With the new "Workshop SEM" working group, the German Society for Electron Microscopy is establishing a centre of excellence for Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM). On 6 October this year, around 30 representatives from science and industry gathered to launch the working group. Among the founding members was point electronic, represented by Managing Director Christoph Sichting.

Dr Ute Golla-Schindler (Aalen University), Prof Dr Marc Willinger (TU Munich) and Dr Dirk Berger (ZELMI Institute at TU Berlin) took the initiative to found the working group. As a member of the working group, point electronic is looking forward to contributing its expertise and support in the future.

The "Workshop SEM" working group acts as an expert forum and contact point for questions relating to scanning electron microscopy in the material and life sciences. Its main objectives include promoting the exchange of expertise on SEM contrasts and methods, organising SEM sessions at conferences, promoting the training of young specialists and scientific cooperation.

The working group pays particular attention to the promotion of new SEM methods, sample preparation, element and structure contrasts, imaging contrasts, practical tips on operation, methodology, automation and artificial intelligence, as well as maintenance, repair and adjustment.

In order to share its knowledge, the working group is planning to organise hands-on sessions, demos and various technical papers in different face-to-face formats in the near future.

Website of the DGE: www.dge-homepage.de