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The Next Generation – An Interview with Shudi Zhang and Zhibin Yin

We have a double feature today. We interview Shudi Zhang and Zhibin Yin, who are carrying out their PhDs under the supervision of Prof Dr. Wei Hang at Xiamen University (China), and who we had the opportunity to meet during the recent 6th Asia-Pacific Winter Conference on Plasma Spectrochemistry.

Shudi Zhang in his lab in Xiamen

Who or what inspired you to become a scientist?

There was a common saying in Chinese that there would not be anything to be afraid of if you learned Mathematics, Physics and Chemistry well. That was what my parents and teachers had always been telling me. Thereby I studied these subjects strenuously and found them interesting, especially Chemistry. I thought that it was a great wonder to witness two substances reacting with each other and giving rise to various fabulous scenes, like color altering, foaming, glowing, booming and so forth. Plus, it felt so good when I was able to explain the fundamental mechanism of some conventional phenomena in daily life. Hence, I decided to work on Chemistry and try to make a contribution to it.

Why did you choose your research group/University and what factors influenced your choice?

First of all, Chemistry is one of the best majors in Xiamen University, and the milieu here for doing research is perfect. Secondly, Professor Wei Hang has been doing an excellent job in instrumentation and application of mass spectrometry, in which I am very interested. I thought mass spectrometry is the most versatile tool to characterize various chemical compounds, and I wish to master the essence of it. Thirdly, the students in my group are very friendly and accommodating, and I had a great time working and exchanging thoughts with them. So I made my choice to study in Professor Wei Hang’s group in Xiamen University.

Can you explain a bit the purpose of your current research activities?

I’m currently doing simulation and theoretical work in laser ablation/ionization mass spectrometry. Laser ablation technique is well-known for its versatility and simplicity, but it suffers from matrix effect and elemental fractionation. In order to make the technique more applicable, it is imperative to study the fundamental mechanism of the whole laser ionization process and make refinements based on the factors that matter. This is the purpose of my research activities and I’m utilizing Chemometrics and physical simulations to achieve this goal. With chemometric tools, I can figure out and quantify the importance of the physical and chemical properties of the matrices in matrix effect/elemental fractionation through a mathematical point of view. Furthermore, by physical simulation, I can get insight into the detailed processes and check out which ones may give rise to these effects. Currently I’ve proved that the influence of laser pulse width on matrix effect is really a matter of thermal properties of matrices.

How is a typical day in your lab?

Unlike many other supervisors who have a stringent demand for students to arrive at Lab early, Prof. Wei Hang allow us to arrive at 9:00 a.m. and hence work with high efficiency and great energy. Usually I spend half an hour at the beginning of a day to plan the things I’m going to do. There are plenty of mass spectrometers in our group, which guarantees enough time for me to handle spectrometers. Samples have already been loaded into the ionization chamber the previous day at night, so then I would adjust the instrumental parameters, and analyze the samples. Our group goes to lunch together and shares experimental observations and ideas on the way to lunch. In the afternoon, I would process the data obtained in the morning and possibly redo the experiment if there is something wrong with the data. In the evening, I would clean the instrument, load new samples into it and take a brief overview of the work done during the day. After that, I would read some articles relevant to my research area or just something I’m interested in. This is a typical day in my lab.

What common activities are organized in your research group?

The most frequent activity is playing badminton. All our group members go to play it every Thursday night to exercise and relax. Regularly, we’ll have a big meal once or twice a month. Additionally, Professor Wei Hang would invite us all to dinner whenever a paper is published or a great deal of job has just been finished. When time is good, we would also go to KTV and sing the songs we love. Moreover, our group will go hiking at the end of each year to relax and enjoy the great scenery. When a student has just graduated, our group will have a short trip to another town to celebrate it. All these activities make me feel that our group is a big harmonious family which deserves fighting for it.

What app/programs do you typically use?

I use Microsoft Word most frequently to write articles, reports and so on. As to data processing, I prefer Origin for its great ability and diverse data-presenting choices, although I also use Microsoft Excel to do some simple data-manipulation. Labview is also a choice for data processing; what is more importantly, I also use it to make programs to control the instruments. In order to get more complicated contour plots, I use Surfer as well. And of course, I use Microsoft PPT to give presentations and report my experimental proceedings. As to my research area, I also use Matlab and FDTD solutions for simulation.

How do you search for scientific information? How do you manage your bibliography?

