The 8th Euro-Mediterranean Symposium on Laser Induced Breakdown Spectroscopy, held at the Johannes Kepler University Linz on September 14 – 18 (2015), has been a very successful international conference (http://emslibs2015.jku.at, opens an external URL in a new window). 200 research scientists from 29 countries and 4 continents contributed with more than 155 presentations to this conference. The scientific presentations were dealing with the newest developments on laser-based techniques for the measurement and analysis of chemical elements and molecules in complex materials (solid, liquid, and gaseous). Laser-induced breakdown spectroscopy (LIBS) was the most important technique reported. LIBS enables a large variety of applications ranging from materials research, industrial production, mineralogy, geochemistry, archeometry, and under-water measurements, e.g. for sea-floor inspection.
Scientific highlights of the conference were, among others, the application of femtosecond laser filaments for stand-off detection (USA), the investigation on early detection of cancer cells (USA), the demonstration of strongly increased detection sensitivity using nano-particles (Italy, Spain), the ongoing successful analysis of Martian soil and rock on board of the NASA rover curiosity (USA, EU), the application of LIBS for molecular and isotope analysis (USA, EU, Israel), and the many industrial applications reported, e.g. on secondary raw materials, recycling, sorting, and process control (EU, China, Russia, Brazil). A further highlight of the EMSLIBS conference was the exhibition of many companies presenting their lasers, spectrometers, technical components, and services.
The conference was held for the first time in Austria. EMSLIBS 2015 was organized by the Institute of Applied Physics at JKU Linz (Conference chairman: A.Univ.Prof. Dr. Johannes D. Pedarnig. Conference website: http://emslibs2015.jku.at/, opens an external URL in a new window).

Some remarks of conference participants:

“The scientific program was excellent.”

“Thank you one more for the excellent organization of the EMSLIBS 2015 and the photos.”

“I would like to congratulate you for the excellent organization of EMSLIBS2015 and the high level of the scientific program of the conference. Thank you for your hospitality.”

“Thank you once again for the support and congratulations for the well organized conference.”

“We very much enjoyed the conference last week. From all of us … I would like to thank you and all those at JKU who worked hard to make the conference a success.”

“… thank you for … the EMLIBS which took place in your beautiful country, city and university … I have greatly enjoyed every single aspect of the conference and can assure you that I find it to be one of the best organized one I have ever attended. Congratulations to all of you and please convey my thanks to all.”

“I am happy to have got the opportunity to meet the expertise in the field of LIBS and interact with them.”

“… thank you very much for the conference … being a wonderful host, not least for a high caliber international symposium well organized and executed.”

“I would also like to send my greatest thanks for arranging this conference … I must say that from an organizational point of view, it’s definitely one of the best conferences I have ever attended. You all did a great job in organizing it. Please forward my gratitude to the people at your side, making this event so successful.”

“… Sie und Ihr Team haben sehr gute Arbeit geleistet.”

“… nochmals für das große Engagement von Ihnen und Ihren Kollegen bei der Vorbereitung und bestens gelungenen Durchführung der EMSLIBS 2015 bedanken!”