Dear Colleagues,

The Presidents of the Microscopy Society of America (MSA), the Microbeam Analysis Society (MAS), the International Metallographic Society (IMS), and the International Society of Analytical Cytology (ISAC) hope that you will be able to join us in Albuquerque, New Mexico for Microscopy & Microanalysis 2008. This brochure demonstrates the diversity of our annual meeting, which spans many disciplines from the life sciences to the physical sciences, all unified by the tools of our trades.

There will be an exceptional scientific program again this year, as well as a grand opening reception that will be held at the Albuquerque Zoo. The exhibits always demonstrate state of the art equipment and the vendor tutorials have been expanded. A Pre-Meeting Congress, ÒCellular Analysis: Linking Quantitation to Structure and FunctionÓ is being co-presented by ISAC, a new guest society for Microscopy & Microanalysis 2008; it should be a highlight event! Many interdisciplinary symposia have been organized by the Program Committee and reflect the increasing trend of collaboration between scientists in different disciplines. There are also new initiatives this year with workshops to be held during the meeting in addition to the traditional Sunday Short Courses.

Finally, attending Microscopy & Microanalysis 2008 allows one to stay abreast of new technologies, learn new techniques, and see new instrumentation. It also provides an excellent opportunity to meet with friends, to network, and to meet new people and colleagues from around the world! We look forward to meeting you in Albuquerque.

Microscopy and Microanalysis 2008 will be the premiere meeting of the year for scientists and technologists worldwide who use microscopes and microbeams to analyze samples with high spatial resolution. The Program Committee has assembled a diverse and comprehensive scientific program covering recent advances in instrumentation, technology, and methods, as well as applications in both the physical and biological sciences. This year, special emphasis has been placed on attracting new faces and fresh content to the meeting. We welcome the participation of a new partner, the International Society of Analytical Cytology (ISAC), as well as the traditional joining societies: the Microscopy Society of America (MSA), the Microbeam Analysis Society (MAS), and the International Metallographic Society (IMS). Together, we have assembled an exciting list of scientific symposia, tutorials, and educational sessions that reflect emerging topics in microscopy and microanalysis, from biofuels, biofilms, and stem cells in the life sciences, to ultrafast microscopy, nuclear materials, and helium ion microscopy in the physical sciences. A large number of interdisciplinary symposia have been organized for 2008, reflecting the increasing trend of collaboration between physical and biological scientists in our field, and the routine application of our instruments and methods to a very broad array of problems. We believe that there will be much to interest each of you, and we hope that you will join us in Albuquerque to learn about the state-of-the-art in microscopy and microanalysis in 2008.

Joseph Michael, LAC Chair.