Most frequently, I use Google Scholar to search articles and other scientific information. SciFinder is another choice, but it takes more time. I manage my bibliography using Endnote software. I think it’s a very convenient tool to categorize and manage the numerous articles you’ve read.

What are your views on JAAS? Which type of articles do you prefer? Do you miss some content?

JAAS is one of the most outstanding journals in atomic spectroscopy. Although I haven’t published an article in JAAS, I’m sure I’m going to send a manuscript in the near future. I’ve read a great deal of JAAS articles dealing with laser ablation and laser ablation-ICP techniques. Moreover, I enjoy reading latest development in instrumentation in JAAS.

What do you like and dislike the most about your work?

I like the great opportunity to learn mass spectrometry, since there are plenty of mass spectrometers in the lab and I have the chance to learn every one of them. I like it when we’re allowed to dismantle a mass spectrometer and to learn the concrete configuration and instrumentation of it, which is undoubtedly a precious experience. I like my accommodating colleagues, the cooperative atmosphere here.

I dislike it when my experimental and simulation results didn’t come out right, when the instrument didn’t function well and when my paper was rejected.

What do you expect to be doing in 5 years time?

From now on, I will spend three years’ time to finish my PhD’s degree. After that, I guess I would either go abroad to get a post-doctoral position to continue my endeavor in atomic spectroscopy or work in some research institutions or companies.

What do you enjoy doing when you are not in the lab?

Outside my research area, I have plenty of hobbies. I like foreign literatures and movies, so I combine them into one activity: watching foreign movies and TV series. I learn English and Japanese this way. I like computer skills as well. Whenever a computer (either mine or my friends’) does not work out right, I will get very excited and try everything I can to solve the problem. Oh, and recently I’m falling in love with photography, since I want to record the beauty of life by myself.

Zhibin Yin in his lab in Xiamen

Who or what inspired you to become a scientist?

I think what inspired me to become a scientist is the life in my school, Xiamen University. I was still a know-nothing teenager and did not touch the fancy scientific world before I went to university. It was the scientific courses, my supervisor Prof. Wei Hang as well as colleagues that inspired me to step into the palace of science. It was an interesting and delightful moment every time I discussed the scientific issues with my colleagues in the lab, such as Weifeng Li, Shudi Zhang, Miaohong He, and Zhisen Liang. I always learn something new no matter who is the winner of the discussion. Additionally, my parents are also the persons who inspired me to become a scientist because they always gave me the freedom to choose what I really like.

Why did you choose your research group/University and what factors influenced your choice?

First of all, I chose Xiamen University as my undergraduate school because it is one of the most beautiful campus in China and it is close to my home. It may sound naive at first but it is true. However, I was attracted and impressed by the history, the culture, the academic atmosphere of this beautiful university. Moreover, the College of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, where I studied, is the best college in Xiamen University. So is the Analytical Chemistry group. I find out my enthusiasm for mass spectrometry in Prof. Wei Hang group. I like the instrumentation and application of MS very much. That is the reason why I choose to pursue for my PhD degree directly as soon as I got my bachelor degree in the same university, Xiamen University.

As for the choice of my research group, it can be attributed to the fact that I am crazy about Analytical Chemistry. When I was a second-grade undergraduate student, I got a project called “Seeding-Raising Funding”, which encourage undergraduate with curiosity to join the group of interest for scientific research. Compared to synthetic Chemistry, such as Inorganic or Organic Chemistry, I would prefer Analytical Chemistry. So I joined Prof. Wei Hang group, wich opened my academic road. It was the first time I got to know optical and mass spectrometry and I became crazier and crazier about them when I got this insight. The research group has provided me with the platform to learn and grow. I really cherish this hard-won opportunity. I would stick to my original choice if I were permitted to choose again. Another reason why I choose my research group is the colleagues in the lab. I am so happy to work with them during my PhD program.

Can you explain a bit the purpose of your current research activities?

I am engaged in the research and development of new analytical methods based on laser ionization time-of-flight mass spectrometry (LI-TOFMS) and new MS instruments. In my last project, I focused in acquiring the information on metal/nonmetal elements, molecules, as well as molecular fragments of organometallic compounds simultaneously by high irradiance LI-TOFMS. In my view, this corresponds very well with the new JAAS scope, seeking for new sources that provide both atomic and molecular information. It is time-saving and easy-to-operate that acquiring the elemental, fragmental, and molecular information simultaneously by LI-MS.

