Nordic Rheology Conference & Nordic Polymer Days
Cyberspace, August 18-20, 2021

  IMPORTANT FILES

 

  SCOPE AND THEME
In 2021, the Nordic Rheology Conference will be organized jointly with the Nordic Polymer Days (NRC&NPD2021). The special theme of the conference is 'Sustainable Chemistry and Materials', but oral and poster contributions from all areas of rheology, polymer and biomaterials research are warmly welcome. Both academic and industrial researchers are cordially invited to present their latest research findings.

 

  VENUE
Due to the travel restrictions related to the COVID-19 pandemic, we will meet as avatars in Cyberspace rather than physically. It will be almost like a normal conference and you will be walking around in the conference centre and choose session, or interact with colleagues at the exhibition area and by a poster.

As at the NRC 2020 and AERC 2021 conferences, the virtual conference centre is supplied by Virtway Events. Participants will be sitting at their computers with a headset and are represented by their respective personal avatar who moves and talks in the virtual conference centre. To get a taste of the conference platform, please see the introduction video in Youtube and try out the platform yourself!

 

  PLENARY SPEAKERS
Minna Hakkarainen is a Professor of Polymer Technology at KTH Royal Institute of Technology, Sweden. Title of the talk: Carbon dot/polymer composites for biomedical, environmental and packaging applications

Anne-Marie Hermansson is a Professor of Structured biomaterials and Food Science at the Chalmers University of Technology, Sweden. Title of the talk: Structure related rheology of food and biopolymers systems

Kiyohiko Igarashi is an Associate Professor at the University of Tokyo, Japan, and a Visiting Professor at the VTT Technical Research Centre of Finland. Title of the talk: Enzymatic degradation and synthesis of crystalline cellulose

Robert Luxenhofer is a Professor of Soft Matter Chemistry at the University of Helsinki, Finland. Title of the talk: An old pony is teaching us new tricks - Poly(2-oxazoline)s and poly(2-oxazine)s: From self-assembly to drug-delivery and 3D printing

Tiina Nypelö is an Associate Professor at the Division of Applied Chemistry at the Chalmers University of Technology, Sweden. Title of the talk: Wood-based hemicelluloses: What are the key properties to enable future applications?

Bernhard A. Wolf is a Professor of the Physical Chemistry of Polymers at the Johannes Gutenberg University Mainz, Germany. Title of the talk: Large scale fractionation of polymers and advanced viscometric methods
 

 

  CALL FOR PAPERS
We kindly invite presentations on all aspects of biomaterials, polymer science and rheology. Both theoretical and applied contributions are warmly welcome, including academic research papers and industrial case studies.

Abstracts have to be prepared using the Word template provided below and following its instructions. The abstract must not exceed one page (including figures and references). Submit your abstract as a .doc or .docx file to abstract-submission@nrc-npd2021.fi no later than May 24, with “NRC2021 abstract” or "NPD2021 abstract" in the email subject line. In this email, please state:
  • Name and affiliation of the presenter
  • Preference for oral or poster presentation
Abstract template (Word)

Notifications of abstract acceptance have been sent to corresponding authors by email. If you have submitted an abstract to the conference but have not received an abstract acceptance notification, please contact the conference organizers at info@nrc-npd2021.fi.

 

  MANUSCRIPT SUBMISSION TO THE ANNUAL TRANSACTIONS OF THE NORDIC RHEOLOGY SOCIETY
Authors of accepted NRC contributions (both oral and poster) are also invited to submit a manuscript for publication in the Annual Transactions of the Nordic Rheology Society (ATNRS). Full manuscripts for both oral and poster presentations will be published in the 29th volume of the ATNRS. The ATNRS does not retain copyrights for the submitted manuscripts.

