Following the success of the "Experts" sessions starting in 1997, similar sessions will be repeated in 2000 to promote this novel means of communicating scientific knowledge. Essentially, hot topics are identified and experts are located to answer questions posed from the audience. The "expert" makes a short presentation to introduce the topic. Audience members then ask questions and select an expert to provide an answer. Other members of the audience may also contribute answers to some problems. Some rather extraordinary dynamics ensue. These informal interactive question-and-answer sessions with experts in various fields of microscopy and microanalysis will take place during the meeting.

This session will address many of the problems that are faced with the generation and management of digital images and will compliment the Pre-meeting Workshops on Digital Imaging and Image Analysis as well as the Tutorial on Adobe Photoshop 101.

Panel Members and Topics:

Philippe Male (Yale University): "Color Management Systems in Digital Imaging"

Gerald J. Sedgewick (Univ of Minnesota): "From Digital Picture to Publisher: Navigating the Digital Journey"

Donald Black (Kodak): "Hybrid Imaging Systems in Microscopy"

Jose' A. Mascorro (Tulane Medical School): "Placing TEM Images Into the Digital Domain"

David Howell (Duke Univ Medical Center): "Telemicroscopy in Pathology Diagnosis"

This expert's session on Facility Management will focus on specific topics of current interest to managers of multi-user and service facilities in industrial and educational settings. The suggestions for topics will be obtained through requests to the M&M Listserve and from suggestion forms filled out at a similar session held at M&M 2000. Facilitators will introduce each topic. The majority of the session will be reserved for open discussion and exchange of information among attendees.

• Training Users: Courses? Workshops? What works for whom?
  
  Facilitator: John J. Bozzola, Southern Illinois University
  
  
• Calibration of Electron Microscopes: How to do this, how often, pit-falls and problems.
  
  Facilitator(s):
  
  SEM : Michael Postek, National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST)
  
  TEM : John P. McCaffrey, National Research Council of Canada
  
  
• Scientific Ethics: What are our responsibilities as facility managers?
  
  Facilitator: Michael Kalichman, University of California, San Diego
  
  

This session will involve a discussion of solutions (from bubble-wrap to Radiant Cooling) for improving the resolution and stability of new and existing instruments. The room environment is often the limiting factor for the performance of modern TEMs. In addition to the expected sensitivity to vibration and electromagnetic fields, air movement and pressure fluctuations as small as 1 Pa can be detected in some images. Detection, amelioration and specifications for environmental problems will be briefly presented followed by an audience Q and A session.

The panel will discuss this developing concept for off-site access to equipment and distance learning in the academic, industrial and government settings. Included in the discussion would be fundamentals, applications for use, feasibility, and cost effectiveness.

This session will explore the practical theory behind dual beam instrumentation, illustrating both biological and physical science uses for this state-of-the-art microscopy technique.

The computer workshop and software exchange will be operating throughout the Meeting. Participants can view and discuss the more than 500 megabytes of data, programs, general information and images available in the public domain software libraries. A limited number of Macs and PCs will be available for viewing, discussing and copying programs. The workshop will again be on the exhibit floor with the various MSA information booths. A limited number of connections will be available to provide access to e-mail etc. for conference attendees. However, this will be contingent upon the availability of systems with respect to other workshop demonstrations. The computer workshop will only be open during Exhibit hours.

Project Micro is MSA's national middle school outreach program. MICRO and the Local Arrangements Committee are jointly sponsoring a day of programming for teachers. There will be a brief introduction to MICRO, a hands-on workshop on basic light microscope repair (a topic requested by local teachers), followed by guided tours of the commercial exhibits and of a group of undergraduate students' research posters. Meeting registrants and/or their spouses who are interested in volunteering in schools are encouraged to attend.

The Presidents of MSA and MAS will offer special events during the early evenings of Monday and Tuesday. These events, including keynote speakers and the awards ceremonies, will appeal to all attendees.

• Asylum Research
  Force Measurements 101 - Featuring the New, Low Noise BioLever
  
• Carl Zeiss, Inc., Microscopy & Imaging Systems Zeiss LSM 5 PASCAL Personal Confocal Microscope Features and Capabilities.
• Digital Instruments/Veeco Metrology Group
  Recent Advances in Throughput, Resolution, Sensitivity, and Functionality with Atomic Force/Scanning Probe Microscopy
  
• Evex Analytical
  Video SEM
  
• FEI Company
  High Resolution STEM Imaging on a TEM
  
• Gatan, Inc.
  Fast Mapping with Hi-Speed EELS Spectrum Imaging
  
• Hamamatsu Photonic Systems
  Hamamatsu Introduces IEEE1394
  
• Hitachi Scientific Instruments
  Hitachi's NEW ExB Filter System on the S-4700 FESEM
  
• IATIA Group
  Optical Phase Microscopy with QPm: Quantitative Imaging and Conventional Visualization Analogs
  
• IXRF Systems, Inc.
  SEM-EDS Integration: The Future of Microanalysis!
  
• Micro Photonics, Inc.
  Non-Destructive 3D Microscopy Using X-Ray Microtomography
  
• Molecular Imaging
  PicoSPM and In Situ Imaging Under Controlled Environments
  
• Olympus America, Inc.
  Motorized Microscopy - Making Your Life easier
  
• Polaroid Corp.
  Polaroid's Digital Microscope Camera and Simple PCIp Software
  
• Princeton Gamma Tech, Inc.
  "What is That PTS I Hear So Much About?"
  
• Q3DM, Inc.
  Automating High Resolution Microscopy: Addressing the Challenges of High Throughput Fluorescence Microscopy for Cell-Based Assays
  
• Quesant Instruments Corp.
  Quesant Instruments New Metrology System
  
• Soft Imaging System Corp.
  Digital Imaging on Your TEM: Everything You Wanted to Know But Were Afraid to Ask.
  
• South Bay Technology, Inc.
  #1-Sneak Preview of New Techniques and Tool Sets for the D500i DIMPLER
  #2-Ion Beam Sputter Deposition & Etching (IBS/e)
  #3-Dedicated Low Energy Ion Milling
  
• Ted Pella, Inc.
  New Methods of Microwave-Assisted Processing for Electron Microscopy
  
• TSL (EDAX booth)
  Phase Identification and TEM Tool