Fundamental Properties and Real Applications of Water: A Ubiquitous and Enigmatic Substance

"Delicious is a drink of cool water when you are very, very thirsty" from The Search for Delicious by Natalie Babbitt

From popular culture to basic science, water and its solutions feature prominently. Indeed, our fascination with water ranges from epic films chronicling the devastating impact of tidal waves and floods, to the misery of water drop torture, to the basic properties that lend water its critical role in our lives. The ubiquity of water and its role in all living things makes it arguably the most important substance on Earth. The unique properties of this minuscule molecule – one of the smallest polyatomics – have piqued the curiosity of scientists worldwide. We strive to understand how and why water influences the biological molecules responsible for life. We work to develop models that inform us about how water interacts with other materials, molecules, surfaces and more. We devise experiments that probe both individual and collective behavior of water in its many phases. The more we learn, the more we realize we still do not understand.

Beginning as the GRC on "Structural Aspects of Water and Aqueous Solutions" in 1970, the "Water and Aqueous Solutions" GRC has focused on molecular to macroscopic aspects of water. As indicated by the following program, this meeting blends state-of-the-art experimental and theoretical results about water, from basic principles – isolated gas phase molecules and clusters and development of fundamental methods for calculating water properties – to applications of water in biology and biology in water, interactions at surfaces, charged particles in water, water in the environment, water in extreme environments, and beyond. This year's meeting will feature a balance of chemistry and physics, participation from scientists worldwide, combination of established researchers and up-and-coming scientists, along with theoretical and experimental work, this meeting has provided a fabulous venue for scientists to share their latest ideas about this ubiquitous, but complex substance – water.

A two-day Gordon Research Seminar (GRS), focused on the same topic, will precede this conference. The GRS is exclusively for graduate students and postdocs, organized by co-chairs Jana Hladikova and Sebastian Busch.

As in past years, this GRC will also include short talks by graduate students and postdocs, selected from the GRS and posters presented at the meeting.