(Olympus America Inc.: Center Valley, PA) -- The 2nd International Conference on Surface Metrology will convene at Worcester Polytechnic Institute in Worcester, Massachusetts, from Oct. 25–27, and will again be supported by Olympus America Inc., a provider of industrial measurement and imaging instruments. The conference will focus on the latest advances in the study of surface roughness, which can affect everything from the way a coating adheres to a pill to the way light travels through solar panels. Because objects interact with one another at their surfaces, this field is one of the fastest-growing areas of industrial research and development.

The three-day conference will include the following keynote speakers and session topics:

• Mady Elias, Ph.D., of the Institute of Nanosciences of Paris, “Influence of Surface Roughness on Visual Appearance”

• Richard Leach, Ph.D., of the United Kingdom’s National Physical Laboratory,“Do We really Know How to Measure Surfaces?”

• Peter S. Ungar, Ph.D., of the University of Arkansas, “Microscopic Use-Wear on Teeth and Diets of Human Ancestors and other Fossil Mammals”

Other sessions will focus on the latest advances and insights in surface metrology fundamentals, methods, equipment, software, and applications.

The 2nd International Conference on Surface Metrology is open to engineers, scientists, technicians, and others interested in surface roughness and surface metrology applications. The program features extensive tutorials, exhibits, and technical sessions addressing numerous industries, technologies, and applications. Also scheduled are poster sessions, an opening reception, and a conference dinner for participants. The first International Conference on Surface Metrology in October 2009 was a great success, including more than 40 presentations from eight countries.

“Attendees learn about methodologies that are used in diverse fields and can uncover new ideas for approaches that might work for them,” says conference chair Christopher A. Brown, Ph.D., professor of mechanical engineering and director of the surface metrology lab at Worcester Polytechnic Institute.

Olympus is supporting the conference with personnel and advanced technology, including the recently introduced LEXT OLS4000 laser scanning confocal microscope, which allows high-quality imaging and data collection, even with the most complex and hard-to-measure surfaces.

“Surface topography, texture, and roughness are among the most important aspects of metrology,” says Matt Smith, director of sales and marketing for Olympus America Inc., Scientific Equipment Group—Industrial Microscopes. “Supporting the conference and attending it ourselves is part of our long-term commitment to metrology and to the development of professionals in this exciting field."

For more information, visit http://surfacemetrology.org/.