In my current research, I will be active in the project devoted to focus the micron-sized spot to the nano-scale spot by laser irradiance. Lateral resolution in the laser-dependent technique is restricted to micron by the diffraction limit. However, there is an urgent need for developing a new analytical method that goes deep into nano-world. Hence, I try to introduce the near-field effect to LI-MS in order to obtain nano-scale resolution.

How is a typical day in your lab?

We do not follow the old saying that “The early bird gets the worm”, instead we go to the lab at about 9 o’clock a.m. Compared to getting up early, I prefer to do the research with efficiency. I always schedule my work every day on my way to the lab, and start to work quickly as soon as I arrive at the lab. Generally speaking, I will warm up the home-made laser ionization time-of-flight mass spectrometer (LI-TOFMS) laser, as well as the cooling water system and the oscilloscope. Data processing is right behind finishing experiments, in case more experiments needed to be supplemented. I think the happiest time in a day is the mealtime, because all of us in the lab can discuss the interesting experiment phenomena, and share what has happened all over the world.

In addition to daily experiments, I spend most of my time reading literature, thinking why he/she came up with this wonderful idea, and taking notes about the most innovative points at night. We will finish our typical day at about 10 o’clock p.m.

What common activities are organized in your research group?

Every Thursday afternoon is the most important time of the week for us. Group meeting will be held for discussing the results we have obtained and what bottlenecks have been encountered. Moreover, we can share the fantastic ideas of original papers. After group meeting finishes, all of us will play badminton in the evening. Moreover, our group will organize a short trip to another town for relaxing and sightseeing in the summer vacation.

What app/programs do you typically use?

In consideration with home-built LI-MS instruments, there are a lot of programs we should use. For example, LabVIEW 8.5 is used to control laser, high-voltage pulse train generator, and collect the data from a digital storage oscilloscope. Origin 8.5 is used for processing data and producing final mass spectra. I also use AutoCAD and Photoshop for editing graphics. Additionally, we will use Solidworks 2014 to build 3D MS instruments and SIMION 8.0 to simulate the ion trajectory in the electrostatic field of LI-TOFMS. Last but not least, we mostly use Microsoft Office, such as Word, Excel, and PowerPoint etc.

How do you search for scientific information? How do you manage your bibliography?

In Xiamen University, we can choose SciFinder Scholar or Web of Science for scientific information. However, I always use Google Scholar to find the literatures of interest for convenience. It is all-inclusive and easy to search that most of my colleagues use it.

For bibliography management, Endnote X7 is the apple of my eyes because it is highly compatible and easy to manage numerous literatures, as well as indispensable when preparing a manuscript.

What are your views on JAAS? Which type of articles do you prefer? Do you miss some content?

It is well-know that JAAS is at the forefront of analytical atomic spectrometry publishing. Because I am engaged in the field of laser and mass spectrometry, JAAS is one of the most important journals I follow. I will keep an eye on the up-to-date manuscripts, such as advance articles, and accepted manuscripts. Actually, I have registered as a member of RSC publishing and opened Email Alerts Service, so I am informed as soon as new issues of JAAS have been published. I have published a paper in JAAS, the comments from peer review process is very constructive and helpful. I always pay close attention to the field of laser and mass spectrometry, especially the new instrumental concepts and constructions. I hope JAAS can publish more themed collections about instrument development in near future.

What do you like and dislike the most about your work?

What I like the most about my work is that some inspirations come up to my brain when I read the literature. It is so exciting if I obtain the results just as I expected. Prof. Wei Hang always encourages us to disassemble the broken instruments and fix them up by ourselves. What I like most is to find what is wrong with an instrument and smoothly fix it.

What I dislike is the academic atmosphere in China, most of time we have to fight for the publishing numbers and high impact factor, the research innovation and significance are always ignored. Especially, many groups that are devoted to instrumental development can’t publish high impart factor papers, but they are very important.

What do you expect to be doing in 5 years time?

Because I needn’t go through the Master stage (from Bachelor degree to PhD degree directly), I have three years left before I can get my PhD degree. Right now, I can’t make up my mind about what exact career I will be engaged in. But definitely, I will be occupied in the laser-related or MS-related area. I like instrumental R&D a lot, especially MS instruments, so it is my Bible for the direction of future development. No matter what employment direction I choose, I will go abroad for further study as a post-doctoral fellow after I get my PhD degree. I think it is a great experience for expanding my horizons. What I should do in the remaining 3 years of PhD is working harder, learning more, and making good preparation for the future.

What do you enjoy doing when you are not in the lab?

