2023 EMSG Ardgour Symposium

20th to 25th August 2023

The EMSG Ardgour Symposium is an interdisciplinary scientific meeting centered around the users and developers of scientific instrumentation; it is arranged by the EMSG, a scientific society organized by instrumental scientists for instrumental scientists, and others who use the output from or interact with scientific instruments. 

Innovation often comes from joining up the gaps that are left between scientific disciplines – the Ardgour Symposium exists to provide a forum where scientists from different areas can meet, network and discuss solutions to real world analytical problems.  It was developed to counter the undesirable partitioning of scientists into disparate silos.

The Symposium structure has been refined over the years to provide an environment that is designed to foster the development of new productive networks.  The meeting has a mixture of scientific sessions (every attendee has a speaking slot), group networking sessions and free discussion time.

The meeting is kept small in size and is self catering; the meeting is split into cooking teams – each team cooks for one night.  Both of these features have been specifically included so that participants have the opportunity to get to know the other attendees in both scientific and non-scientific environments – something that we know is key to building long term working relationships.  The meeting also has a free bar – how many of the best scientific ideas had been cracked over a fine single malt or a bottle of wine?  By the end of the meeting, you should have had the chance to get to know your fellow attendees well enough to either have a great idea you want to work on with them straight away or that you will feel able to call them up two years later to ask their advice or get their input.

This year (2023) the Symposium is being held in a fabulous new venue: Cortes House.

Highlights from previous meetings