Vacuum Symposium 2026

Vacuum technology is an essential component of many scientific and technological advancements, ranging from semiconductor manufacturing to space exploration.  Despite its critical role, there are relatively few educational opportunities available on this topic, which makes it challenging for researchers and engineers to stay up-to-date with the latest advances and techniques.

That’s where Vacuum Symposium comes in.  Our primary objective is to provide a platform for scientists, engineers, and other professionals to share their knowledge and expertise in vacuum technology.  By organizing an annual meeting, we aim to create a forum where attendees can learn from each other and gain insights into the latest trends and challenges in the field.

At Vacuum Symposium, we understand that vacuum technology is a highly specialised field, which is why we’ve designed our event to be informative, engaging, and accessible to professionals from a wide range of industries.  Our conference features expert speakers, vacuum training modules, and networking opportunities to help attendees build relationships and learn from one another.

The next Vacuum Symposium, VS15, is scheduled for 16/17 June 2026 at Harwell Campus UK.   We invite professionals who work with vacuum technology or are interested in learning more about it to attend and participate in this exciting event.

News from VS14

The 14th Vacuum Symposium returned to Daresbury Laboratory on 24th & 25th June 2025, bringing together researchers, practitioners, students and industry to share knowledge and promote best practice across the vacuum sciences.  As in previous years, the Symposium combined a technical meeting, a full programme of vacuum training courses, the presentation of the Harry Leck Memorial Medal, a poster competition, and an exhibition of vacuum-related products and services.

The technical meeting offered a varied and engaging set of presentations, reflecting current developments across vacuum technology and its applications.  Talks ranged from advanced surface analysis techniques to practical aspects of vacuum engineering, highlighting the breadth of the field.  These sessions remain a core part of the Symposium’s mission by providing a forum for high-quality scientific exchange and supporting the work of the IOP Special Interest Groups who sponsor the event.

Training once again formed the backbone of VS14, with demand higher than ever.  A total of 104 delegates registered for one or more courses, resulting in 308 individual course bookings across the eight modules offered.  Several courses—particularly Vacuum in Practice and Vacuum: The Basic Principles—proved especially popular, and nearly 40% of participants elected to attend the maximum number courses available.  The consistently strong uptake confirms that the Vacuum Symposium is now the UK’s primary venue for foundational and practitioner-level vacuum training.

The 2025 Harry Leck Memorial Medal was awarded to Nigel S. Harris, formerly of Edwards Vacuum, in recognition of his extensive contributions to vacuum science and technology.  The VS14 Poster Prize was awarded to Eliza Fox and Ben Hool (STFC Daresbury Laboratory) for their work on “Testing of viewports in the Vacuum Processing Laboratory”.  Pictured left is Eliza Fox & Ben Tool receiving their award from Michael Cory, Leybold Vacuum.

Alongside the lectures and training, the supporting exhibition again played a vital role in connecting delegates with companies specialising in vacuum equipment, instrumentation and services.  The co-location of exhibitors with the Symposium’s programme continues to strengthen engagement between academia, industry and early-career participants.

The vacuum industry continues to offer a supporting role to Vacuum Symposium by staging an exhibition of vacuum equipment alongside the technical meetings and training.  Whether it be a large co-located exhibition, or a smaller table-top style exhibition, career experts are ready and willing to engage in discussion and advice.