HERCULES is a European course for PhD students and young researchers using Neutrons and Synchrotron Radiation for applications in Biology, Chemistry, Physics, Hard & Soft Condensed Matter.

   The 1-month school includes lectures (60%), hands-on practicals and tutorials at partner institutes (DESY and European XFEL in Hamburg, Ellettra and FERMI in Trieste, ESRF, ILL in Grenoble, Soleil and LLB near Paris, SLS in Switzerland) and Grenoble Laboratories (CEA, CNRS, EMBL, IBS).

   The school includes a common part and two parallel sessions:

• Biomolecular, soft condensed matter structure & dynamics
• Physics and chemistry of condensed matter

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   Why join Hercules ?

• to learn new techniques using neutron and synchrotron radiation
• to expand your theoretical and practical knowledge, not only for your present research but for your scientific career
• to experiment these techniques on world-class instruments & beamlines
• to build a network of relations with fellow young researchers and experienced teachers from all around the World

Deadline for application:Â Â 31 October 2015

Bursaries/reduced costs: a limited number of bursaries will be available either to reduce registration fees or cover travel costs.

Common Lectures:

• Interaction of X-rays and neutrons with matter (absorption, elastic and inelastic interactions, ...)
• Sources (neutron, synchrotron, XFEL)
• Detectors
• Optics &instrumentation
• Diffraction (single crystal, powder..)
• Scattering (elastic, inelastic..)
• Spectroscopy
• Imaging (Absorption, coherent,..)
• etc.
  

Session A: Applications to Biomolecular, Soft Condensed matter, Structure and Dynamics

• Protein structure and dynamics
• Studies in solutions
• Partially ordered systems
• Membranes, fibres and muscles
• Crystallography of viruses and ribosomes
• Structural genomics
• Biomedical applications (imaging, therapy)
• Time-resolved and ultra-fast X-ray science
• Biology with 4th generation sources
• etc.
  

Session B: Applications to Physics and Chemistry of Condensed Matter

• Neutron and X-ray (and UV and IR) spectroscopies
• X-ray reflectivity and diffraction of nano systems
• Single crystal and powder diffraction
• Coherent imaging and tomography
• Neutron and X-ray magnetic scattering
• Polarized X-rays and neutrons
• FEL and ultra fast X-ray science
  
• etc.

â- Â General Session (Fundamentals & Growth Technologies)

G01Â Fundamentals of Nucleation and Crystal Growth
G02Â Surfaces and Interfaces
G03Â Nanomaterials and Low Dimensional Structures
G04Â Thin Films and Epitaxial Growth
G05Â Organic and Biological Crystallization
G06Â Bulk Crystal Growth
G07Â Crystalline Defects
G08Â Advanced Growth Technologies
G09Â In situ Observation and Characterization
G10Â External Fields, Microgravity
G11Â Industrial Crystallization

â- Â Topical Session (Materials & Applications)

T01Â III-V Semiconductors
T02Â Group IV Semiconductors
T03Â 2D Materials
T04Â II-VI and Oxide Materials
T05Â Materials for Spintronics
T06Â Materials for Optical Devices
T07Â Materials for Electron Devices
T08Â Materials for Organic Devices and Bio Applications
T09Â Nitride Semiconductors
T10Â Silicon Carbide
T11Â Late News Session

â- Â Joint Session - examples -

Theory, Computations and Experiments

Fundamental Aspects of Hydrogen Interaction with Materials and Novel Energy Applications

 Topics include:

• Physisorption
• Reaction mechanisms / pathways in complex hydrides
• Surface phenomena and finite size effects
• Novel high capacity hydrogen storage materials
• Transport phenomena in hydrides
• Hydrogen in energy storage applications
• Recent advances on hydrides based on metals and alloys
• Hydrogenation / dehydrogenation of hydride composites
• Novel methods and new characterization techniques (of hydrogen interaction)

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Advances in Topological Phases of Matter in Crystalline Solids and Cold Atom Systems

Over 5 days, you will get introduced to data acquisition, 3D reconstruction, segmentation and meshing and finally, 3D modelling of data to extract physical parameters describing flow or mechanical properties. Teaching and exercises will take place in close interaction with top experts in the field.

Topics

• Experimental methods and applications
  
• Volumetric reconstruction
• Segmentation techniques
• Flow simulation
• Mechanical modelling

Deadline for registration for the summer school is June 30th, 2015

The ICTMS 2015 is the biannual conference of the IntACT (International Association of Computed Tomography).

This four full day congress is dedicated to CT-Scanning for non-medical applications. The 2nd International Conference on Tomography of Materials and Structures will bring together an international group of scientists to discuss a broad range of issues related to the use of computed tomography in materials and structures and all its related topics.

• X-ray and neutron tomography acquisition hardware, software and set-ups.
• Recent advances in CT imaging.
• Case studies including applications on miscellaneous materials and structures.

Presentations will be made within 2 parallel oral sessions. Contributions from universities, government and industry are welcome.