Sometimes I will stay in the lab for experiments and reading literatures, or I will hang out with my best friends or colleagues on some weekends. I like reading, watching foreign movies, and communicating with people. If I have enough time, I will choose to travel for gaining experience. Because there is a common saying in Chinese that “Either travelling or reading, body and soul, there must be one on the road”. Having a good rest in my room is also a good choice to keep myself energetic for the work next week.

Thanks a lot to both of you for sharing your thoughts with us!

Have a look at Zhibin’s most recent article in JAAS:

Comprehensive analysis of metalloporphyrins via high irradiance laser ionization time-of-flight mass spectrometry, Z. Yin, B. Sun, X. Wang, X. Cheng, W. Hang and B. Huang, J. Anal. At. Spectrom., 2014, 29, 1714-1719.

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Gordon F. Kirkbright Bursary Award, 2016

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Gordon F. Kirkbright Bursary Award, 2016, now open for nominations

The Gordon F. Kirkbright bursary award is a prestigious annual award that enables a promising student/non-tenured young scientist of any nation to attend a recognised scientific meeting or visit a place of learning.
The fund for this bursary was established in 1985 as a memorial to Professor Gordon Kirkbright in recognition of his contributions to analytical spectroscopy and to science in general. Although the fund is administered by the Association of British Spectroscopists (ABS) Trust, the award is not restricted to spectroscopists.

Applications are invited for the 2016 Gordon Kirkbright Bursary.

For further information contact John Chalmers at, email: vibspecconsult@aol.com

The closing date for entries is 31 December 2015.

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Getting closer to secrets on the seabed

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Researchers from Spain have engineered a laser spectrometer to analyse solids underwater that they hope to eventually develop for deep sea research.1

Stand-off laser induced breakdown spectroscopy (ST-LIBS) is a technique to identify the elemental composition of solids at a distance, enabling safe analysis of explosive, radioactive or toxic compounds.2 While this technique is well-developed and widely used in air – Javier Laserna and coworkers at the University of Malaga built a ST-LIBS system able to differentiate between common explosives and contaminants such as hand cream or motor oil3 – there is no current technology to apply it underwater.

Read the full article over at Chemistry World >>


A study of underwater stand-off laser-induced breakdown spectroscopy for chemical analysis of objects in the deep ocean
F. J. Fortes, S. Guirado, A. Metzinger and J. J. Laserna
J. Anal. At. Spectrom., 2015, 30, 1050-1056
DOI: 10.1039/C4JA00489B, Paper

Do you fancy submitting an article to JAAS? Why not submit to us here today or alternatively email us with your suggestions!

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JAAS Emerging Investigator Lectureship awardees

We are delighted to announce the winners of the inaugural JAAS Emerging Investigator Lectureship. Launched to coincide with the 30th anniversary of the journal, the lectureship will be awarded annually from 2015 to recognise and support an emerging scientist working in the area of atomic spectrometry in the early stages of their independent career.

With so many exceptional and highly deserving nominations, it was decided to award the JAAS Emerging Investigator Lectureship to two winners this year.

Congralutaions to Gerardo Gamez (Texas Tech University) and Lara Lobo Revilla (University of Oviedo)!

Introducing Lara Lobo Revilla:

Lara Lobo Revilla

Lara Lobo Revilla

Lara Lobo Revilla is a “Marie Curie Clarin-Cofund” postdoctoral researcher at the University of Oviedo since October 2014. She studied Chemistry at the University of Oviedo, where she also started her PhD in 2006 working on a European project aimed at the instrumental development and analytical applications of a prototype based on Glow Discharge-Time of Flight Mass Spectrometry. Under the supervision of Prof. Rosario Pereiro and Dr. Nerea Bordel, she obtained her PhD degree in 2011 and was given the Extraordinary Doctorate Award (Physical and Analytical Chemistry). After she finished her PhD she got an IEF Marie-Curie Fellowship and joined the A&MS group of Prof. Frank Vanhaecke in the Analytical Chemistry Department at Ghent University (Belgium). Her research for about 3 years at UGent has mainly dealt with isotopic analysis for provenancing ancient glass. Currently, she is involved in the development of analytical methods to obtain elemental, molecular and isotopic information based on the use of different analytical mass spectrometry techniques.

