Mike Coy, Global Marketing Manager, EDAX

I attended my first Microscopy and Microanalysis (M&M) show in 1993, in Cincinnati, OH. At the time, I was a graduate student about to receive my Master’s Degree in Ceramic Engineering/Materials Science and looking for a job in the microscopy industry. Armed with a very limited experience with electron microscopes and analytical systems, I was in awe walking the show floor looking at all the state of the art instruments in the vendor booths.

Last week, I attended M&M 2014 in Hartford, CT. This time, 21 years later and at my 19th M&M show, I was leading the EDAX Show Team in my role as the Global Marketing Manager. A lot has changed in that time- I’ve moved from Academia to Industry, worked for several companies in a variety of roles, and have had the opportunity to travel the world and make a lot of lasting friendships- but one thing remains the same…I’m still in awe every time I walk the show floor and take in latest innovations and product launches.

Our microscopy community is special in many ways, including the camaraderie of people in the industry, partner and competitor alike. Similarly, the annual M&M show stands apart from other industry tradeshows as well, in the fact that manufacturers bring their latest and greatest instruments to the show floor every year, and run live demos on potential customer samples. Nowhere else in the world can you test drive the newest and best offerings from every leading company in the industry, all in the span of a few days.

This is a truly unique and wonderful opportunity for scientists, researchers, engineers and lab managers. And for people like me…no matter what my business card says, I’m a microscopist at heart. Year after year, I love seeing the evolving SEMs, the new FIB columns, the latest detector designs…all of which enable the ever expanding world of nanotechnology and help make the world a better place.
For the record, I found my first job at that M&M show in 1993, taking a Research Scientist position at the Electron Microscopy Center at Texas A&M University. That was a great first step on what has been a very rewarding journey so far. I can’t wait to see what M&M 2015 will unveil next year in Portland!