Montana State to host 2027 international conference on the physics and chemistry of ice

BOZEMAN - Montana State University will host the 16th International Conference on the Physics and Chemistry of Ice from June 28 through July 2, 2027.

According to Kevin Hammonds, the event's organizer, the PCI series "is a premiere global forum bringing together researchers, scholars and practitioners to explore the fundamental and applied aspects of ice science."

Hammonds is an associate professor of civil engineering in MSU's Norm Asbjornson College of Engineering and one of the primary principal investigators working in the university's Subzero Research Laboratory. Also on the organizing committee are John Neumeier, head of the Department of Physics; Colin Shaw, assistant research professor in the Department of Earth Sciences; and Nick Stadie, associate professor of chemistry and biochemistry.

The International Conference on the Physics and Chemistry of Ice convenes the world's leading scientists in ice research once every four years, rotating between Europe, Japan and the U.S., Hammonds said. From fundamental studies to applications in climate science, cryospheric processes and beyond, PCI serves as a central hub for advancing knowledge and fostering global collaboration.

"PCI-2027 will offer an international platform for the exchange of ideas on topics spanning the molecular to planetary scales," Hammonds said, "including but not limited to crystallography, nucleation and growth, surface processes, environmental interactions and planetary science."

"We are excited to welcome the international ice research community to Bozeman," said Alison Harmon, vice president of research and economic development at MSU. "This conference provides a unique opportunity to foster collaboration across disciplines and advance our collective understanding of one of Earth's most fascinating materials."

Registration is expected to open in January 2027. For more information, visit https://www.montana.edu/subzero/pci-2027.