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Introducing Gerardo Gamez:

Gerardo Gamez

Gerardo Gamez obtained his B.Sc., summa cum laude, and M.S. in Chemistry at the University of Texas at El Paso where he performed research with Prof. Gardea-Torresdey in environmental chemistry. He obtained his PhD in Analytical Chemistry at Indiana University-Bloomington with Prof. Hieftje where he performed research in plasma-based analytical spectrochemistry. During this time he obtained fellowships from the ACS-DAC and MERC, as well as the first Richard Payling Award. His postdoctoral work at ETH Zurich with Prof. Zenobi was in the area of ambient molecular MS. He then worked as a Scientist at EMPA Thun in the field of materials characterization by atomic spectroscopy. In the fall of 2013 he joined the faculty of the Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry at Texas Tech University. His research group focuses on instrumentation and method development of high-throughput chemical imaging techniques via GDOES elemental mapping, ambient desorption/ionization MS sources, as well as performing fundamental studies to better understand laboratory plasmas. He has more than 50 peer-reviewed publications (h-index 24), and given more than 30 oral presentations (including 15 invited lectures). He has also served as president of the Indiana Section of the Society for Applied Spectroscopy, coordinator of an EC Marie Curie Research Training Network (GLADNET, 16 partners, 11 countries), co-organizer of the 1st International Symposium on Glow Discharge Spectroscopy, and chair of the Atomic Spectroscopy section of the SCIX conference.

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The Next Generation- An Interview with Flávio V. Nakadi

Today we interview a truly exceptional young PhD student, a true expert in various ancient arts (e.g., origami and brewing beer), Flávio Venâncio Nakadi, a PhD student at the Universidade de São Paulo, working under the supervision of Prof. Dr. Márcia A.M.S. da Veiga.


Flávio in his lab in Ribeirão Preto, Brazil

Q: Who or what inspired you to become a scientist?

A: I believe the first time I said “I want to be a scientist” I was 7 years old. I was always curious about how everything works: from nature to technology. I used to watch a TV show called “Beakman’s World”, which showed many chemical and physical phenomena and explained them in an easy way that a child could “comprehend”. It fascinated me! Later, my mother gave me a chemistry kit when I was 10 years old, which was the first step into my career.

During Analytical Chemistry classes, after my first contact with equipment, in particular spectrometers, I knew that I would study in this area. I had the opportunity to begin my master’s degree with my supervisor, Prof. Dr. da Veiga with atomic absorption spectrometry and, since 2009, I am working in AAS.

Q: Why did you choose your research group/University and what factors influenced your choice?

A: The University of São Paulo is one of the best Universities in Latin America; therefore, the choice was natural. However, I chose it because it is located in the city where I live. When I started my studies in Chemistry, I knew I made the right choice. Before working with atomic spectrometry, I tried electrochemistry and inorganic chemistry. Both areas were great, but they were not exactly what I was looking for. I realized what I wanted to do during analytical chemistry classes: to work with analytical instruments. Prof. Dr. da Veiga was new in our department and the only researcher who worked with elemental analysis (AAS). I could work with her and see her laboratory and research group grow, and I am very grateful that I could share this experience with all of them.

Q: Can you explain a bit the purpose of your current research activities?

A: High-resolution continuum source molecular absorption spectrometry (HR CS MAS) is a technique that still shows new possibilities for elemental analysis. The determination of non-metals by monitoring the absorbance of diatomic molecules with an AAS instrument has brought new possibilities to the field. I have studied mainly the determination of sulfur via CS molecule in coal and diesel samples, the latter as direct analysis with Pd nanoparticles as chemical modifier.

Furrthermore, a new methodology that I have developed in the lab of Prof. Dr. Resano has enabled isotopic analysis with HR CS MAS. There is always a wavelength shift between the atomic lines of different isotopes, but it is generally too small for detection (less than 1 pm). However, diatomic molecules show larger isotopic shifts due to vibrational transitions, enough to be detected by a high-resolution spectrometer. In this way, it was possible to evaluate the chlorine isotopes as Al35Cl and Al37Cl with HR CS MAS.

Q: How is a typical day in your lab?

A: The first “experiment” of the day is coffee brewing. I usually organize everything that I need one day after, because we have two spectrometers for 10 people. When I use the instrument, I begin at 8 a.m. and there is no limit to end: sometimes at 5 p.m., sometimes at 10 p.m. I collect my data and process it the next day. We generally have lunch around 12 p.m. and use our free time to talk about everything, mostly nonsense subjects. Occasionally, I am responsible to do the maintenance of the spectrometers. Once in a month, we discuss our results with our supervisor.

Q: What common activities are organized in your research group?

