specialists in different areas of microscopy, materials science, and materials engineering to discuss and exchange their latest findings and ideas with each other. It was first held in Krakow, Poland (2012), and subsequent workshops were hosted in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil (2014), Hamburg, Germany (2015), Port Elizabeth, South Africa (2016), Singapore (2017), Hamburg, Germany (2018) and Duesseldorf, Germany (2019). Unfortunately, the workshop series was disrupted from 2020 to 2022 because of the Covid-19 pandemic, but in 2023 we plan to kick-start the workshop as an annual event once again, this time as the 8th in the series. In my experience this workshop always provides an excellent opportunity to move the field forward, promoting scientific advances and international collaboration in a congenial atmosphere.
In order to make this workshop as productive and enjoyable as possible, we have arranged for all sessions to be held at a world-class venue. Many of the world’s leading scientists in this field have been invited to attend, and just as in previous years I am sure they will give outstanding and inspirational talks. Poster presentations are also an essential component of the workshop as they provide multiple occasions for one-on-one discussions on a wide array of topics. In addition, to strengthen links between the Japanese Society of Microscopy (JSM) and international attendees, this workshop will be held back-to-back with the JSM Annual Meeting, which will take place just before the IAMNano workshop.
Matsue City and its environs are steeped in history, and we are preparing an excursion and banquet to sample some of this rich cultural legacy. After a three-year hiatus we are confident that all participants will enjoy the assortment of social events being arranged in addition to the exciting scientific program. It is our hope that this will provide ample opportunities to forge new friendships and plant the seeds for future collaborations.
I look forward to seeing you all at the workshop!