What is ASMS and How does it function

The American Society for Mass Spectrometry (ASMS) was formed in 1969 to promote and disseminate knowledge of mass spectrometry and allied topics. Membership includes over 8,500 scientists involved in research and development. Members come from academic, industrial and governmental laboratories. Their interests include advancement of techniques and instrumentation in mass spectrometry, as well as fundamental research in chemistry, geology, forensics, biological sciences and physics.

ASMS is a 501 c 3 non-profit corporation governed by an elected Board of Directors.

ASMS sponsors the Annual Conference on Mass Spectrometry and Allied Topics that is attended by more than 6,500 scientists. Over 3,000 papers are presented as posters and talks.

In addition to the Annual Conference, ASMS sponsors the following meetings and courses:

• Short Courses immediately preceding the Annual Conference.
• The Fall Workshop explores emerging technology for those seeking to learn the topic or who are new to the field.
• The Asilomar Conference is highly focused on a specific research topic.
• The Sanibel Conference highlights specific specific research topics of current interest.

ASMS publishes the Journal of the American Society for Mass Spectrometry (JASMS), a peer reviewed monthly journal that covers a comprehensive range of research and development in mass spectrometry.

Each year at the annual conference ASMS holds a meeting for its membership and the community. This is the 'ASMS Meeting' (formerly known as the Business Meeting). Updates on the status of the Society are provided by each Board member. In addition, several awards are recognized at the meeting.

Conferences

ASMS sponsors the following conferences and events annually.

Annual Conference on Mass Spectrometry and Allied Topics

• The annual conference presents over 2,700 poster presentations and 384 talks. The conference location changes annually.

Asilomar Conference on Mass Spectrometry

• This small conference is limited to 130 participants and takes place annually at the Asilomar Conference Center in Pacific Grove, CA.

Fall Workshop

• This tutuorial workshop explores emerging technology for those seeking to learn the topic or who are new to the field. Attendance is normally 70 - 125 participants depending on the topic. The workshop locations changes annually.

Sanibel Conference

• This small conference highlights specific topics of current interest. This is a small conference limited to 150 participants. It is held annually in Florida.

The Journal of the American Society for Mass Spectrometry (JASMS)

About JASMS

Journal of the American Society for Mass Spectrometry (JASMS) is a monthly, peer-reviewed journal that covers all aspects of mass spectrometry, including fields of scientific inquiry in which mass spectrometry can play a role.

JASMS was launched in 1990 as a bi-monthly publication with Michael L. Gross as Editor in Chief. In 1993, the publication frequency was increased to monthly.

Comprehensive in scope, the journal publishes papers on both fundamentals and applications of mass spectrometry. Fundamental subjects include instrumentation principles, design, and demonstration, structures and chemical properties of gas-phase ions, studies of thermodynamic properties, ion spectroscopy, chemical kinetics, mechanisms of ionization, theories of ion fragmentation, cluster ions, and potential energy surfaces.

Papers that report on an application should have as a principal focus the use of mass spectrometry to solve a qualitative or quantitative problem. Application subjects include, but are not limited to, structural elucidation, biopolymer sequencing, development or validation of new methodology, proteomics and other 'omics related research, and environmental and forensic measurements. Papers describing computer applications will be considered.

In addition to full papers, the journal offers Communications, Application Notes, and Accounts and Perspectives.

ASMS members receive subscription and access to JASMS as a benefit of membership.