AVS 57th International Symposium & Exhibition
    Applied Surface Science Thursday Sessions
       Session AS1-ThM

Paper AS1-ThM5
Report on the 59th IUVSTA Workshop: Surface Chemical Analysis – Improving Data Interpretation by Multivariate & Informatics Techniques

Thursday, October 21, 2010, 9:20 am, Room Cochiti

Session: Advanced Automation and Data Processing
Presenter: J. Tyler, University of the West Indies, Trinidad and Tobago
Correspondent: Click to Email
The 59th IUVSTA Workshop: Surface Chemical Analysis - Improving Data Interpretation by Multivariate & Informatics Techniques was held at the Salybia Nature Resort in the Republic of Trinidad and Tobago from April 11 -16, 2010. The purpose of the workshop was to provide a forum for presentations and discussions in order to advance the field of Surface Chemical Data Analysis and Interpretation. Thirty-two scientists attended the meeting, including representatives from industry, academia and National Laboratories. The participants ranged from senior scientists to graduate students. Experts in surface science and chemometrics participated alongside those who were relative neophytes in one area or the other. The workshop was organized into 14 sessions, each with two to three formal presentations and an extended discussion period, and a final summary session. Many discussions lasted for more than an hour. During the discussions it was evident that there is no single data analysis method that is ideally suited to all problems and that guidelines are needed to assist analysts in selecting the most appropriate techniques for their objectives. The necessity for appropriate preprocessing of data, including peak selection, dead time correction, normalization and scaling was an oft repeated theme. A variety of approaches to enhance correct chemical interpretation of results were discussed. One full day of the workshop focused on biological applications, highlighting the value of multivariate methods when dealing with chemically and spatially complex samples and the difficulties of handling very large data sets. Although SIMS was a focus of much of the discussion, emerging issues in analysis of imaging XPS, NEXAFS, MALDI and multi-technique data sets were addressed. Key issues that arose during the discussions included the need to create guidelines and best practices, the value of mentoring, and the critical demand for a rapid, easy to use interface between vendor software and advanced data analysis packages. A series of action items were developed to address these critical issues, including creation of a website for exchange of data, software programs and bibliographical information; creation of a blog for continued community discussion; completion of an ISO technical report that would provide guidelines and establish best practices and a request to instrument vendors to improve the transparency and to simplify the interface between their software and data reduction programs. A full report on the conference and progress to date on these action items will be presented.