Event Review: ISCC and 12th GC×GC Symposium

Photo Credit: Michael Clark/Getty Images

The 39th International Symposium on Capillary Chromatography (ISCC) and the 12th GC×GC Symposium held in Fort Worth in Texas, USA, were rousing successes with nearly double the participation of the previous U.S. meetings. Scientists from 23 countries (or 24 if you count Texas as a country) attended to hear over 90 lectures and peruse nearly 150 posters covering the latest research on multidimensional separations, microfluidic and capillary separations, sample preparation instrumentation development, and much more.

The Marcel Golay Award was shared by two longtime distinguished chromatographers: Harold McNair of Virginia Tech University, USA, and Thomas Welsch of the University of Ulm in Germany. They gave fascinating, first-hand accounts of the early days of chromatography and its modern development. James Jorgenson, North Carolina State University, USA, was given the Georgio Nota Award for his work in open tubular separations. The GC×GC Lifetime Achievement Award was presented to John Seeley of Oakland University, USA. The John Philips Award was given to Giorgia Pucaro of Chromaleont, Italy.

Among the outstanding lectures - which were often standing room only - were the plenary lectures by George Whitesides, Harvard University, USA, on “Simple, Low-cost Bioanalysis”; Sandy Dasgupta, University of Texas at Arlington, USA, on the “Mars Mission Ion Chromatograph”; and Milton Lee, Brigham Young University, USA, who presented “On-site Capillary LCs”. Special sessions on analyses in the areas of “energy production and environmental consequences” were particularly popular as were the sessions on bioanalysis and health/pharmaceutical investigations. It was clear that ionic liquids are playing an increasingly important role in many separation methodologies. Both symposia had “Young Investigator” sessions where the brightest young scientists presented their work to enthusiastic audiences.

There was ample interaction between the symposia attendees and sponsors at their exhibits and at the ever popular “vendor lunch seminars”. The social programme was a triumph of synergy between the participants and the local culture - from the opening rodeo to the beer garden reception to the rooftop dinner of “Tex-Mex” and wild game plus tequila tasting. Side trips to the Cultural District and its museums were in demand. Given the popularity of the 2015 Symposia, there will be a return engagement in 2017, even bigger and better. Don’t miss it.
 

Daniel W. Armstrong
Department of Chemistry & Biochemistry
University of Texas at Arlington

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