The manuscripts must be between 2-8 pages in length and prepared using the template provided below. Make sure that you use “press quality”, embed all the fonts, and set the paper size to A4 when you convert the document to PDF. If the guidelines are not followed exactly, your paper will be returned to you for correction. Manuscripts must be submitted both as a DOC/DOCX file and a PDF file to the ATNRS Editor a.h.rabenja@uis.no with the subject line ‘ATNRS manuscript 2021’ by June 24.

LaTeX template is also available by request from the ATNRS Editor: a.h.rabenja@uis.no.

Manuscript template for the Annual Transactions of the Nordic Rheology Society
 

 

  CONFERENCE PROGRAM
The detailed conference program can be downloaded below.

Conference program (updated 16.8.2021)

List of posters (updated 13.7.2021)

Book of abstracts (PDF)

Please note that the schedule is in Eastern European Summer Time (EEST, UTC+3).

The rheology short course will take place on Tuesday afternoon, August 17 (more information).

The NRS Annual Meeting 2021 will take place on Tuesday, August 17, starting at 11:00 EEST / 10:00 CEST (meeting invitation and agenda).

 

  INSTRUCTIONS FOR PARTICIPANTS
General instructions
The NRC&NPD2021 will be held in a virtual conference center and you will be present as an avatar. This means that you have to install an app on your device, and you need to have a login to the system. Please install the app in good time before the conference as some workplaces may have restrictions on installation of communication apps, and make sure that you have a good headset to avoid audio problems during the conference. A personal login will be mailed to all participants in the beginning of August together with more detailed instructions. If you want to try out the virtual world already now follow the instructions under Demo version of the conference platform. Further instructions for using the virtual conference platform can be found in the Guide for Participants.

Speakers
Conference speakers will be invited to a training session the week before the conference to get further instructions and to familiarise themselves with the virtual conference center. If you use a Windows computer to attend the conference, you can give your presentation by sharing your screen. However, due to possible connectivity issues, we strongly recommend that you prepare a pdf file of your presentation as a backup and send it to debora.arias@omniprex.com by August 13. If you are using a Mac computer, you will be unable to share your screen, and you are required to send your presentation slides as a pdf file to debora.arias@omniprex.com by August 13. More detailed instructions can be found in the Guide for Speakers.
Conference speakers are strongly encouraged to attend one of the test sessions in the virtual world:
  • Wednesday, August 11 @ 18:00-19:00 EEST (17:00-18:00 CEST)
  • Thursday, August 12 @ 18:00-19:00 EEST (17:00-18:00 CEST)
  • Friday, August 13 @ 11:00-13:00 EEST (10:00-12:00 CEST)
  • Monday, August 16 @ 11:00-13:00 EEST (10:00-12:00 CEST)
  • Tuesday, August 17 @ 18:00-20:00 EEST (17:00-19:00 CEST)

    Poster presenters
    Posters will be presented in the common area of the conference. Poster presenters are asked to prepare their poster in the landscape format (16:9) and send it as a pdf, jpg or png file (recommended resolution 150 dpi) to debora.arias@omniprex.com by August 13. In addition, poster presenters are asked to record a 2-minute flash presentation of their poster (also in the landscape format, 16:9) and send the video (or a link to the video) as a mp4 or avi file to debora.arias@omniprex.com by August 13. The maximum size of the video file is 150 MB. The poster flash presentation will be uploaded in the virtual conference center so that conference participants can watch it prior to or during the conference. Helpful tips for recording a poster flash presentation using Zoom and PowerPoint can be found on this website.

    •  

      DEMO VERSION OF THE CONFERENCE PLATFORM
    A demo version of the virtual conference platform is available for free testing at https://public.virtwayevents.com/OPENDEMO/en/guest_access.

    An internet connection with bandwidth of at least 15Mbit/s is recommended. The app is available for Windows (10 or newer), Mac OS (10.15 or newer), IOS (64 bit) and Android (5.0 or newer). For speakers who want to present from their desktop a PC with Windows 10 is required. Mac users are limited to present pre-loaded pdf-files.