A: We organize birthday parties in our laboratory, with junk food, soda, beer, and a cake. There are two barbecues each year: at the end of the year and at our supervisor birthday. We go out when someone publishes a paper, and the first author decide where the celebration is going to take place. In my case, always a bar.

Q: What app/programs do you typically use?

A: I usually write with Microsoft Word, although I also use LaTeX for some academic purposes. I like Microsoft Excel for data evaluation and/or processing, but Origin is my main choice for plotting graphs and spectra. Finally, but no less important, I use Microsoft PowerPoint for presentations.

Q: How do you search for scientific information? How do you manage your bibliography?

A: I search in Web of Science, Scopus, Science Direct, and Google Scholar. Sometimes I look directly in the journal sites, such as JAAS. I prefer to organize my bibliography in my computer folders, although I am beginning to use Mendeley to help me.

Q: What are your views on JAAS? Which type of articles do you prefer? Do you miss some content?

A: I have learned with Dr. da Veiga that JAAS is our first option for publication in atomic spectrometry. I always find interesting papers about this field, where my preferred ones are AAS and ICP techniques. I really like JAAS reviews, which are complete and straightforward to the subject.

Q: What do you like and dislike the most about your work?

A: I love working with analytical equipment and understanding their components. I want to know what they really can do and explore all the possibilities. It is funny because we usually do not have all the tools required; therefore, this topic is barely an option! I like my research group, in which I can talk about academic issues as well as tell jokes. I believe good relations are key to move the research forward. Finally, I enjoy when there are problems to be fixed, because I always learn something new while I try to fix them. However, I do not like them when they appear at 7 p.m. I feel disappointed when I work with people that does not want to learn.

Q: What do you expect to be doing in 5 years time?

A: That is a difficult question! I do not usually think too much in the future, because it is unpredictable. Generally, I prefer to stay focused on the present time and then I see which doors will be open. Although there are possibilities in large companies, I prefer academic research. Therefore, I would like to be a university researcher.

Q: What do you enjoy doing when you are not in the lab?

A: Everything related to beer, from brewing to drinking it. I have to learn much more about this beautiful and elegant beverage, therefore I am always trying to read about it or talk with people who knows this art. Origami (paper folding) has a special place in my hobbies, although I would like to practice it more than I usually do. I also like videogames and TV shows.

Surely, Breaking Bad. Thanks a lot, Flávio!

Have a look at Flávio recent articles in JAAS:

Chlorine isotope determination via the monitoring of the AlCl molecule by high-resolution continuum source graphite furnace molecular absorption spectrometry–a case study

FV Nakadi, M da Veiga, M Aramendía, E García-Ruiz, M Resano

Journal of Analytical Atomic Spectrometry, 2015, Advance article

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JAAS Emerging Investigator Lectureship winners announced

JAAS, 2014, Issue 1We are delighted to announce the winners of the inaugural JAAS Emerging Investigator Lectureship. Launched to coincide with the 30th anniversary of the journal, the lectureship will be awarded annually from 2015 to recognise and support an emerging scientist working in the area of atomic spectrometry in the early stages of their independent career.

With so many exceptional and highly deserving nominations, it was decided to award the JAAS Emerging Investigator Lectureship to two winners this year.

Congralutaions to Gerardo Gamez (Texas Tech University) and Lara Lobo Revilla (University of Oviedo)!

Lectureship award details

As a winner of the lectureship, both Gerardo and Lara will be able to present their research at a relevant high-profile international meeting and receive a contribution of up to £1000 each to cover associated travel and accommodation costs. They will be awarded a certificate and invited to contribute a paper to JAAS.

You can read more about eligibility and the selection process in the call for nominations post.

We will be posting more information about our winners soon!

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The 6th Asia-Pacific Winter Conference on Plasma Spectrochemistry

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“to bring together spectroscopists on a worldwide scale to stimulate contacts and exchange of experiences.”

