Abstract

The ECA celebrates in 2012 its 15th anniversary, but coordinated European crystallographic activities date back to 1973, i.e., the first ECM in Bordeaux. Indeed, the IUCr was founded in 1946 (perhaps one of the few cases where worldwide coordination started at the very beginning of a science) to allow the development of crystallography through the exchange of notions and expertises. The rapid development and the fundamental role of crystallography in many different branches of science, as well as the awareness that Europe has a common cultural (and hopefully soon political) house became increasingly evident at all the ECMs, which regularly alternated with the IUCr congresses. There were also opportunities for educational targets as testified by many satellite meetings and workshops, aimed to point out the frontiers of crystallography. At the beginning, the background concepts and techniques in crystallography were entrusted to the national academic institutions. However, following the giant developments of the methodology, especially through efficient and easy-to-handle software packages, crystallography is no longer perceived as a science deserving academic courses. Hence, the strictly crystallographic community has the duty to preserve the knowledge of fundamental crystallography, which only allows critical usage of the procedures, attainment of well established targets and further progresses in the methodologies. The Italian community has a long tradition in the organization of national schools of crystallography, which in the last years have also developed undeniable international character in terms of both teachers and participants. One year ago, the AIC proposed to validate this trend and launched the idea of annual European schools devoted to the principles and applications of crystallography. All the countries, adhering to the ECA, shall alternate in the task of planning and organizing an educational event under the control and sponsorship of the ECA itself. The goal is not only that of increasing the number of crystallography users but also forming conscious scientists. Attendants with different curricula will eventually learn how to exploit the crystallographic tools in a well designed strategy, also aimed to the interpretation of the results to reach specific goals. Participation of teachers and students from different countries will favor contacts and collaborations, which will act as potential seeds for joint European research projects. Each school shall illustrate different aspects of the discipline, at least within the time scale of a three year PhD curriculum, so that the multi-disciplinary character of crystallography will fully emerge. The relevance of each ECS proposal shall be validated by the ECA council by examining and comparing the bids prepared by national or associated communities. High educational contents, opportune infra-structures and fund raising strategies must be illustrated to support a truly adequate internation

Autore Pugliese

• Saviano Michele

Tutti gli autori

• C. Mealli; R. Oberti; M. Saviano

Titolo volume/Rivista

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Anno di pubblicazione

2012

ISSN

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ISBN

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Numero di citazioni Wos

Nessuna citazione

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Numero di citazioni Scopus

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Settori ERC

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Codici ASJC

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