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ACA Early Career Scientist Spotlight-24

Early career scientists play a crucial role in the ACA community, and we are committed to supporting their potential to influence the future of our field. We are proud to showcase their outstanding achievements and recognize their valuable contributions. The Communications Committee remains dedicated to highlighting the profiles of these members, providing an opportunity for our community to learn more about their research and aspirations.

The next ACA Young Scientist Spotlight features Matt McLeod from London, Ontario, Canada. Matt discovered his passion for structural biology during his undergraduate thesis with Dr. Todd Holyoak at the University of Waterloo. He continued his studies in Dr. Holyoak’s lab, earning a Master’s and Ph.D. focused on metabolic enzymes. Now a postdoctoral fellow in the Thorne lab in Ithaca, New York, Matt uses X-ray crystallography and structural biology techniques to investigate enzyme biophysics.  Read more about Matt and all of our early career highlights...

Newest Additions to the AVL

A fresh addition to the AVL: Watch Matthew Brown’s video, “Using OLEX2 as a Tool for Finishing Your CIF File,” and get inspired for our October contest, ‘Things that scare you about structural science.’ From twinning and Fourier transforms to radiation damage and explosive crystals, explore the challenges that keep you on your toes!

 

 

 

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Magnetic pair distribution function [mPDF] analysis has recently emerged as a powerful tool for studying short-range magnetism 

The Spring 2024 edition of RefleXions showcases an image by Sabrina Hatt and Benjamin Frandsen, illustrating their work on Magnetic Pair Distribution Function (mPDF) analysis. "Short-range spin correlations, such as the local parallel spin alignment in the ferromagnetic regions visible in the figure, can play a crucial role in determining macroscopic material properties, in addition to providing important clues about the fundamental physics of materials exhibiting complex magnetic behaviors. Magnetic pair distribution function (mPDF) analysis has recently emerged as a powerful tool for studying short-range magnetism. Through Fourier transformation of magnetic diffuse scattering patterns obtained from neutron scattering experiments, mPDF analysis reveals local spin correlations directly in real space, lending unique insights into short-range magnetic structure."  

Save the Date! 

Save the date for the ACA's 75th Annual Meeting, taking place July 18–23, 2025, at the Westin Chicago Lombard (70 Yorktown Shopping Center, Lombard, IL 60148). Join us in celebrating this milestone anniversary with a journey through ACA's history, while engaging in insightful presentations, collaborative discussions, and pioneering discoveries that will continue to shape the future of structural science. Stay tuned for more information, and don't forget to explore our ACA history portal to learn more about the legacy of our meetings.

 

A Golden Future for Structural Science

The ACA Annual Meeting took place earlier this month, bringing together our vibrant community of structural scientists and researchers. We extend a warm thank you to all attendees and members who contributed to making this event a success and we invite everyone to view the abstracts and posters from this year’s meeting, which are now available online.

To support our commitment to early career scientists, the ACA annual meeting features various events designed to showcase research, foster networking, and provide enriching experiences. Congratulations to all our travel grant recipients, Etter Student Lecturer Award winners, and Three Minute Thesis champions!