Dates for your diary

Abstract Submission deadline: September 1st 2015

Early-Bird Registration Deadline: March 15th 2015

Conference Registration Date: May 19th 2015

Conference Dates: May 20th-22nd 2015

For more information please visit the conference website

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European Workshop on Laser Ablation 2016

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European Workshop on Laser Ablation 2016
12 – 15 July 2016
Ljubljana, Slovenia


Registration will open in early 2016!
Early registration deadline (discounted rate) – 20th May 2016

The Registration Fee for participants and students includes:

Entrance to the scientific session
Certificate of attendance
Congress folders, badge, Final Programme and Book of Abstracts
Coffee breaks
Lunches on Wednesday, July 13, Thursday, July 14 and Friday, July 15
Icebreaker Reception on Tuesday, July 12
Afternoon Social Programme on Wednesday, July 13
Gala Dinner on Thursday, July 14

For more information about the conference, please see the webiste

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2015 European Winter Conference on Plasma Spectrochemistry – Poster Prize Winners

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Poster Prize Winners

1. Monika Winkler, TU Graz, Münzgrabenstraße, Graz, 8010, Austria
“Listen to your RF generator – On the seeming carbon-induced enhancement of elements like arsenic and selenium in inductively coupled plasmas”


2. Andreas Zitek,
University of Natural Resources and Life Sciences, BOKU Vienna, Department of Chemistry, Division of Analytical Chemistry, VIRIS Lab, Konrad-Lorenz-Straße 24, Vienna, 3430, Austria
“Improving the spatial analysis and interpretation of LA-ICP-MS data by the application of GIS methods – considerations on achievable spatial resolution, uncertainties and multilayer interpretation”


3. Karen Murphy,
National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST), Chemical Sciences Division, Material Measurement Laboratory, 100 Bureau Drive Stop 8391, Gaithersburg, 20899, United States
“Validation of Single Particle (sp)ICP-MS for Measurements of Nanoparticle Size and Evaluation of its Potential to Assess the Influence of the Coating on the Stability of Gold Nanoparticles in Suspension”


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The Next Generation- An Interview with David Douglas

Today we interview, Dr. David Douglas, a post-doc at LGC Limited, currently working in the group of Dr. Heidi Goenaga-Infante.


David in his lab

Who or what inspired you to become a scientist?

From an early age I was fascinated by how the world around me worked and would often take things apart to understand the processes that culminated in an output or action. I received a microscope one Christmas from my parents, which populated more questions than it answered and fueled my need to improve my understanding. Two inspirational Chemistry teachers, Mr Gordon Waston-Broughton and Mr Tim Rutherford, kept this need burning and encouraged me to study Chemistry at Plymouth University. That is where my first research project began under the keen eyes of Dr Michael Foulkes and Dr Andrew Fisher. I enjoyed research so much I decided I had to attempt a PhD. I was lucky enough that such a position had become available in Prof. Barry Sharp and Dr Helen Reid’s group at Loughborough University, where I once again began to deconstruct things to understand how they worked. By sharing in the passion these people have for science, I have been inspired to follow it as a career and a hobby.

Why did you choose your research group/University and what factors influenced your choice?

I currently work within the Inorganic Research Team of the Science and Innovation section at LGC Ltd, under the watchful eyes of Heidi Goenaga-Infante. My first experience of the group was through a joint Knowledge Transfer Project (KTP) with Loughborough University focusing on improving metrological bio-imaging by LA-ICP-MS.

LGC is a commercial entity that is home to the UK’s designated National Measurement Institute (NMI) for Chemical and Biological Measurement. As such employees are exposed to a large range of research topics; ranging from large European funded measurement projects (EMPIR) and international comparison studies (CCQM), to the smaller commercial external and internal projects. During my KTP I was exposed to the plethora of instrumentation and collaboration at LGC and the potential for metrological research in solid sample analysis. This combined with the range of applications drew me to my current position.

Another big part of why I chose LGC was down to the group of people I work with. They come from a range of cultural backgrounds and scientific experiences; in an environment where scientific discussion is encouraged, this makes for some motivating and inspiring ideas. Without their support my job would be impossible.

Can you explain a bit the purpose of your current research activities?

My current research activities focus on improving metrology of LA-ICP-MS analysis and the traceability of these measurements.

I am currently working with my colleagues on the development of new calibration strategies to determine localised metal concentrations in tissues; a topic that has received a lot of interest in the research community and something of a personal interest. We are focusing on improving the uncertainty associated with these measurements and thus enhance spatial discrimination of analyte concentration. This is important for applications such as the investigation of iron’s association with Alzheimer’s disease and for tracking of localised cancer treatments.

I am exposed to a diverse range of applications and new projects we are about to undertake include feasibility studies of LA-ICP-MS sampling for complex matrices, and the development of rapid and robust screening methods for health. Each new area brings new challenges to develop robust and traceable measurement methods and are driven by industry needs.

How is a typical day in your lab?