     

      NRC INDUSTRY WORKSHOP
    Conference participants are cordially invited to attend the NRC industry workshop on Wednesday afternoon, August 18, in Blue Hall. The goal of the workshop is to gather industrial representatives (and academics) to discuss what challenges we are faced with when attempting to model complex flows (either the fluid or the geometry,... or both).

    Industrial researchers/engineers working on complex fluids are typically
       A) trying to optimise/design a fluid for some purpose
       B) trying to optimise a hardware design for a complex fluid
    In this context, the participants of the workshop are asked to consider the following questions:
       C) when do rheology measurements not fulfil your needs?
       D) why can you not simulate/model your processes? (time scales, rheology model)
    The workshop will stimulate discussion around these questions, and it will be moderated by Gustaf Mårtensson (Mycronic) and Fredrik Innings (Tetra Pak).

     

      RHEOLOGY SHORT COURSE
    A 1/2-day rheology short course will take place on Tuesday afternoon, August 17 via Zoom. The course is mainly targeted for PhD students working with/on rheology, but it is also open for industry representatives who wish to further their knowledge on rheology. The short course is free for NRC&NPD2021 conference participants.

    The course will be lectured by Annika Sahlström (Reokonsa), Antti Koponen (VTT Technical Research Centre of Finland) and Katarina Dimic-Misic (Aalto University). A link to the Zoom session will be sent to course participants via email in August.

    The schedule is in Eastern European Summer Time (EEST, UTC+3).

     

      REGISTRATION
    The conference fee includes admission and participation to all scientific sessions (both NRC and NPD), as well as to the exhibitor and poster areas. Upon conference registration, conference participants can also register for the rheology short course for free. Conference participants are also entitled to a one-year membership of the Nordic Rheology Society (NRS) and may apply for a membership of the Finnish Society of Wood and Polymer Chemistry (SPPY) free of charge.

    Until June 8 After June 8
    Regular participants 125 € 200 €
    Students 75 € 125 €

    Conference participants also have the possibility to purchase a printed copy of the Annual Transactions of the Nordic Rheology Society for 20 € (digital access to the ATNRS is included in the NRS membership).

    Link to the conference registration
     

     

      SPONSORS
    We are happy to invite you to support NRC&NPD2021 as a sponsor. The benefits of sponsoring NRC&NPD2021 include:
    • Possibility to reach the audience of usual NRC and NPD conferences
    • Absence of travel expenses and arrangements
    • New contacts and customers
    • Possibility to support young researchers in the form of best poster and presentation prizes
    Please contact Olli-Ville Laukkanen for more information.

    NRC&NPD2021 conference sponsors:
    Anton Paar
    Coloplast
    TA Instruments
    Tetra Pak

     

      PRIZES
    Best oral presentation and best poster prizes
    The MDPI journal Polymers sponsors a best oral presentation and best poster prize for the conference (250 € each).

    Best student presentation prize
    Incipientus Ultrasound Flow Technologies Ab sponsors a best student presentation prize for the conference (500 €).

     

      SOCIAL EVENTS
    A quiz will be organized in the virtual conference center on Thursday afternoon, August 19, after the poster session (starting around 16:20 EEST / 15:20 CEST). The questions of the quiz will be related to the theme of the conference 'Sustainable Chemistry and Materials'. The winners of the quiz will be awarded prizes sponsored by Thermo Fisher Scientific.

     

      EXHIBITORS
    Exhibition experience at NRC&NPD2021 in Cyberspace is as close to the real one as possible. Exhibition booths can be decorated with logos, images, videos, Powerpoint presentations, contact details and links to webpages. And in case nobody of the company staff is around, you will have a virtual assistant (avatar) that provides information to interested participants. As an exhibitor you will also receive the metrics of who visited your booth.

    Please contact Olli-Ville Laukkanen with any questions or for individual arrangements.

