SME 2025

We cordially invite you to participate in the 9^th meeting of the Swiss Microbial Ecology (SME25) group from Wednesday, January 15 to Friday, January 17, 2025, at the Hotel Allegro (https://www.hotel-allegro.ch/de/). All participants can be accommodated at this unique location, situated between the Einsiedeln monastery (http://www.kloster-einsiedeln.ch/) and the Sihlsee. The SME group is a subgroup of the Swiss Society for Microbiology (http://www.swissmicrobiology.ch/).

Our goal is to bring together scientists from Switzerland that study a large diversity of topics within pro-and eukaryotic microbial ecology to promote scientific exchange between researchers studying microbes in various environments or model system, to discuss common concepts, ideas, approaches and methods. Altogether about 100 scientists (from master students to professors) are expected to participate. The meeting might moreover provide a means to establish fruitful future collaborations, and it provides the ideal environment to foster informal contacts and discussion among scientists. The close by town of Einsiedeln (http://www.einsiedeln.ch/) offers additional possibilities for social get-togethers (billiard room, a bowling alley, small bars, etc).

In order to explore new forms of scientific communication, we plan to replace traditional posters by 2-minute animated presentations that will be displayed on large screens during special sessions and will also be available online throughout the meeting. Detailed information on the creation and format of such presentations as well as examples will be made available soon.

The organizers particularly encourage young and early career scientists (master and PhD students) to actively participate in this meeting. There will be special awards for the best oral and animated poster presentations given by young scientists.