Dr. Sophie Yan, Applications Engineer, EDAX

Click here to read the post in Chinese.

The end of the year is my conference season. I have been to various conferences since October and I have seen many new faces. Recently, I realized that several young people I trained have stepped into the electron microscopy and microanalysis world. Their reasons seemed to be similar: want a life like Sophie’s. I felt deeply honored but also frightened. Did I give the young people a good example or fantasy?

A couple of us who used to study and/or work at Shanghai Institute of Ceramics have organized an annual meetup at the Chinese Electron Microscopy Society Conference. This year the number of participants reached 19, indicating more and more people have joined this field. As time passes, I have been able to recognize some of the big names in microscopy, and I am overwhelmed at how quickly young scientists have become those big names. Indeed, when more and more new faces have become major players in this field, it indicates the prosperity of this field. I am very fortunate to be a witness of this booming industry.

Once at SEMICON, a participant from Taiwan couldn’t believe my decision to step out after he/she realized that I was no longer in the semiconductor industry. At that time, I didn’t care about his/her words, but right now I figured out why he/she felt so sorry for me. It is very fortunate to love a job you choose. The semiconductor industry was a little down at the time I left, but it has been developing incredibly fast afterwards and I have found the job I love. It is so good to see that my breakup with semiconductor made both of us happy.

Mr. Yang from The University of Science and Technology Beijing (the author of the first Chinese EBSD book you’re supposed to read in China) used to tell me that “I felt you have been attending a lot of conferences and got much more resources than other people.” So I really got lucky.

My EBSD mentor, European applications specialist, René de Kloe, has traveled all around the world. He is very knowledgeable and humble but shows his expertise when questioned. He always promptly and fully replies to my emails and is always ready to help. Although we meet often, every time I am impressed by his expertise and like him more.

And Dr. Stuart Wright, he is a legend in the EBSD world. His name appears in textbooks and references to all kinds of EBSD papers. He took René and I to the west coast of the United States the first time I met him. René said that his toes finally touched the water of the Pacific Ocean again and for the first time in 3 years. He said that his feet high fived each other from the last time he dipped his feet in Tokyo Bay. In 2017, ICOTOM was held in the small city where Stuart lives. As a conference organizer, he took care of everything by himself. That was the most successful conference that considered both academic atmosphere and hospitality. (Well, I must attend the next ICOTOM in Osaka in September 2020).

With lots of luck, I have been to many places and gotten in touch with big names in this field. The cost is I travel more than 50%, on mainly domestic trips with more than 100,000 kilometers every year. I have seen everything there is to see in the Beijing and Shanghai airports. In contrast, the streets of every city look common to me. A kind of common that you can’t figure out their meanings at a glance.

But when people ask what exactly is EDAX’s direct electron detection? I can finally calm down and keep the conversation going, although I just know a little about it. René and Stuart patiently explained it to me when I knew nothing about it, and now it is my turn to spread the word. This is a brand-new field, and EDAX is the first player. What can we do with direct electron detection? Just wait and see. For a sneak preview, take a look at René’s recent webinar, “Direct Electron Detection with Clarity™ – Viewing EBSD Patterns in a New Light”.