Liquid crystals represent one of the most exciting states of matter known to exist, and their usefulness isn't only limited to display technology; researchers across many scientific displines have use for these fascinating materials.

Demonstrating the level of interest from researchers in this area, the 38th Topical Meeting on Liquid Crystals is to be held in Mainz at the end of this week, and will include work on mesophases, including their synthesis and characterization and mesophase experiments, theory, simulation, and applications. The meeting will also look at thermotropic and lyotropic liquid crystals, as well as block copolymers, liquid crystalline polymers and elastomers. Guest speakers will include Professor Heino Finkelmann, of the University of Freiburg, Professor Philippe Martinoty, from the Institut Charles Sadron, Strasbourg, and the director of MPI Mainz Professor Klaus Müllen, who will discuss his work on the assembly of nanographenes.

The workshop, organized by the German Liquid Crystal Society, will include the presentation of the Alfred-Saupe-Prize on March 10, 2010 to Prof. Helmut Ringsdorf for his outstanding research on liquid crystalline polymers. The Alfred-Saupe-Prize was established in 2009 to commemorate Prof. Alfred Saupe (1925-2008), a german physicist and a pioneer of liquid crystal research, and is awarded to outstanding individuals from all areas of research and technology involving liquid crystals and mesophases .