Themes

Themes of the congress encompass, but are not limited to, the following topics:

1Â X-Ray and Neutron Tomography, acquisition hardware, software and set-up.

• 1.1 â€" Synchrotron. (Chairmen: Robert Winarski & Jan Carmeliet)
  
• 1.2 â€" Micro-CT. (Chairmen: Matthieu Boone, Jan Van den Bulcke & Adrian Sheppard)
  
• 1.3 â€" Interferometry. (Chairmen: Leslie Butler & Francesco De Carlo)
• 1.4 -Physics of X-Ray. (Chairmen: Philippe Després & Giovani Grasselli)
  

2 â€" Recent Advance in CT & Synchrotron Imaging

• 2.1 â€" Advance in reconstruction algorithms. (Chairman: Andrew Kingston) Â
  
• 2.2 â€" Geotechnic. (Chairmen : Jacques Desrues & Stephen Hall)
  
• 2.3 â€" Multi-tissue quantitative Imaging technique. (Chairmen : Eric Landis & Sabine Rolland de Roscoat)
  
• 2.4 â€" 3D imaging. (Chairmen : Dominique Bernard & Khalid Alshibi)Â
  
• 2.5 â€" Developing image analysis tools for synchrotron imaging and microscopy. (Chairmen : Xianghui Xiao & Ross Harder)

3 â€" Case studies

• 3.1 â€" Hydraulics and sediment transport. (Chairmen : William Arnott & Bernard Long)
  
• 3.2 â€" Geomaterial, Materials, Structures and Mineralogy. (Chairmen : Jean-Yves Buffière & Yosuke Higo)
  
• 3.3 â€" Wood. (Chairmen : Dominique Derome, Jan Van den Bulke & Gabor Szathmary)
  
• 3.4 â€" Sedimentology and Palaeontology. (Chairmen : Richard Ketcham & Patric Jacobs)
• 3.5 â€" Quaternary Deposits. (Chairmen : Pierre Francus & Mathieu Duchesne)Â
• 3.6 â€" Innovative ;Geotechnical Applications. (Chairmen : Jun Otani, Gioacchino Viggiani & Didier Perret)
• 3.7 â€" Rock porosity and gas sequestration. (Chairmen : Patrick Selvadurai & Michel Malo)
• 3.8 â€" Concrete & building rocks. (Chairmen : Jacques Marchand & Veerle Cnudde)
• 3.9 â€" Porous Material. (Chairmen : Nicolas Lenoir & Takafumi Sugiyama)
  
• 3.10 â€" Hydrogeology, water infiltration and pollution. (Chairmen: Richard Martel, Subhasis Ghoshal)
• 3.11 â€" Archaeology. (Chairmen : Réginald Auger & Geneviève Treyvaud)
• 3.12 â€" Biogenic sedimentary structure and dynamics: marine, fresh water, and terrestrial systems. (Chairmen : Robert Aller & Emma Michaud)
• 3.13 â€" Petroleum core analysis. (Chairmen : Mike London & Caliskan Sinan)

Following the previous two meetings held in Garmisch (V) and Giens (VI), the present conference deals with materials microstructure and properties, as they can be studied by diffraction methods, with a special interest in the application of diffraction techniques to polycrystalline materials, methodologies for the study of lattice defects, residual stress and texture in thin films, surfaces and nanostructures, line-broadening analysis, line-profile fitting and modelling based on fundamental parameters for applications in materials science problems. New topics, added at SS-VI, were microbeam diffraction and coherent diffraction. SS-VII will add X-ray and neutron imaging, and PDF (pair distribution function) analysis to the list of methodologies covered.

 The seventh Size-Strain conference will take place in the historic city of Oxford. Scientific sessions will take place at the University of Oxford's Department of Engineering Science and accommodation will be available to book in nearby Trinity College. A half day trip to Diamond and ISIS will be arranged and transport provided.

 Co-chairs: Ian Robinson (UCL) and Alexander Korsunsky (Oxford)

Topics

• Surface science of catalysis, electrocatalysis and photocatalysis
• Surface engineering and functionalization
• Functional surfaces and coatings
• Surface science applied to energy conversion and storage
• Surface nanotechnology and devices
• Biointerfaces
• Electrochemistry at surfaces and corrosion protection strategies
• Advances in surface characterization tools
• Environmentally-friendly materials

Microscale Technology for Advancing and Translating Discovery

Conference Topics

• Electrochemistry/physics/chemistry of solid/liquid interfaces
• Metal, oxide, thin film and mineral surfaces
• Liquid/gas and solid/liquid interfaces
• Biosensors and surface functionalization
• Polymer and carbon surfaces, interfaces and devices
• Catalytic and environmental studies
• Structure and chemistry of domain interfaces and grain boundaries
• Nanomaterials and nanopatterning
• Scanning probe and high resolution electron microscopy
• Surface analysis using synchrotron techniques
• Optical spectroscopy of surfaces
• Ion beam analysis and modification
• Other relevant surface studiesÂ