On behalf of the International Union of Crystallography (IUCr), it is with immense excitement and joy that we cordially extend our warmest invitation to you to join the IUCr for the Twenty-Seventh Congress and General Assembly, set to be held in the magnificent city of Calgary, located in the heart of Alberta, Canada from August 11th-18th, 2026.

Calgary, a city renowned for its breathtaking natural beauty and warm hospitality, has been chosen as the host for this remarkable occasion. Nestled amidst stunning landscapes and boasting a rich cultural heritage, this vibrant metropolis promises to provide an unforgettable experience for all attendees.

The first XTOP conference was held in Marseille in 1992. With an initial focus on X-ray topography andhigh-resolution X-ray diffraction, the conference has always combined aspects of X-ray scattering and X-ray imaging. Over time, other related topics such as X-ray phase-contrast imaging, tomography and microscopy, and various scanning X-ray imaging techniques have been added.

Today, XTOP brings together scientists working on X-ray diffraction, reflection, grazing-incidence scattering, standing-waves, coherent diffraction, and ptychography techniques, as well as X-ray microtomography, microscopy and other imaging techniques based on phase, diffraction, scattering, or spectroscopic contrasts.

XTOP is a leading scientific conference on instrumentation, methods, and applications of laboratory and synchrotron-based X-ray diffraction and imaging techniques.

Important Dates

• Opening for the submission of abstracts: March 23, 2026
• Deadline for submission of abstracts: May 4, 2026
• Opening of the registration: beginning of April 2026
• Early bird registration deadline: June 8, 2026
• Deadline for late registration: August 3, 202

The first XTOP conference was held in Marseille in 1992. With an initial focus on X-ray topography andhigh-resolution X-ray diffraction, the conference has always combined aspects of X-ray scattering and X-ray imaging. Over time, other related topics such as X-ray phase-contrast imaging, tomography and microscopy, and various scanning X-ray imaging techniques have been added.

Today, XTOP brings together scientists working on X-ray diffraction, reflection, grazing-incidence scattering, standing-waves, coherent diffraction, and ptychography techniques, as well as X-ray microtomography, microscopy and other imaging techniques based on phase, diffraction, scattering, or spectroscopic contrasts.

XTOP is a leading scientific conference on instrumentation, methods, and applications of laboratory and synchrotron-based X-ray diffraction and imaging techniques.

Important Dates

• Opening for the submission of abstracts: March 23, 2026
• Deadline for submission of abstracts: May 4, 2026
• Opening of the registration: beginning of April 2026
• Early bird registration deadline: June 8, 2026
• Deadline for late registration: August 3, 202

The Young Crystallographers are a working group within the German Society for Crystallography (DGK). For 10 years, we meet regularly in autumn at different universities or the STOE facilities.

These meetings specifically aim to provide a platform for networking and scientific exchange for young scientists with an interest in crystallography, as well as to establish contacts with industry and research institutions.
We want to give young scientists the opportunity to gain early experience in scientific presentation in a relaxed atmosphere and without the stress of a larger conference.

For our grand anniversary, we are happy to meet at the DESY facilities! We are working hard to allow you deep insights as well as a great overview of the possibilities at this large-scale facility.

During the 3-day meeting, you willÂ

• present your own work as a poster (A0 portrait) and lightning talk (~5 min.)
• have the DESY campus tour
• participate in an experiment and get a hands-on experience at a beamline of your choice at PETRA III (see The Experiments)
• hear academic talks from senior scientists
• hear industry talks from our sponsors/partners

At the end of the meeting, you will also have the chance to join a tour of the European XFEL Campus. If you intend to participate, please indicate so during registration. Note that you will need to get to the XFEL facilities by public transport as it is a bit outside the main DESY campus.

The registration fee of 60 € includes the tours and experiments at DESY, coffee breaks as well as lunch and BBQ on Thursday.

Deadline for registration is 22.08.23.

The 6th Microscopy Characterisation of Organicâ€"Inorganic Interfaces (MCOII) meeting will again be hosted virtually, but it will keep the main goals and aspirations of all the previous editions.  We will use the advantages of the virtual format and this time not only connect experts from different branches of the microscopy community (the life sciences and materials science) but also bridge two continents in a joint discussion on the challenging but increasingly important topic of studying hybrid organicâ€"inorganic materials.

