12th Asia-Pacific Microscopy Conference (APMC-2020)
Hyderabad International Convention Centre,
3-7 February 2020, Hyderabad, India
& XL (40th) AGM Meeting of EMSI

Welcome Message

Dear Scientists, Engineers, Students, Researchers and Professors,

We take great pleasure in informing you that, the Electron Microscope Society of India (EMSI) which is affiliated to International Federation of Societies for Microscopy has been given the opportunity to organize the 12th Asia Pacific Microscopy Conference during 03-07 February, 2020 at Hyderabad International Convention Centre (HICC), Hyderabad, India. The APMC – an International event is organized every four years under the auspices of CAPSM–Committee of Asia-Pacific Society for Microscopy (comprising of 17 countries). This time the APMC will be held in conjunction with the annual conference and the XL (40th) meeting (AGM) of the EMSI, which is one of the oldest scientific societies of the country.

It is anticipated that over a thousand scientists, researchers and students using different microscopy tools and techniques across the world will be attending the conference. There will be ten parallel sessions along with plenary and keynote lectures by world-renowned speakers to present the advancement in microscopy along with the new findings in materials and life sciences using different microscopic techniques. Moreover, a large-scale interactive exhibition will be held where electron microscope suppliers will present and demonstrate the new technologies implemented in their instruments.

The conference city, Hyderabad, one of the most preferred tourist destinations in India, is the capital of the state of Telangana – which connects the northern and southern states of India. Apart from being the perfect “melting pot” for the confluence of diverse cultures of not just the states in India, but the regions of the world as well. Hyderabad is an active hub for Information Technology companies and also hosts the central administrative bodies for many renowned academic and research organizations.

Hence, on behalf of the Organizing Committee of the APMC-12 & Electron Microscope Society of India, we warmly welcome you to the ‘City of Pearls’ with your families & friends and wish you a memorable visit and stay at Hyderabad, India.

Dr. Partha Ghosal

Chairman – EMSI (Central), Hyderabad and Chairman - APMC12

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Objectives

The Asia-Pacific Microscopy Conferences (APMC) is held every four years since 1956 under the aegis of Committee of Asia-Pacific Societies of Microscopy (CAPSM). These conferences held in different cities of Asia-Pacific region in collaboration with different local bodies of microscopy to promote electron microscopy and the various allied techniques and their application in carrying out scientific research towards the development of science and technology. The conferences provide platform to the young researchers and microscopists to interact with the world renowned scientists in the field and also with the industry people. All over the world there are several electron microscopy bodies or unions which organize electron microscopy conferences or workshops at different part of the worlds such as International Microscopy Congresses (IMC), European Microscopy Congresses (EMC), Multinational Congresses on Microscopy (MCM), Microscopy Society of America (MSA), International Federation of Societies for Microscopy (IFSM) etc.

Electron Microscope Society of India (EMSI), which is one of the affiliated organizations of CAPSM and IFSM, is organizing the 12th APMC conference in India. The APMC conference is going to be held in India after 55 years of the Second Regional Conference on "Electron Microscopy in Far East and Oceania" held at Kolkata on 2–6 February, 1965. Therefore, EMSI is trying to provide a great opportunity for the scientists and researchers of India to get an exposure to the cutting edge research activities carried out in the various renowned laboratories working in the field of microscopy all over the world.

Historical Background

About EMSI

Electron Microscope Society of India was inaugurated on 2nd December 1961 at Saha Institute of Nuclear Physics by Late Prof. S. N. Bose as a collective effort of several scientists including Prof. N. N. Das Gupta and Dr. (Mrs.) S. M. Sirsat. The first conference of EMSI was held on 02-03 December, 1961. Dr. N. N. Das Gupta was elected as first president of the Society. The society was formally registered with the Registrar of Joint Stock Companies, Calcutta in March 1962. The foundation membership of the society consisted of about 50 members engaged in electron microscopy work in about 15 laboratories in India. Second conference of the society was held at Indian Cancer Research Centre, Bombay in July 1963.

The society is one of its kind having members from vastly different disciplines viz., Materials Science, Biological Sciences, Medical Sciences, Pharmaceutical Science, Metallurgical Science, Forensic Science, Agricultural Science, Geological Science etc. Similarly it has members from different parts of India and while constituting the executive committee of the society, not only the efforts are made to have representation from different disciplines and regions of India but also its conferences are held in different parts of the country.

About IFSM and APMC

IFSM was created in October 1951 by the International Council for Science (ICSU). It was initially named as International Federation of Electron Microscope Societies; later in 1958, the federation changed its name to the International Federation of Societies for Electron Microscopy. Finally, in 2002, it was renamed as International Federation of Societies for Microscopy (IFSM). It has 37 national members and 9 associate members, under the three regional committees, the Committee for Asia-Pacific Societies of Microscopy (CAPSM), the European Microscopy Society (EMS) and the Interamerica Committee for Societies for Electron Microscopy (CIASEM).

In 1954, it was decided that the International Federation of Societies for Electron Microscopy (IFSEM) would help to organize Asia-Oceania Regional Conference, AORC, on microscopy (now APMC). The first AORC was held in Tokyo, Japan in 1956, while the second was held in Calcutta, India in 1965. Then, the AORC was renamed as the Asia-Pacific Conference on Electron Microscopy (APEM) and restarted in Singapore in 1984. Subsequently, the 4th APEM Conference was held in Bangkok, Thailand in 1988, the 5th in Beijing, China in 1992, the 6th in Hong Kong in 1996, the 7th in Singapore in 2000 and the 8th APEM in Kanazawa, Japan in 2004. The 9th APEM was held under the new name of Asia-Pacific Microscopy Conference (APMC) in Jeju, South Korea in 2008. The 10th APMC was held in Perth, Australia in 2012 and the last APMC was held in Phuket, Thailand in 2016.