The Imaging CoE was proud to sponsor one of the most prestigious and influential conferences for crystallographers in Australia and New Zealand.

The 30^th Biennial Conference of the Society of Crystallographers in Australia and New Zealand – CRYSTAL 30 – was a roaring success. Held in the Hobart Function and Conference Centre, Tasmania, from 29 March – 1 April 2016, it drew together a large number of scientists with a shared interest in the area of crystallography.

Over the four days, researchers from a diverse range of backgrounds had the opportunity to discuss and exchange innovative ideas and techniques. As well as the Imaging CoE’s very own Professor James Whisstock, other keynote speakers included high-profile international scientists from the University of Oxford, the National University of Singapore and the University of Vienna.

The talks and seminars at CRYSTAL 30 covered a breadth of topics, ranging from crystal engineering and materials research to drug targets and structural biology, which showcased the importance of different aspects of crystallography in the wider scientific community. In addition, vendors displayed the latest and greatest technologies in the field – and awards were presented to exceptional researchers. The conference also included a Rising Star plenary session, which featured short talks from several up-and-coming young crystallographers.

“The conference is a brilliant interface between structural biologists, chemists, material scientists and crystallographers including those from the Australian Synchrotron,” said Dr Michelle Dunstone, a researcher at Monash University and a member of the conference’s Scientific Program Committee. “It is a nurturing community where research students and young postdoctoral researchers can present their search results and ideas. X-ray crystallography has been a key tool to many of the successes of the Imaging CoE.”