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ISOM-XXIV is off to a good start!

Vidar and Deryn were proud and thrilled to welcome to Bergen the participants of the 24^thedition of the International Symposium on Olefin Metathesis and Related Chemistry!

Following the kick-off in 1976 in Mainz, this important series of conferences has been held every odd-numbered year up to and including 2019, when ISOM-23 was held in Barcelona. 2021 was the exception, for reasons well known to all. Now, the olefin metathesis community is again gathered and gathering strength for new progress, right here in Bergen!

Located at the West Coast at the slopes of high mountains, Bergen has been an internationally oriented city since way before Hanseatic time, and it makes perfect sense that this international symposium is held in Bergen. On the other hand, there is no denying that geographically, Norway lies at the outskirts of Europe. We rely on our guests to bring the world in and thereby include us in the international community.

Priority research areas at University of Bergen are Marine research, Climate and energy transition, and Global challenges. Chemistry holds the keys to progress on many of these challenges, including the sustainable synthesis of materials and chemicals, better pharmaceuticals, the utilization of bio-based feedstocks, and low-carbon energy carriers, to name but few.

The Royal Swedish Academy of Sciences, in their press release on the 2005 Nobel prize in chemistry, hailed olefin metathesis as one of organic chemistry’s most important reactions. Continuing, “This represents a great step forward for “green chemistry”, reducing potentially hazardous waste through smarter production. Metathesis is an example of how important basic science has been applied for the benefit of man, society and the environment.”

The scientific program of ISOM-24 very much reflects this rôle, as exemplified by session titles such as Sustainable metathesis, sustainable catalysts, and circular economy. Another observation from the program, is the forward-leaning and ambitious attitude, which is truly becoming for a mature scientific field. Session titles New perspectives, New frontiers, and Emerging reactions indicate that there is still much ground to break before the potential of olefin metathesis is fully achieved and put to work!

In their bid for ISOM-24, the conference chairs, professors Deryn Fogg and Vidar Jensen, expressed concern that the actual industrial uptake of olefin metathesis technology has been slower than expected. This puts double pressure on the ISOM series, as the main arena for communication between stakeholders in olefin metathesis.

Department of Chemistry is proud to be entrusted the organization of this important event. The conference chairs have done everything in their power to ensure a top scientific program and exciting extra-scientific events. Moreover, the local organizing committee, including

• Karianne Søreide
• Pål Magnus Gunnestad
• Giovanni Occhipinti
• Marco Foscato
• Saifon Maneesai
• Lise Clarke Capp-Isaksen

have made a massive effort in planning, preparing and now driving the many cogwheels that make a conference buzz, with good help from Christian Blanco, Eliza-Jayne Boisvert, Samantha Cormier, Jonas Ekeli, Dmytro Lemeshchenko, and Immanuel Reim.

In addition to stimulating and challenging scientific talks, the value of a conference also lies in the informal discussions, about observations yet unexplained, of failed attempts that rarely make it to the top journals, of thoughts on how and where to proceed, of collaborations to push for progress, of introducing young colleagues to an extensive network and so on. It remains with the participants see to it that ISOM-24 becomes a great success also in this respect!

For a few days Bergen is the center of the olefin metathesis community!