Flash Historical Background

In 2007, the European project ERA-Chemistry inaugurated a new style of chemistry conference: the Flash Conference. It aims to bring together experienced and young researchers to discuss topics at the frontiers of chemical research.
The Flash Conferences are based around some key points that differentiate them from all existing conferences. These 5 principles are:

1.      "Hot topics" approach - Emerging fields of immediate scientific importance. The selected domains are either at the forefront or should be put to the forefront of European research. The “hot” character to define the topic should be proposed no more than six months in advance.
2.      Innovative scientific organisation - The Scientific Advisory Board (SAB) proposes the topics and suggests possible chairperson(s) for the conference, who must be two experts in the field, one of them from the host country. The National Scientific Councils of ERA-Chemistry suggest possible invited speakers, but the Chairpersons remain free to decide whom they wish to invite.
3.      A limited audience - The conference is fully open to all researchers, and junior researchers are especially welcome. Each regular attendant must contribute, as far as is possible, with a poster presentation. The maximum number of attendees is between 100-120 with selection of contributions based on quality.
4.      No registration fees, no profits - The event is organised at the lowest possible cost. There is no registration fee, with the only costs being for travel and accommodation (except for invited persons).
5.      A dedicated format - The conferences are scheduled on a 2-3 day basis with a mix of long lectures (30 min + 15 min discussion) by invited speakers, free-time for discussion and poster presentations, and finally short talks (20 min + 10 min discussion).

Two Flash Conferences per year are scheduled, in different European countries. They are planned for 3 full days, on a single site for both conference and accommodation, starting on a Sunday afternoon and ending on Thursday morning.