The 25th International Conference on X-ray Optics and Microanalysis (ICXOM) was held at the Westin Lombard, IL, USA from August 5th to August 8th 2019. Organized by Professor Fittschen, more than 100 synchrotron (SR) users and beamline scientist from all over the world attended the conference. This year for the first time the ICXOM joint with the 68th Denver X-ray Conference (DXC), which attracts researchers and manufacturers mostly involved in laboratory based X-ray spectrometry. About 500 participants and vendors registered for both conferences. The classical ICXOM topics on new developments in optics, detectors and instrumentation were extended to data analysis. In the applied topics sessions functional materials, biological applications, the environment including the Mars Mission and cultural heritage were in focus. A session about advanced XRF and SR nanoprobes was held at the Advanced Photon Source (APS) at Argonne National Laboratory. Representatives from different SR-facilities reported on the newest developments in their facility. After this session, participants could choose between nine different tours of the APS to get an insight on new set ups and capacities at the different beamlines. The tour at the APS was very well received by the audience.
In the DXC-ICXOM joint plenary session (organized by the ICXOM) the attendees of both conferences enjoyed three outstanding presentations. The first was given by Benjamin Hornberger about the Lyncean Compact Light Source. An inverse Compton scattering X-ray source offering a brilliance comparable to modern SR sources. The second talk was given by Florian Meirer from the University of Utrecht about the nanoscopic chemistry of catalysts and the third by Gayle Woloschak from Northwestern University about how the capacity to image ever smaller objects like single cells benefit modern medicine. As chair of the International Scientific and Advisory Committee, Koen Janssens, University of Antwerp, announced the next ICXOM to be at the ESRF in Grenoble, France in 2021.
