Virtual discussion series highlights what’s possible in electron microscopy

Seeking a new way to engage its community and open its doors to new audience members, the Center for Electron Microscopy and Analysis (CEMAS) at The Ohio State University launched its virtual Beyond the Scope: CEMAS Discussion Series in the spring. The webinars, which will continue throughout the fall, have allowed CEMAS team members and collaborators to connect virtually with the center’s more than 300 active users - even amidst a temporary transition to remote operations due to the COVID-19 pandemic. 

The Beyond the Scope series aims to offer valuable tips and insights related to electron microscopy. In each session, attendees have the opportunity to gain real-life inspiration from fellow microscopists. They can also see how others advance their research at CEMAS, and gain access to the details needed to follow in their footsteps. 

“One of the goals at CEMAS is to further the education of advanced characterization available with electron microscopy,” said Daniel Veghte, a senior research associate at CEMAS and the primary host of Beyond the Scope. “We wanted to find new ways to connect and engage with our user community, so we proposed having regular time slots where we can discuss a technique led by one of our staff members.

“We started with a few scanning electron microscopy (SEM) discussions last year before the conversation turned toward having it become a larger CEMAS event that encompasses all the expertise we have available.”

That initial concept was in the planning stages when the COVID-19 pandemic hit. With in-person events on hold, the CEMAS team looked for ways to adjust.

“The original iteration of the Beyond the Scope series included in-person events and utilized our digital theater, “ Veghte said. “As we were gearing up for that, we found out we would be temporarily closing physical facilities while continuing our research and education efforts virtually. While working from home, we adjusted our plans to have a series of webinars on a weekly basis.”

In a recent survey, 100% of participants found Beyond the Scope webinars to be useful, and 94% would recommend the series to a friend or colleague. 

Programming has adjusted for the autumn semester to take place twice per month as opposed to weekly. The sessions are scheduled for alternating Wednesday afternoons at 4 p.m. ET. Each webinar is scheduled for one hour, with the first half-hour dedicated to a feature presentation shared by the CEMAS team or a distinguished guest. The remainder of the session is open to questions and ongoing discussion. 

Upcoming topics include a review of Avizo™ Software for the analysis of microscopic and tomographic images presented by ThermoFisher Scientific and insight into electron energy loss spectroscopy (EELS) given by Dr. David McComb, the director of CEMAS. 

“With transitioning to the online format, it has been great to see the reach we have been able to get within our community and also with viewers from around the world,” Veghte continued. “I hope the series shows what the possibilities are in electron microscopy, and the discussion furthers our users’ interest in understanding their samples in ways they did not imagine before.”

Register for an upcoming Beyond the Scope session by visiting: https://cemas.osu.edu/events. You can also access recordings of past sessions by visiting https://cemas.osu.edu/beyond-scope-cemas-discussion-series or the CEMAS Youtube channel.