From Fundamentals to Emerging Applications

This conference focuses on the fundamentals of gas-phase ion chemistry and applications in which gas-phase ion chemistry and physics play a pivotal role. The meeting emphasizes the development of new and the use of more mature experimental and theoretical approaches for studying the structures, energetics, and reactivity of gaseous ions and their applications to systems ranging from atomic ions to complex macromolecular assemblies. The conference will highlight the development of new instrumentation and the use of sophisticated experimental techniques, including mass spectrometry, optical spectroscopy and ion mobility that enable elucidation of the intrinsic properties of both simple and complex systems. The conference will also include the development of new theoretical techniques as well as the use of well-developed computational approaches in support of experimental measurements. Topics include structural characterization of gaseous ions, fundamentals of ionization, activation, and dissociation; ion-molecule, ion-ion, ion-electron, and ion-surface interactions, and ion reactivity in various environments. The meeting attracts researchers from a broad range of disciplines providing an excellent forum for the exchange of scientific ideas.

The conference program will include topical sessions each with a somewhat different focus that combined provides a broad overview of the field and illustrates synergy among the various research approaches and directions. The focus of each session will be briefly introduced by a discussion leader. Overall the conference program will comprise 9 topical sessions, 25 invited talks, 13 short talks, and 4 poster sessions. Speakers for the 13 short talks will be selected from the poster abstracts approximately one month before the meeting to enable “late-breaking results” to be presented. The schedule is specifically designed to promote discussion after each talk and during poster sessions, but there is also ample free time allocated for ad hoc informal discussions among participants. The short talks and poster sessions in particular provide opportunities for all participants, both young and seasoned investigators, to present their research and receive valuable feedback from other experts in the field. Efforts will be made to raise funds to help offset the participation costs for young investigators.