Although we all wish we could meet in person, given the circumstances surrounding COVID-19 this will likely not become possible in the near term. Yet the NSSA Executive Committee strongly feels that the neutron scattering community would benefit from having a meeting this summer, in order to share the most recent results and have opportunities to network.

Therefore, we are excited to announce that ACNS 2020 will be held online during the original dates (July 12-16 2020).

Please keep these dates reserved, and look for more information from us soon. We know you will have many questions about the logistics. The ACNS 2020 website will be updated as new information becomes available.

The workshop includes a symposium, lectures, and hands-on experiments at the High Flux Isotope Reactor (IMAGINE, BIO-SANS) and the Spallation Neutron Source (EQ-SANS, LIQREF, MaNDi, Neutron Spin Echo Spectrometer). The workshop is designed for graduate students, post-doctoral researchers and faculty with knowledge of structure and function of biological macromolecules but with limited to no experience with neutron sciences.

The aim of the school is to illustrate principles, methodologies and most recent applications of neutron detection technologies. In particular, the school will tackle various arguments that span from neutron interaction principles, materials for neutrons detectors, neutron sources, Monte Carlo simulation codes, up to applications with neutrons.

The course consists of two parts: a series of lectures, combined with the opportunity to take part in neutron scattering experiments. The lectures encompass an introduction to neutron sources, along with scattering theory and instrumentation. Furthermore, selected topics of condensed matter research are be presented.

This year, a one-week "CHRNS Summer School on Methods and Applications of Small Angle Neutron Scattering and Neutron Reflectivity" will be held June 1-5, 2020 at the NIST Center for Neutron Research (NCNR).Â

This school provides participants the opportunity to learn about small angle neutron scattering (SANS), and neutron reflectometry (NR) at the NIST Center for Neutron Research (NCNR), via hands-on practical training and theoretical classes. These powerful experimental techniques are used by researchers in a variety of scientific disciplines to probe the microstructure of materials at length scales ranging from 1nm to 20 microns. The NCNR is home to world-class SANS, USANS (Ultra Small Angle Neutron Scattering), VSANS and NR instruments, which are available to all qualified researchers through the NCNR's anonymous, peer review proposal system.

Please note that this year the school will not cover inelastic neutron scattering.Â

Application deadline: 6th April 2020. The school is restricted to 42 participants.Â

• Interaction of photons, neutrons and muons with matter
• Production of photons, neutrons and muons
• Experimental setups: optics and detectors
• Crystal symmetry, Bragg's law, reciprocal lattice, structure factors
• Elastic and inelastic scattering with neutrons and photons
• X-ray absorption spectroscopy, x-ray magnetic circular dichroism
• Polarized neutron scattering for the study of magnetic materials
• Imaging techniques using x-rays and neutrons
• Introduction to muon spin rotation
• Applications of muon spin rotation
  

QENS 2020

Following the spirit of QENS Conferences since 1992, the main purpose of QENS 2020 is to cover the broad spectrum of scientific activities related with the investigation of material dynamics using quasi-elastic neutron scattering techniques (accessing both, frequency and time domains). QENS 2020 will offer a platform for discussion and exchange of scientific ideas among the experts in this field, and a general overview to newcomers about the capabilities of QENS in exploring atomic and molecular motions and relaxation processes of novel materials. As a novelty, this QENS Edition will explore and exploit the potential synergies between different methods (including experimental techniques and simulations, but always with QENS in the spotlight), in order to face diverse scientific challenges emerging in different research fields.

 The following scientific topics will be covered:

• Dynamics of liquids in different environments and under confinement
• Dynamics of polymers in bulk, blends, gels, membranes, films, composites etc. at different length scales
• Function/dynamics relation in biological and bio-related systems
• Role of dynamics in systems of medical relevance
• Transport mechanisms in energy-related materials
• Dynamical processes in soft matter, including liquid crystals, self-assembled materials, colloids, etc.
• Dynamics of novel materials for industrial applications
• Relaxation phenomena involved in the glass transition
• Lattice dynamics and Spin dynamics of magnetic systems

Complementarity with the following methods will be explored:

Experimental techniques:

• Spectroscopic and relaxation techniques like e. g., dielectric spectroscopy, NMR, rheology, calorimetry, etc
• Other scattering techniques providing dynamic and/or complementary structural information, like e.g., dynamic light scattering, Brillouin scattering, X-ray photon correlation spectroscopy, diffraction, small angle scattering…

Simulations and Theory:

• Molecular Dynamics Simulations, including fully atomistic and coarse-grained models
• Monte-Carlo simulations
• DFT, Analytical methods, …

WINS 2020

WINS2020 --the 9th Workshop on Inelastic Neutron Spectrometersâ€" will cover innovative aspects of neutron instrument design. Progresses on new spectrometer projects will be presented. As in previous editions, the theme of “New idea, New concept, New design, New instrumentation for New sciences” will be followed. New developments in the application of polarization analysis, magnetic field, pressure, or improvements in sample environments for soft matter systems will be covered. Software for data acquisition, analysis and instrument simulation will be also part of the program. In analogy with the spirit of QENS 2020, the synergy with complementary methods â€"in this case mainly with advanced simulations and extensive Monte Carlo simulationsâ€"will be emphasized.

The workshop will consider:

• New ideas, new concepts and new designs for neutron spectrometers
• Novel devices, detectors and sample environments: polarization, magnetic field, pressure, soft matter environments
• Software for data acquisition and analysis
• Complementary computer methods for instrument simulation

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The main goal of this seminar is to increase the knowledge, visibility and opportunities of neutrons to the Israeli academic community, and promote innovative multidisciplinary research with neutrons.

 This event is an initiative of BrightnESS², a European Union project within the European Commission's Horizon 2020 Research and Innovation programme under grant agreement N°823867.

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This one month course, coordinated by the Université Grenoble Alpes, is designed to provide training for students, postdoctoral and senior scientists from European and non-European universities and laboratories, in the field of Neutron and Synchrotron Radiation for condensed matter studies (Biology, Chemistry, Physics, Materials Science, Geosciences, Industrial applications). It includes lectures, practicals and tutorials, visits of Large Facilities and a poster session (each participant puts up a poster about her/his thesis or research topic for a day).

• PART I: BASIC METHODS AND INSTRUMENTS :
  (This part is common for all the participants - 1.5 weeks)
• PART II is divided into two parallel specialized sessions (3.5 weeks) :
  • Session A: PHYSICS AND CHEMISTRY OF CONDENSED MATTER
  • Session B: BIOMOLECULAR STRUCTURE AND DYNAMICS

The language of the course is English.

This latest edition of the summer school, which will celebrate the 30th anniversary of the Bombannes Summer School, will continue the devotion to the practical approach to understand scattering methods (neutron and X-ray) to study the structure and dynamics of colloids, polymers, surfactants and biological macromolecules. All young researchers (post-graduate and post-doctoral levels) working in European laboratories are encouraged to apply.Â

Registration deadline: 22nd February 2020Â

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