POWDER DIFFRACTION SIG REPORT 2009

The Powder Diffraction SIG elected Peter Chupas from Argonne National Laboratory as Chair for 2010. Nominations for Chair-elect were solicited at the 2009 SIG meeting in Toronto. Dr. Peter Stephens from SUNY Stony Brook and Matthew Suchomel from APS, Argonne National Lab were nominated by the meeting attendees. As in previous years, the SIG meeting was held jointly with the Neutron and Materials SIGs.

In planning for the 2009 ACA meeting, the Powder SIG supported the organization of a two days workshop on Incommensurate Structure Analysis using the software JANA. There were about 45 attendees at this workshop. The Powder SIG originally jointly sponsored six half-day sessions:

06.02: Energy related materials (Materials)
06.04: Engineering materials (Materials, Neutron and Synchrotron)
06.11: Magnetic materials (Materials)
06.17: Accuracy and standards in powder diffraction (Industrial)
06.04: Shape memory materials (Neutron, Materials)
06.21 Educational Outreach

However, due to large interest and abstract submission in the Energy related materials session the sessions on Engineering and Shape memory materials were combined and two half-day sessions on energy related materials were held.

The Powder SIG also joined forces with the Materials and Small molecule SIGs to propose a Transactions Symposium on “Phase Transitions” which was subsequently endorsed by the Service, General, and SAS SIGs.

The Powder SIG received $3000 from ICDD to assist young scientists (for travel and registration) presenting their work in powder SIG sponsored sessions. The SIG has the pleasure to present Matt Beekman with the 2009 Student Etter Award for his work on the Intermetallic Clathrates.

Cora Lind will represent the Powder SIG at the Friday planning meeting for the 2009 Annual Meeting.

Ashfia Huq

Powder Diffraction SIG Chair, 2009