Planning a Major Scientific Conference

Brian R. Strohmeier, who is an expert in surface analysis and microscopy with an extensive background in industrial R&D and manufacturing problem-solving, is set to lead Pittcon 2027 as its President. In addition to his technical expertise in advanced materials characterization and techniques such as X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) and electron microscopy, Strohmeier is currently steering the planning for Pittcon 2027, which will see the conference return to Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, for the first time in 60 years.

Because of this reason, the anticipation for Pittcon 2027 is higher than it has been in quite some time. Pittcon was initially founded in Pittsburgh, and from its inception in 1950 to 1967, the conference was exclusively held in the Steel City.² This homecoming is being met with significant enthusiasm from exhibitors, committee members, and staff who are eager to celebrate the event's 77-year history while maintaining the high scientific standards that attendees have come to expect from the technical program.²

Pittcon is a large trade show, and as a result, there is a lot of behind-the-scenes planning that goes into pulling the show together. In previously published interview clips, Strohmeier outlined some of the key additions for the upcoming conference. Strohmeier’s vision for the 2027 program includes expanding the scope of the conference beyond pharmaceutical and life sciences to encompass a broader range of scientific disciplines. He also mentioned that for 2027, there will be a graduate student fair, as well as the introduction of the Peter Griffiths Award for Fourier transform infrared (FT-IR) spectroscopy, which will be sponsored by the Society of Applied Spectroscopy.

In this “Pathways in Spectroscopy” episode, Brian Strohmeier, who is Pittcon’s President for the 2027 Conference, talks about his role as Pittcon president, what his main responsibilities are, and the amount of work that is required on his end when planning the 2027 show.

References

1. Wetzel, W. Pathways in Spectroscopy Preview: Planning a Scientific Conference. Spectroscopy. Available at: https://www.spectroscopyonline.com/view/pathways-in-spectroscopy-preview-planning-a-scientific-conference (accessed 2026-04-09).
2. Strohmeier, B.; Wetzel, W. Pittcon’s Return to Pittsburgh: Why it Matters. Spectroscopy. Available at: https://www.spectroscopyonline.com/view/pittcons-return-to-pittsburgh-why-it-matters (accessed 2026-04-09).
3. Strohmeier, B.; Wetzel, W. What is Planned for Pittcon 2027? Spectroscopy. Available at: https://www.spectroscopyonline.com/view/what-is-planned-for-pittcon-2027- (accessed 2026-04-09).