The Lehigh Microscopy School (LMS) hosted 80 participants, along with 20 instructors from other universities/institutes and 20 instructors from microscopy vendors across the United States for a week of advanced microscopy training, held June 1-5, 2025.
Now in its 52nd year, the annual program continues to offer a rigorous, hands-on curriculum covering scanning electron microscopy (SEM), transmission electron microscopy (TEM), focused ion beam (FIB) techniques, and introductory modules designed for early-career researchers and new users.
This year marked a leadership transition, with Masashi Watanabe taking the helm as LMS director. Watanabe, a professor of materials science and engineering at Lehigh University, previously served as co-director of the school and has been a lecturer and organizer there since 2001.
“It's an honor to continue the school’s legacy and shape its future,” says Watanabe. “Our mission remains the same: to offer high-impact, practical training that empowers scientists and engineers to make meaningful discoveries through various microscopy approaches.”
Participants represented a range of sectors—from universities and government laboratories to global industry leaders—and had the opportunity to work with state-of-the-art instrumentation and connect directly with top microscopy experts.
The Lehigh Microscopy School is offered in conjunction with Lehigh’s Institute for Functional Materials and Devices (I-FMD). For more information and highlights from this year’s program, including a look at the annual banquet and special guests, visit the LMS LinkedIn page.
