XXIX Co I I oq u i u m S pect rosco p i cu m I n t e r na t i on a I e Post - Symposium lCP=MS and I l t h Meeting of the German lCP=MS Users Group September 1-4 1995 Wernigerode Germany And so to Wernigerode the colourful town in the Harz Mountains. Wernigerode is located at the confluence of the Holtemme and Zillierbach rivers and is dominated by its neo-Gothic castle which dates back to the 13th century. The castle is situated high above the town affording excellent views of the Harz mountains and is a repository for many fine works of art as well as examples of interior design from the Renaissance to the 19th century. The town is noted for its splendid half- timbered buildings best typified by the magnificent Town Hall which was the venue for the symposium. Today Wernigerode is a thriving holiday centre but not for delegates from the CSI whose diversion was provided by the mysteries and vagaries of plasma source mass spectrometry.Activities began on Friday evening with a social gathering in the Town Hall Ratskeller a word that seems to convey exactly the kind of event that one can look forward to. Thus local beer and food were provided in abundance and 2 N Journal of Analytical Atomic Spectrometry January 1996 Vol. 11delegates spent the evening learning the names of people they did not know whilst mostly forgetting the names of those they did know! This happy occasion was the prelude to what was to prove a most enjoyable and convivial meeting. The scientific programme began on Saturday morning with an invited paper by G.Knapp on ‘Sample Decomposition for Ultra Trace Analysis’ which set the scene for the first session. After the break the topic for discussion was ‘Chromatographic Separations’ which took us through to a much needed lunch. The afternoon session was devoted to ‘Laser Ablation and ETV’ which was the prelude to the main social events a trip to the castle returning later in the evening for a Gala Buffet. The Sunday programme covered a range of topics under the general heading ‘Instrumentation and Applications’ and began with an invited talk from P. Rommers and P. W. J. M. Boumans entitled ‘ICP-MS versus ICP-AES Competition or a Happy Marriage?-A View Supported by Current Data’. A ‘happy hour’ at the conference hotel concluded the day’s programme offering delegates a final opportunity to look who had been touring Europe promoting the next CSI which will be held in Melbourne) from the CSI in Leipzig but the numbers were swelled by fresh faces to bring the total to about 130.This was undoubtedly a very successful meeting with some excellent science being presented to a specialist audience. Indeed so successful have the pre- and post-symposia become that they are now in danger of detracting both in terms of the science and the numbers of delegates from the main meeting. This problem was discussed at the CSI continuation committee and was again aired at the CSI national delegates meeting. Clearly scientists like to be closeted with kindred spirits and organizers ignore this at their peril. One solution is to bring the pre- and post- symposia into the body of the main meeting which implies many more simultaneous sessions on the FACSS B.Sharp B. Holliday and D. Koppenaal round the posters and the instrument exhibition. On Monday the symposium language changed to German-and the day was given over to the 11 th Meeting of the German ICP-MS Users Group. Most of the delegates attending the symposium were hardened conferees (including the very hardened Dr Les Dale model. Ultimately the decision lies with the organizers and they have to take into account local circumstances. For example the next CSI will be in Australia and given the travel involved delegates may welcome the opportunity to spread the science over a longer period and to see more of the continent in the process. After Australia comes Turkey and once again the circumstances will be different. I am sure that the Managing Editor of JAAS would welcome your letters on this subject which will no doubt be of interest to those involved with the CSI and all who wish it to continue as one of the major international meetings. It remains for me to thank Dr Lieselotte Moenke and her colleagues for organising a really excellent symposium and for affording us the opportunity to enjoy the delights of Wernigerode. B. L. Sharp Chemistry Department Loughborough University of Technology Leicestershire Les Dale champion tour promoter Journal of Analytical Atomic Spectrometry January 1996 Vof. 11 3N