MOOT NMR Conference (Eastern Canada)
MOOT is an annual regional gathering of NMR spectroscopists, typically occurring in October or November and hosted in Ontario or Quebec. The purpose of MOOT is to provide an environment for the presentation and discussion of new work from all areas of NMR spectroscopy. Attendees can expect to see presentations on wide range of applications of nuclear magnetic resonance that are being developed and used in our local community. By design, the conference has a casual atmosphere, focusing on:- Providing a venue for students and post-docs to present their research in a collegial environment.
- Creating opportunities for scientists and students from different institutes to network and collaborate.
- Fun! MOOT organizers are tasked with the important responsibility of holding an excellent banquet along with an appropriate supply of refreshments.
MOOT History
Prompted by the exciting growth in the NMR field in the 1980's, local NMR discussion groups sprung up in Toronto, Ottawa and Montreal. There were enough interested people in these areas to form a regular audience of 15 to 20 people. The first of these was organized by Charlie Rodger and Alex Bain, and was modeled on the long-established NMR Discussion Group in Britain. Informality was the key - the aim was to get together and learn about the new 2D NMR methods from each other, plus the usual gossip. Meetings were held on an evening at Bruker Canada in Milton (courtesy of Martin Smith), Syntex in Mississauga (organized by Valerie Robertson) or at Xerox in Sheridan Park (hosted by Gord Hamer). Similar meetings were set up in Ottawa, organized by Barbara Blackwell, John Saunders and Chris Ratcliffe (among others), and in Montreal, through the efforts of Mike Bernstein, Howard Hunter and Laurie Colebrooke. It was then Mike Bernstein's initiative to get these local groups to come together for an annual meeting.
What does MOOT mean?
One of the major problems of the local meetings (which was never solved) was finding a cute name. NMR is full of acronyms, but no-one came up with a good one for the meeting. Finally, the name MOOT was coined by Mike, since most of the early participants were from Montreal, Ottawa and Toronto. The name has stuck, even though attendance has stretched from Brandon to Halifax. The first meeting took place in Montreal in October 1988.
MOOT Chronology
MOOT35 (2024): Montreal (McGill)MOOT34 (2023): McMaster (with Celebration of Magnetic Resonance at McMaster)
MOOT33 (2022): Guelph
MOOT32 (2019): Ottawa
MOOT31 (2018): Sherbrooke
MOOT30 (2017): London (Western)
MOOT29 (2016): Charlottetown (UPEI)
MOOT28 (2015): Hamilton (McMaster)
MOOT27 (2014): Montreal (UQAM)
MOOT26 (2013): Kingston (Queens)
MOOT25 (2012): Quebec City (Laval)
MOOT24 (2011): Toronto
MOOT23 (2010): Halifax (Dalhousie)
MOOT22 (2009): Ottawa
MOOT21 (2008): Windsor
MOOT20 (2007): Sainte-Adele (Merck Frosst)
MOOT19 (2006): Guelph
MOOT18 (2005): Hamilton (McMaster)
MOOT17 (2004): Kingston (Queens)
MOOT16 (2003): Quebec (Laval)
MOOT15 (2002): Ottawa (NRC)
MOOT14 (2001): Sherbrooke
MOOT13 (2000): Toronto
MOOT12 (1999): Montreal (McGill)
MOOT11 (1998): Waterloo
MOOT10 (1997): Kingston (Queens)
MOOT9 (1996): Quebec (Laval)
MOOT8 (1995): Ottawa
MOOT7 (1994): Guelph
MOOT6 (1993): St. Sauveur (Merck Frosst)
MOOT5 (1992): Mississauga (Syntex, Xerox)
MOOT4 (1991): Kingston (Queens)
MOOT3 (1990): Ottawa (NRC)
MOOT2 (1989): Hamilton (McMaster)
MOOT1 (1988): Montreal (NRC-BRI)