Insights in Microscopy Workshop Kicks Off 15‑Year TEM Anniversary at Nelson Mandela University

From 25–27 November 2025, the Department of Science, Technology and Innovation-National Research Foundation (DSTI-NRF) Centre for High-Resolution Transmission Electron Microscopy (CHRTEM) at Nelson Mandela University hosted a workshop for advanced transmission electron microscopy (TEM) users.

The event marked the launch of year‑long celebrations commemorating the centre’s 15th anniversary since its double-aberration-corrected JEOL ARM-200F TEM first began operation. Over two days, the workshop combined in-depth lectures with hands‑on instrument training, bringing together CHRTEM staff and international electron microscopy experts to share cutting-edge TEM techniques.

The program highlighted advanced TEM techniques. Key workshop themes included TEM optics and advanced imaging, electron diffraction and imaging principles, analytical TEM (EDS/EELS) spectroscopy, and scanning TEM (STEM) techniques as well as emerging frontiers in TEM: for example, 4D-STEM (computational diffraction imaging), in situ TEM (heating and biasing experiments), low-dose multi-frame STEM, digital acquisition, and workflow automation. These topics were delivered through a mix of lectures and hands-on sessions, aiming to strengthen South Africa’s national TEM expertise.

Several distinguished guest speakers joined the workshop, sharing insights from their research fields. These included Prof. Peter van Aken (Stuttgart Center for Electron Microscopy, Max Planck Institute), Prof. Yi Wang (Center for Microscopy and Analysis, Nanjing University of Aeronautics and Astronautics), Dr. Lewys Jones (Trinity College Dublin), and Dr. Damian McGrouther (JEOL UK). Each delivered a keynote on advanced TEM/STEM developments, which covered topics from next-generation detector technology and spectroscopy to automated STEM workflows and 4D imaging, illustrating the broad scope of modern electron microscopy applications.

On the last day, the workshop culminated in a Special Symposium on the Frontiers of Electron Microscopy, featuring keynote presentations and a panel discussion. Speakers expanded on their research work and emerging microscopy technologies. Framed around TEM’s future, the symposium aimed at international experts exploring and sharing their research and TEM technological advancements from their own facilities.

A highlight was the expert panel session on “Evaluating the Role of Transmission Electron Microscopy in the South African National System of Innovation.”  Moderated by Prof. Jaco Olivier, the panel brought together all speakers to explore future TEM developments with particular relevance to South African and African science and core facility operation.

Gratitude is extended to the CHRTEM staff, international speakers and workshop sponsor, JEOL, for creating a space for high impact knowledge to be shared for the advancement of electron microscopy research in South Africa.