For an experimental day I tend to begin by configuring our LA-ICP-MS instrumentation (NWR213 coupled to either our Element 2, 8800 or one of our 7700s) for the particular application being run that week e.g. wet plasma, online addition etc. I switch all the instruments on and let them settle for an hour. This gives me enough time to head to the office and grab a cup of coffee and sort through a mountain of e-mails. I’ll then setup the experiment for the day.

I spend a considerable amount of time in the office working on data reduction and interpretation of the results from the experiments. This work is often broken up by some of my other requirements of laboratory organization, project planning and instrumentation acquisition. I also have many opportunities to discuss other project topics and science with my colleagues.

What common activities are organized in your research group?

Many people from the Inorganic, Organic and Purity teams will take coffee at 10:00 and 15:00. Almost all of the section will attend this event at 10:00 on a Friday. This is our unofficial cake day, where one member of the section is volunteered each week to bake a treat of their choice. A more complicated rule also exists in that if the pay day for that month is a Friday then we head out for lunch to enjoy an ‘Open Burger’ from the local pub. A small group of us also head to the pub on a Friday evening.

Inorganic team meetings are a monthly occurrence and are used to discuss company business, conferences, papers, projects and laboratory issues. We also have a presentation from one member of the group on their research, work or a new piece of instrumentation they are using. We also attend monthly science meetings for the section (comprised of Inorganic, Organic, Purity and Reference Materials) where two presentations are given from any team. Annually we have a Science and Social day dedicated to improving divisional communication and understanding. This brings together the Science and Innovation division under the Government Chemist.

What app/programs do you typically use?

I regularly use the Microsoft Office suite of programs, such as Excel and Word; I am also a keen user of Visio to create diagrams for papers, presentations or patents.

LGC has begun to adopt OneNote as a means to compliment the conventional lab book; with talk of trialing tablets in the lab to replace lab books completely. The suitability of this program for sharing of information has really shone through when multiple people are collaborating on the same project.

I use Igor Pro, and the add-in Iolite, to reduce my LA data. I find the graphical interface, and identification of transient data as a wave useful in processing. The support from the developers and community is fantastic; they are patient and efficient in helping those with limited coding experience like me. Images can be generated easily using Iolite from ICP data and laser log files.

How do you search for scientific information? How do you manage your bibliography?

I often use Google Scholar and ScienceDirect when searching for information. I also use RSS feeds to keep me updated on highlighted releases from the major journals in my field.

I download papers and arrange them into folders with descriptive headings; sub-folders are used to provide further description. Information is collated using the reference manager Mendeley (freeware). As the program is free I can continue to use it if I move from one institute to another, and the annotation/key word functions are useful.

What are your views on JAAS? Which type of articles do you prefer? Do you miss some content?

JAAS is one of the important journals in my field of research. I have published in JAAS and found the process intuitive; whilst the peer review process provides vital constructive comments.

I enjoy the diversity of the articles published in JAAS, and particularly enjoy those that discuss new instrumental developments.

What do you like and dislike the most about your work?

There are many aspects of my job that I like, however the one that ranks highest for me is the group of people I get to work with. The cultural diversity makes for a good social environment but their scientific expertise makes for a great learning environment.

As this is a commercial environment we are limited by the time we can dedicate to certain activities, meaning that I cannot spend a day or two investigating something strange I have observed, no matter how much I want to. However this does mean that I need to plan my work carefully and ensure maximum ulitlisation/efficiency.

I particularly enjoy the wide range of instrumentation that I have access to, whether this is on site or through collaboration with other institutes and universities.

What do you expect to be doing in 5 years time?

I would be happy to remain in my current employment as I can see many emerging opportunities within LGC. I also enjoy the projects and work that LGC undertake and feel that I can drive the solid sampling capability into new and interesting areas, whilst obtaining a vast amount of experience.

What do you enjoy doing when you are not in the lab?

I have many hobbies outside of my research and work; I believe it is important to keep the mind and body active with a variety of pastimes. When the weather is good I enjoy fishing, walking and photography and for when it is not so good (a common situation in UK) I have taken up woodworking. This has given me the pleasure of building toys and decorations for our first child.

Thanks a lot, David! Have a look at some recent work published by David in JAAS

Jennifer O’Reilly, David Douglas, Julian Braybrook, P.-W. So, Eva Vergucht, Jan Garrevoet, Bart Vekemans, Laszlo Vincze and Heidi Goenaga-Infante
J. Anal. At. Spectrom., 2014,29, 1378-1384
DOI: 10.1039/C4JA00002A, Paper
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