     

      ORGANISERS
    The conference is co-organized by the Nordic Rheology Society (NRS) and the Society for Wood and Polymer Chemistry in Finland (SPPY).

    The core organizing committee consists of:
    Michael Hummel, Aalto University
    Olli-Ville Laukkanen, RWTH Aachen University
    Sami Hietala, University of Helsinki
    Sami-Pekka Hirvonen, University of Helsinki

    NRC&NPD2021 is financially supported by the Federation of Finnish Learned Societies.

     

      CONTACT
    For general questions about the conference, please contact the conference organizers at info@nrc-npd2021.fi.

    For technical questions about the conference app, please contact the Omniprex technical support at ovacsupport@omniprex.com.

     

     
      QUICK LINKS

     

      DEADLINES
      May 24, 2021
    Abstract submission
      June 8, 2021
    Early-bird registration
      June 24, 2021
    Manuscript submission for the Annual Transactions of the Nordic Rheology Society
      August 2, 2021
    Conference registration of speakers and poster presenters
      August 13, 2021
    Submission of presentation slides and posters
      August 16, 2021
    Conference registration (participants without an oral or poster presentation)

     

      NEWS
    NRC&NPD2021 conference report
    The Nordic Rheology Conference & Nordic Polymer Days 2021 was a big success with 138 participants. The virtual conference platform facilitated interactive conference experience that felt almost like a real-life conference. The conference report can be viewed here.;

     

    That's a wrap!
    The Nordic Rheology Conference & Nordic Polymer Days 2021 gathered more than 130 participants interested in rheology, polymers and biomaterials research. The conference featured six plenary lectures, as well as more than 80 oral or poster presentations. The conference organizers wish to thank all conference participants and are looking forward to meeting them again at NRC 2022 in Iceland next summer!;

     

    Exciting lectures at the NRC&NPD2021 rheology short course
    The NRC&NPD2021 rheology short course is in full swing with more than 50 participants! Interesting and informative lectures by Annika Sahlström (Reokonsa), Antti Koponen (VTT Technical Research Centre of Finland) and Katarina Dimic-Misic (Aalto University). More information can be found on the NRC&NPD2021 website.;

     

    Two conferences at the price of one
    The Nordic Rheology Conference (NRC) and Nordic Polymer Days (NPD) will be organized jointly on August 18-20, 2021. With a single registration fee, you get access to all the scientific sessions of the NRC and NPD, as well as to the poster session and exhibition. The conference fee also includes free admission to the rheology short course that will take place on August 17. In the absence of travel and accommodation costs, NRC&NPD2021 will certainly provide great value and a unique experience for everyone interested in rheology, polymer and biomaterials research. Registration and more information about the conference can be found on the NRC&NPD2021 website.;

     

    Call for the NRS Annual Meeting 2021
    The 2021 Annual Meeting of the Nordic Rheology Society (NRS) will take place on Tuesday, August 17, starting at 11:00 EEST / 10:00 CEST. The invitation and agenda for the meeting are available at this link. Also the participants of the NRC&NPD2021 conference who opted to become members of the NRS are warmly welcome to attend the Annual Meeting.

    The new proposed manuscript template for the Annual Transactions of the Nordic Rheology Society can be downloaded at this link. NRS members are invited to provide feedback on this template at the 2021 Annual Meeting. ;

     

    The NRC&NPD2021 conference program has been published
    The program of the Nordic Rheology Conference & Nordic Polymer Days 2021 is now available on the NRC&NPD2021 website.;

     

    Professor Anne-Marie Hermansson to receive the Carl Klason Rheology Award
    Despite being most famous as an expert in food microstructure, Professor Anne-Marie Hermansson is a well-known authority in rheology. In 1991 she was involved in the initiative of transforming Svenska Nationalkommittén för Mekanik into the Nordic Rheology Society together with Carl Klason, Josef Kubát, Mikael Rigdahl, Ole Kramer, Arnljot Elgsäter and Olafur Wallevik, thus setting the scene for the progress of rheology in the Nordic countries. Professor Hermansson’s contributions to the basic understanding of rheological phenomena and application of rheology includes supervision of almost twenty PhD students, most of whom have been involved in rheological activities and rheological scientific publications. Including this, she has applied rheology in numerous cooperation projects with Nordic and international industry. One of her most cited publications presents an unusual transient state occurring during gelation of the polysaccharide kappa-carrageenan, manifested by a peak in the linear viscoelastic response.

