From the Editor – Hot Topics in Spectroscopy: The SciX 2021 Preview and Companion Guide

The 2021 SciX conference is back as a live event this year, from September 26 to October 1! This e-book—our third annual SciX Preview and Companion Guide, prepared in collaboration with the SciX conference organization—serves both as a preview of the conference and as a companion guide during and after the event, whether you attend in person or remotely.

The first six articles, contributed by conference speakers and workshop leaders, highlight the wide range of techniques, applications, and topics presented at the conference, addressing:

• the use of coherent Raman imaging for pharmacokinetics studies
• the evolution of analytical approaches being used to identify buried Pleistocene sites in archeology studies
• how beer brewing is being improved through modern analytical techniques
• problem-solving in Fourier transform infrared (FT-IR) spectroscopy
• the use of surface-enhanced Raman spectroscopy (SERS) for analysis of dietary supplements
• tips for advancing your scientific career.

The next eight articles discuss the work of spectroscopists who have won prestigious awards that will presented at SciX. These interviews are part of an annual series begun in 2012 and are an easy way to tap into the innovative work of leading scientists. This year, we present interviews with the following eight awardees:

• Prof. Zachary Schultz of the Ohio State University, the winner of the 2021 Craver Award from the Coblentz Society, on studying protein receptors with SERS and tip-enhanced Raman spectroscopy (TERS)
• Prof. V. Ara Apkarian of the University of California, Irvine, the 2021 Meggers Award recipient, on recording the Raman spectrum of a single molecule
• Prof. Uwe Karst of the University of Münster, the 2021 recipient of the Lester W. Strock Award, on investigating lanthanide depositions in tissue with laser ablation–inductively coupled plasma–mass spectrometry (LA-ICP-MS) imaging
• Prof. Rohit Bhargava of the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, the 2021 Lippincott Award winner, on high-definition FT-IR spectroscopic imaging of tumors
• Prof. Roy Goodacre of the University of Liverpool, the 2021 Charles Mann Award recipient, on quantitative analysis with SERS
• Prof. Tuan Vo-Dinh of Duke University, the 2020 Royal Society of Chemistry Sir George Stokes Award recipient, on his career in science
• Mark Meyerhoff of the University of Michigan, the 2021 ANACHEM Award recipient, on developing sensors to measure analytes in physiological samples
• Prof. Bhavya Sharma of the University of Tennessee, the Spectroscopy magazine 2021 Emerging Leader in Molecular Spectroscopy Award winner, on exploring neurochemistry using Raman spectroscopy.

These articles and interviews provide an excellent sampling of the fascinating science that will be presented at this year’s SciX conference. We hope to see you there!

Laura Bush is the editorial director of LCGC North America and Spectroscopy. Direct correspondence to: lbush@mjhlifesciences.com.