International conference on Imaging and Characterisation for a Sustainable World ICWORLD 2027

ICWORLD2027 brings together leading researchers, industry experts, and innovators to explore cutting-edge imaging and characterization techniques that contribute to a sustainable world. The conference focuses on novel methods for studying materials and systems in science and engineering, providing insights into their structure, composition, and properties to support scientific discovery and technological innovation.

The conference is organized by the I4WORLD doctoral programme, an international and interdisciplinary initiative that brings together expertise from various fields incl. physics, engineering, life sciences, and data science. The programme aims to train a new generation of researchers who can work across disciplines, develop innovative imaging and characterisation methods, and contribute to solving real-world challenges.

The conference will focus on novel imaging and characterisation methods. These techniques are used for studying materials or systems in science and engineering. This helps us understand the visual representation of an object and its composition, and properties. Examples of imaging techniques include optical microscopy, electron microscopy, MRI, X-ray imaging, and examples of characterisation include IR spectroscopy, NMR, X-ray diffraction, mass spectrometry, thermal analysis.

Important dates:

• 30 August 2026 – Extended abstract submission deadline
• 21 September 2026 – Notification of abstract acceptance
• 31 October 2026– Early Bird Registration Deadline
• 30 November 2026 – Registration deadline

Conference themes

The conference topics cover developments in imaging and characterization and align with multidisciplinary themes to achieve the UN Sustainable Development Goals:

Good Health and Wellbeing

The primary goals of the theme are to ensure healthy lives and promote well-being for everyone at all ages, prevent major public health problems, promote equality in health, find cures for diseases, and identify and manage health risks. Keynotes, oral and poster presentations include following themes:

• Advanced Biomedical Imaging and Spectroscopic Methods for Health Research

• Biosensors, Point-of-Care Diagnostics and Digital Health Technologies

• AI-Enabled Physiological Monitoring and Health Analytics

• Bioactive Molecules, Drug Discovery and Therapeutic Mechanisms

Affordable and Clean Energy

The primary goal of the theme is to provide affordable, reliable, sustainable energy for all with pro-environmental behaviour, sustainable and smart energy technologies and systems, and carbon neutral production. Keynotes, oral and poster presentations include following topics:

• Photocatalysis, Solar Fuels and Green Hydrogen Technologies

• Energy Materials and Advanced Characterization

• Next-Generation Batteries and Electrochemical Energy Storage

• Digitalization and AI for Smart Energy Systems

• Sustainability Assessment and Circular Energy Solutions

Sustainable Industries and Production

The primary goals of the theme is to ensure resource efficiency, clean and environmental technologies and industrial processes, sustainable and resilient infrastructure development, sustainable innovations and value chain development, minimal use of harsh chemicals in production, their release to the environment and impacts to human health, reduced waste generation and the sustainable management and efficient use of natural resources. Keynotes, oral and poster presentations include following topics:

• Sustainable Construction Materials and Cement Innovation

• Industrial Process Characterization and Resource Recovery

• Circular Materials, Biomass Valorization and Waste Utilization

• Digital Transformation for Sustainable Manufacturing

• Social Sustainability, Equality and Inclusion in Science and Industry

• Advanced Modeling and Characterization for Industrial Applications

Clean Water, Biodiversity and Environment

The primary goals of the theme are to ensure the clean air and sky, fresh and sustainable water, flourishing land and biodiversity, safe earth and near-earth space and efficient use of resources, material and energy. Keynotes, oral and poster presentations include following topics:

• Environmental Monitoring and Biodiversity Assessment

• Nature-Based Solutions and Bioremediation

• Advanced Water Treatment and Environmental Remediation Materials

Keynote speakers

Confirmed keynote speakers (with initial titles):

• Professor Phil Willmott, Paul Scherrer Institut
  • Illuminating a Sustainable Future: Synchrotron Science for Human Health, Energy, and the Environment
• Associate Professor Pablo Villanueva Perez, Lund University
  • New X-ray imaging opportunities at diffraction-limited storage rings
• Professor Joseph Irudayaraj, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign (UIUC), US
  • Therapeutics to address Ischemic Diseases
• Professor Joshua B. Edel, Imperial College London, UK
  • Highly multiplexed diagnostics
• Professor Jacinto Sá, Uppsala University, Sweden
  • Plasmons: from metal ore to catalyst
• Professor Takashi Yamamoto, Tokushima University, Japan
  • Zirconia-based catalysts for ethanol conversion and their characterization by laboratory XAFS
• Professor Brant Walkley, University of Sheffield, UK
  • Advanced characterisation of sustainable cements for construction and nuclear sectors
• R&D Manager Gomathy Chakkaradhari, Umicore Battery Materials
  • Atomic‑Scale Imaging and Characterisation of Battery Materials
• Associate Professor Ihsanullah Obaidullah, University of Sharjah, United Arab Emirates
  • Emerging Contaminants in Water: Threats, Challenges, and Opportunities for a Sustainable Future
• Research Associate Laura Bertola, National Centre for Biological Sciences, India
  • Harnessing genomic resources for wildlife conservation

Program

• 13.1.2027: 9 AM to 6 PM, city reception (7 PM)
• 14.1.2027: 9 AM to 6 PM, conference dinner (7:30 PM)
• 15.1.2027 9:30 AM to 13 PM

Detailed schedule with keynote presentations, oral presentations and poster session to be updated during October 2026.

Registration

Registration for conference is open:

Registration form.

Registration fees:
200 € PhD student (Early Bird until October 31th, 2026)
250 € PhD student
250 € Regular participant (Early Bird until October 31st, 2026)
300 € Regular participant

Registration until November 30th, 2026.

Participation is free for I4WORLD doctoral researchers.

Conference fee includes participation to conference, including coffee, lunch, dinner and city reception.

Venue

Original Sokos Hotel Arina, Pakkahuoneenkatu 16, 90100 Oulu

Venue is in the centre of Oulu, a 10 min walk from the railway station.

Travel

By plane

Oulu Airport has several daily one-hour Finnair flights from Helsinki-Vantaa Airport and direct airBaltic flights from Riga.

The city centre is approximately 30 minutes from the airport by bus (routes 8 and 9) or taxi.

Other regional airports are Rovaniemi, Kemi, and Kuusamo, where you can take a train or a bus to Oulu.

By train

Several daily trains From Helsinki (or Helsinki Airport) and other major Finnish cities (like Rovaniemi and Tampere) to Oulu – approx. 5.5–6.5 hours. Also reachable from Sweden via Haparanda–Tornio. Tickets via https://www.vr.fi/en.

Local transport

Oulu offers convenient public transport connections between the airport, railway station, city centre, and University campus.

The city is also well known for its cycling infrastructure, featuring more than 900 kilometres of dedicated cycle paths and a strong cycling culture that continues throughout the winter.

Look for Oulu’s public transportation Timetables and routes - Oulun Seudun Liikenne.

Contact

If you have any questions or concerns, please contact: icworld2027@oulu.fi

For exhibitor/sponsor opportunities, please contact: icworld2027@oulu.fi

Conference is organized by the University of Oulu and I4WORLD programme.

Imaging and Characterisation for a Sustainable World I4WORLD (2022-2027) is a doctoral programme at the University of Oulu co-funded by the European Union’s Marie Skłodowska-Curie Action COFUND.