Previewing the 78th International Symposium on Molecular Spectroscopy

The 78^th International Symposium on Molecular Spectroscopy (ISMS) is set to take place this year from June 23^rd to 27^th, 2025. Like previous installments of this conference, ISMS 2025 will take place on the campus of the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign (1).

The ISMS Conference brings together spectroscopists, researchers, and industry professionals in one location to discuss the latest trends and developments in molecular spectroscopy. Throughout the week, ISMS offers conference attendees the chance to attend informative oral sessions, network with industry professionals, connect with old colleagues, and learn more about the current ongoing research in the field, which could provide insight for their work.

College students walk on the quad lawn of the University of Illinois campus in Urbana, Illinois. | Image Credit: © Leigh Trail - stock.adobe.com

What Does ISMS Focus On?

ISMS is a meeting that takes place annually at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign. The main objective of this meeting is to focus on the latest developments in molecular spectroscopy by touching upon various topics that are impacted by molecular spectroscopy (1). These topics range from theory to experiment, and from fundamental science to applications in several fields, such as clinical analysis, polymer science, astronomy, and atmospheric science (1).

What Are Some Of The Notable Schedule Highlights?

During the week, the conference program offers numerous events and programs for conference attendees to experience. These include plenary sessions, parallel sessions, lunch-n-learn sessions, and special events (1). At ISMS, the plenary sessions are held on Monday and Thursday mornings in Foellinger Auditorium (1,2). The parallel sessions, which are six concurrent oral presentation sessions, are on the schedule to take place from Tuesday to Friday each day. Lunch-n-Learn sessions also take place every day around midday, and they offer attendees additional learning opportunities (1,2). And finally, special events are peppered throughout the week to allow attendees to socialize, mingle, and network. Some of these events include a student/sponsor mixer, a faculty reception, a picnic, a LGBTQIA+ reception, and a women's networking reception (2).

What Scientific Content Can Conference Attendees Look Forward To?

At ISMS 2025, the scientific content will be presented in the mini-symposia that will take place during the week. There will be three mini-symposia during ISMS, and they will cover topics that are of interest to molecular spectroscopists. The three mini-symposia are titled as follows: “Astrochemistry – Laboratory, Computations, and Observations”, “Multidimensional Molecular Spectroscopy”, and “Spectroscopy of Large Clusters Beyond Dimers” (1).

The scientific content is designed to encompass various application areas and disciplines in molecular spectroscopy, including areas from gas-phase to condensed-phase spectroscopy, low to ultra-high resolution, and spans the electromagnetic spectrum from microwaves to gamma rays (1).

What Community and Networking Opportunities Will Be Available At ISMS?

At ISMS, there will be numerous community and networking opportunities for both students and professionals. Graduate students will have the opportunity to present their research; ISMS tries to keep housing and lodging costs low to enable lead investigators to be able to bring their entire laboratory groups to ISMS (1). For underrepresented groups, there is also the LGBTQIA+ Reception and Women's Networking Reception that are available as well to attendees (1,2).

What Awards Are Given Out At ISMS?

At ISMS, numerous awards in molecular spectroscopy are handed out. The awards given out at ISMS include the Rao Prize, the Hougen Award, the Snyder Award, and the Miller Prize. The award winners are announced during ISMS (1).

Are There Future ISMS Conferences Already Scheduled?

According to the ISMS website, ISMS 2026 is already on the schedule. The 79^th ISMS meeting is scheduled for June 22–26^th, 2026, and it will be held again at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign (1).

To stay up to date with the latest ISMS updates, you can view them on the official ISMS website here.

References

1. ISMS, 78^th International Symposium on Molecular Spectroscopy. Illinois.edu. Available at: https://isms.illinois.edu/ (accessed 2025-05-14).
2. ALMA Science, 78^th International Symposium on Molecular Spectroscopy (June 23–27). NRAO.edu. Available at: https://almascience.nrao.edu/naasc-news/78th-international-symposium-on-molecular-spectroscopy (accessed 2025-05-14).