ESF Research Conferences

ESF-FWF Conference in Partnership with LFUI

WATER INTERFACES IN PHYSICS, CHEMISTRY AND BIOLOGY: A MULTI-DISCIPLINARY APPROACH

Chaired by

CHAIR:

http://www-llb.cea.fr

CO-CHAIR:

JohnDoreE-Mail

University of KentSchool of Physical SciencesPhysics LaboratoryCanterburyUnited Kingdom

http://www.kent.ac.uk/

Dates

8-13 December 2007

Location

Universitätszentrum Obergurgl, Ötz Valley, near Innsbruck, Austria
The Obergurgl University Centre is located at an altitude of 1940 metres, in the highest glacial village in the Tyrol, at the end of the Ötz Valley and surrounded by numerous three-thousand metre peaks.
Group transportation will be arranged from/to Innsbruck airport, via Innsbruck train station, on arrival and departure days.

Final Programme & List of Accepted Participants

The main objective of this conference is to develop a multi-disciplinary presentation and discussion that focuses on the properties of water (and ice) in proximity to different types of interface.  Interfacial water/ice covers a wide range of subject areas and is an emerging field of topical interest. The participating scientists will be drawn from areas of physics, chemistry and biosciences where water plays a significant role in the behaviour of the local and intermediate range order, characteristic of the assembly. A particular feature of the meeting will be the exchange of views and current research developments in the experimental study of water in various environments, incorporating both hard and soft substrates. The subject material will span from synthetic mesoporous solids to biological systems such as protein surfaces and membranes as well as living cells. The programme will address a number of highly topical aspects of this emerging research area to progressively emphasise the role of water in biological processes, particularly in a European and international context.

Sessions will focus on:

• Session 1 - Water/ice characteristics – (i) Structure and dynamics, hydrogen-bonding, water-ice transformations; (ii) Spectroscopic probes: neutrons, X-rays, NMR, FTIR, Raman
• Session 2 - Water in confined geometry/ Solid substrates – (i) Interfacial interactions : hydrophobicity/hydrophilicity; (ii) Surface characterisation: Silicas (sol-gel, Vycor, CPG, MCM, SBA etc.), Zeolites, clays, Activated carbons, carbon nanotubes, Structure and dynamics (constrained molecular mobility), water-ice transformations
• Session 3 - Water in confined geometry/ Soft systems – (i) Related systems-clathrates, aqueous solutions, amphiphiles, surfactants, lamellar liquid crystals, microemulsions, soluble polymers; (ii) Structure and dynamics (constrained molecular mobility), hydrogen-bonding; (iii) Spectroscopic probes: neutrons, X-rays, NMR, FTIR, Raman
• Session 4 - Water in confined geometry/ Bio-systems – (i) Biological interfaces, membranes, proteins, biological complexes, cells; (ii) Interfacial water in biological processes, enzymatic catalysis, water channels, ionic channels; (iii) Spectroscopic probes: neutrons, X-rays, NMR, FTIR, Raman
• Session 5 - Simulation and modelling – (i) Molecular modelling, molecular dynamics, DFT computations, etc; (ii) Interaction potentials, simple and otherwise, ab initio methods; (iii) Hydrogen-bond effects on structure and dynamics in confinement 

Final Programme PDF (388 KB) Last Updated 7-December-2007 List of Invited Speakers & Accepted Participants

Abstracts, Posters & Short Oral Contributions

There will be no short talks other than those listed on the final programme. All other abstracts are accepted for poster presentation.

There will be two poster sessions in the evening. At the beginning of the poster sessions, there will be time for very short oral presentations of posters displayed.

Posters can be fixed with magnets and pins onto poster panels. Recommended poster size is 140 cm high x 100 cm wide. Use letters and drawings that can be read from approximately 100 cm distance.

Group Transportation & Practical Information Guide

Detailed information on all practical aspects of the conference (access to site, registration & fee payments, accommodation, travel reimbursements...) is available from the Practical Information Guide. Please read it fully and carefully...

GROUP TRANSPORTATION
Three buses will be arranged on arrival day from Innsbruck railway station, via Innsbruck airport, to Obergurgl. The journey from the airport takes approximately 75 minutes (an hour and a half from the station).

Bus departure times - Saturday 8 December:
- from Innsbruck railway station: 15.45 – 17.00 - 18.15
- from Innsbruck airport: 16.00 – 17.15 - 18.30

Airport departure point: the meeting point is located just outside the small airport building. The coaches will have a sign in the window indicating “ESF Research Conferences” for easy recognition.
Group transportation back to Innsbruck will be arranged in a similar way for the departure day, Thursday 13 December. Participants will be requested to sign up on the spot. Buses will be leaving after lunch.

ACCOMMODATION
Please note that SINGLE accommodation can only be guaranteed to invited speakers. All other participants will have to share a TWIN room. In case single rooms would become available at the time of the conference, rooms will be attributed on a “first come, first served” basis. Only the TWIN conference fee (EUR 780) should be paid to the ESF when registering. The supplement for single (EUR 60) should be paid to Obergurgl University Centre. Should you wish to be put on waiting list for single accommodation, please contact Ms. Chiara Orefice.

Conference Fees

Registration Form

All participants - including speakers & session chairs - are kindly expected to confirm their attendance (and, when applicable, to pay the conference fee) by filling in a Registration Form.
Closing date for registration & fee payment: 11 November 2007

ESF Contact

ChiaraOreficeE-Mail

European Science FoundationESF Conferences UnitBrusselsBelgium

Phone: +32 (0)2 533 2023
Fax: +32 (0)2 538 8486
Please quote 07-225 in any correspondence.

Partnership

This conference is organised by the European Science Foundation (ESF) in partnership with the Fonds zur Förderung der wissenschaftlichen Forschung in Österreich (FWF)

Links of Interest

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