    Professor Anne-Marie Hermansson has made outstanding contributions to the basic understanding of rheological phenomena and to the application of rheology, as well as has made outstanding contributions to the progress of rheology in the Nordic countries.

    The Carl Klason Rheology Award will be formally presented at the Nordic Rheology Conference & Nordic Polymer Days 2021 where Professor Hermansson will deliver a plenary talk entitled “Structure related rheology of food and biopolymers systems”. For further information, please visit the conference website.;

     

    NRC&NPD2021 early-bird registration extended until June 8
    Take advantage of the reduced early-bird fees by registering to the NRC&NPD2021 conference by Tuesday, June 8. More details can be found on the conference website.;

     

    NRC&NPD2021 abstract submission extended until May 24
    Abstracts of oral and poster presentations for the Nordic Rheology Conference & Nordic Polymer Days 2021 must be submitted by Monday, May 24.

    Abstracts have to be prepared using the Word template provided on the conference website and following its instructions. The abstract must not exceed one page (including figures and references). Submit your abstract as a .doc or .docx file to abstract-submission@nrc-npd2021.fi, with “NRC2021 abstract” or "NPD2021 abstract" in the email subject line. In this email, please state:
    • Name and affiliation of the presenter
    • Preference for oral or poster presentation
    Please visit the conference website for further information. ;

     

    Submit your abstract(s) to the NRC&NPD2021 by May 14
    The abstracts of oral and poster presentations for the Nordic Rheology Conference & Nordic Polymer Days 2021 need to be submitted no later than Friday, May 14. An abstract template and detailed instructions for abstract submission can be found on the conference website.;

     

    Registration to the NRC&NPD2021 is open
    The registration to the Nordic Rheology Conference and Nordic Polymer Days 2021 is now open on the conference website. Please also remember to submit your abstract(s) to the conference by May 14.;

     

    The second circular of the NRC&NPD2021 conference
    The Nordic Rheology Conference & Nordic Polymer Days 2021 will take place in Cyberspace on August 18-20. The second conference circular has now been published; you can view it here. For more information, please visit the conference website.;

     

    NRC&NPD2021 to be held in Cyberspace
    Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the Nordic Rheology Conference & Nordic Polymer Days 2021 will be organized in an avatar-based virtual world. The Virtway conference platform provides a truly immersive experience, including interactive scientific sessions and mingling with other conference participants. For more information, please visit the conference website at https://nordicrheologysociety.org/Home/Nrc.;

     

    First circular of the NRC&NPD2021 conference
    The Nordic Rheology Conference & Nordic Polymer Days 2021 (NRC&NPD2021) will take place on August 18-20, 2021. Depending on the development of the COVID-19 pandemic, the conference will take place either in a hybrid format (both physical and online participation possible) or in a completely virtual format. For more information, please view the first conference circular and visit the conference website. ;

     

    NRC&NPD postponed until summer 2021
    We regret to inform you that the NRC&NPD conference has been postponed until summer 2021 due to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic. The exact conference dates will be announced later on the conference website and in the LinkedIn and Facebook groups. The delegates who have already registered for the conference and/or submitted an abstract will be contacted by email in the coming weeks. We apologize for the inconvenience and we are eager to see you in 2021!

    At the same time, we are pleased to inform you that a virtual rheology meeting is planned for August 2020! Further details will be announced later on the NRS website and social media groups. ;