Fellow microscopists and microanalysts, it is with great pleasure and anticipation that the 2006 Local Arrangements Committee and the Midwest Microscopy and Microanalysis Society welcomes you to Chicago. As a compliment to the superb scientific program which has been organized for the M&M-2006 conference, we hope to help you enjoy your visit to one of the greatest cities in the USA. We will make every effort to make your trip a world class experience you won't soon forget. The site of this year's meeting is Chicago's historic Navy Pier located on Lake Michigan virtually in the heart of Downtown Chicago. When you arrive, you'll find yourself in a forest of skyscrapers--including the Sears Tower, the tallest building in the Americas--bordering our breathtaking shoreline. Once you get settled, you'll quickly find out that Chicago has more to do and see than any city in the USA. Chicago is a city rich in ethnic and cultural diversity, with its beautiful lakefront and outstanding architecture, its internationally renowned Art Institute, the Field Museum of Natural History, the Museum of Science and Industry, the Adler Planetarium, and the Shedd Aquarium. A host of additional cultural venues, too long to list, are all surrounded by fantastic restaurants and world-class shopping. Unique neighborhoods, rich in ethnic heritage, with their city parks, summer festivals, and local gathering places can be found within a moderate distance of the M&M-2006 conference venue. Our city's cosmopolitan makeup is reflected in its abundance of restaurants which you'll have the pleasure of exploring. These range from our local favorites, such as Chicago-style deep-dish pizza, our famous hot dogs, Italian beef, and barbecue ribs, to more traditional offerings served in the best steakhouses anywhere. There will be plenty of opportunities for you to sample outstanding cuisines--Eastern European, German, Italian, French, Mexican, Chinese, Japanese, Indian, Thai--just name your favorite, you will be sure to find it in Chicago. From Little Italy to Greektown to River North . . . so many restaurants, so little time! And don't forget: that from its earliest days Chicago has had some of the best nightlife in the US. The birthplace of the "Blues", Chicago swings all night with hot blues and jazz, and also offers critically acclaimed theatre, opera, orchestra and dance. You will find your evenings full of non-stop entertainment opportunities. Chicago is a big city that is extremely easy to get around in. The Navy Pier Convention Center, hotels, cultural institutions, shopping, dining, and entertainment are concentrated in a relatively small area. Everything can be easily reached by public transportation; many of the most popular attractions are within moderate walking distance of each other. In addition to the M&M hotel shuttle buses, the city offers excellent public transportation including the free Navy Pier trolley and the elevated "L" rapid transit system. Lastly, there are nearly 7,000 taxis that will provide quick access to your desired location. Chicago offers a variety of tours, some very general in nature, others offering the ultimate in personalized touring. The Chicago Office of Tourism features free 2-4 hour tours on foot and public transportation. Keep an eye on the meeting WWW Social Events site for information on special events that are taking place during the M&M-2006 conference. There a quite a few happening just before and after the Conference. Our Sunday opening reception will be in the Grand Ballroom of the Sheraton Hotel and Towers, overlooking Chicago River and Downtown Chicago. It will offer everyone the opportunity to mingle with colleagues in an atmosphere that promises to be both relaxing and enjoyable. We hope you all will take the opportunity to come to M&M-2006, and to enjoy your visit to Chicago--after all, it is "Our Kind of Town" and we expect to make this a memorable meeting for everyone.
Jim DiOrio, Robb Mierzwa, and Nestor Zaluzec Dear Colleagues, WELCOME! On behalf of the Microscopy Society of America (MSA), the Microbeam Analysis Society (MAS), the International Metallographic Society (IMS), and the Microscopy Society of Canada/Societe de Microscopie du Canada (MSC/SMC), we invite scientists throughout the world who develop and use microscopy to the jointly-sponsored Microscopy and Microanalysis 2006 meeting in Chicago, Illinois. The meeting will take place from July 30 through August 3, 2006. The venue for the meeting is the exciting, and popular Navy Pier. The Program Committee, chaired by Paul Kotula, has arranged a unique series of symposia and tutorials covering both instrumentation and applications development as well as sessions illustrating the practical uses of these developments in the biological and physical sciences. As you look through this booklet, I think you will agree that the Program Committee has put together a program that will excite microscopists in all fields. The program features two named Symposia. The first will be on "Cell Biology and Microscopy" and is dedicated to the memory of Hans Ris and the second will cover "Quantitative X-ray Microanalysis" and honors Art Chodos. The program also has sessions celebrating the 50th Anniversary of the Observation of Dislocations and the 50th Anniversary of X-ray Mapping. Of course, an essential aspect of the scientific program is your vital contributed paper! We encourage you to contribute your work for presentation as part of this exciting program. There are also great reasons to arrive early for M&M 2006. During the pre-meeting weekend, there will be an excellent Pre-Meeting Congress on Materials Research in an Aberration-Free Environment and a number of short courses to help you enhance your microscopy skills. Your stay in Chicago will be all the more enjoyable thanks to the dedication and hard work of the M&M 2006 local arrangements committee, chaired by Nestor Zaluzec, Jim DiOrio, and Robb Mierzwa. A fabulous opening reception at the Sheraton Chicago will be held on July 30, 2006 to welcome everyone to M&M 2006 and allow you to catch up with old friends and make new ones. Navy Pier's Festival Hall will be our venue for scientific sessions, short courses, and the commercial exhibition. Our Sustaining Members and Exhibitors are committed to making the Commercial Exhibition a must see event, and a great opportunity to examine new instrumentation in a unique setting. Microscopy and Microanalysis 2006 promises to be an exciting international scientific meeting in a thrilling and dynamic setting. We look forward to seeing you in Chicago!
Jay Jerome - President, MSA
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