The transatlantic scientific organiser team of Nadja V. Tarakina (MPIKG, Germany) and Lena F. Kourkoutis (Cornell University, USA) have put together an exciting two-day programme. As usual, the first day will be more general, covering a broad range of microscopy approaches (correlative microscopy solutions, in-situ gas and liquid microscopy methods, low-voltage electron microscopy and many more) in the context of imaging hybrid and soft matter.

On the second day, the special Focus Lecture Series will provide an in-depth view on "Advances in Analytical Cryo-Electron Microscopy: From sample preparation to data acquisition to data analysis”. Cryo-electron microscopy has transformed life sciences by enabling the structure of macromolecules to be imaged down to the atomic scale. Recent developments in instrumentation and techniques have opened new opportunities for scientific discovery not only in life sciences but also in physical sciences and in areas where the two fields intersect. This lecture series will bring together world-leading experts in analytical electron microscopy, highlighting the latest achievements, new opportunities and outstanding challenges in probing beam-sensitive and hybrid materials and their interfaces.Â

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It is a great pleasure and honour to invite colleagues from academia and business, as well as young researchers and students from all parts of the world to attend the Materials Science Conference. The conference, scheduled from October 11-14, 2021 is organized by Prism Scientific Services in collaboration with The University of Queensland.

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The conference will underpin the need and importance of collaboration and cooperation by individuals from a wide range of professional backgrounds. Materials Oceania will bring together a multidisciplinary group of scientists and engineers from all over the world to present latest findings and to exchange their ideas. This in turn paves the way for further discoveries, which most often happen where disciplines and specialists meet and congregate. In fact the development of materials was, is and will be fundamental for all technological applications, and in the entire field of applied science targeting the improvement of quality of life for humanity. At the end of the materials conference, we hope that attendees will feel they have generated the most up-to-date information available.

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We hope that you will join us for a symphony of outstanding science, and to also take a little extra time to enjoy the spectacular and unique beauty of Brisbane City.

Scientific programme

Methods and techniques:

• High resolution diffraction and topography
• X-ray reflectometry and small-angle scattering
• Microdiffraction and nanodiffraction
• Coherent diffraction imaging
• Absorption and phase contrast imaging and tomography
• Resonant (anomalous) scattering
• Fluorescence imaging
• Time resolved methods
• Theory and simulations of X-ray scattering

Applications:

• Material science (from 0D to 3D objects)
• Nanomaterials and nanoscience
• Life and environmental sciences
• Non-destructive testing (including industrial needs and cultural heritage)

Instrumentation:

• X-ray optics and instrumentation
• Advances in laboratory instrumentation and applications
• Advances in synchrotron instrumentation and applications
• Experiments at X-ray free-electron lasers

Organised by the IOP Electron Microscopy and Analysis Group (EMAG)

The bi-annual conference series 'Microscopy of Semiconducting Materials' has a long tradition in focusing on the most recent advances in the study of the structural and electronic properties of semiconducting materials by the application of transmission and scanning electron microscopy. The latest developments in the use of other important micro-characterisation techniques including scanning probe microscopy and X-ray topography and diffraction will also be featured.

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History and scope

The first XTOP conference ("X-ray Topography and High Resolution Diffraction") took place in Marseille in 1992. The original topics covered were topography, double- and triple-crystal diffractometry of epitaxial layers, reflectometry and standing waves technique, with other added at later meetings. Topics for XTOP '2014 hold to the traditions of all the previous conferences.

XTOP brings together scientists from the fields of X-ray diffractometry, reflectometry, standing waves, coherent and conventional X-ray diffraction imaging and topography, as well as X-ray phase contrast imaging (radiography and micro-tomography). XTOP is thus one of the central scientific conference concerning methods and instrumentation in synchrotron-based high-resolution X-ray diffraction methods, phase contrast imaging, and micro-tomography.

Previous XTOP conferences:

• 1992: Marseille (France)
• 1994: Berlin (Germany)
• 1996: Erice (Italy)
• 1998: Durham (United Kingdom)
• 2000: Ustron-Jaszowiec (Poland)
• 2002: Aussois (France)
• 2004: Prague (Czech Republic)
• 2006: Baden-Baden (Germany)
• 2008: Linz (Austria)
• 2010: Warwick (United Kingdom)
• 2012: St Petersburg (Russia)