ISGN‑9

The 9th International Symposium on Growth of III-Nitrides will take place in Burgas, Bulgaria, on 26–30 September 2027.

Concept and Format

ISGN-9 Burgas 2027 will be a compact, selective, single-room symposium dedicated to the growth of III-nitrides and the control of their material properties.

The meeting is designed for approximately 120 participants. There will be no parallel sessions. All participants will follow one shared scientific programme, creating a focused environment for discussion, interaction and exchange of ideas.

ISGN-9 will be small by design. Its aim is not to maximize the number of presentations, but to maximize the quality of scientific interaction. The programme will include a limited number of carefully selected oral presentations, strong poster sessions, long discussion breaks and informal opportunities for scientific exchange.

The central idea of the meeting is:

One room. Growth at the centre. Material properties under control. Young scientists visible.

Scientific Scope

The scientific focus of ISGN-9 will remain the growth of III-nitrides and the control of material properties.

Topics will include:

• bulk GaN and AlN crystal growth;
• substrates and substrate preparation;
• epitaxy by MOCVD, MBE, HVPE and related methods;
• the relationship between substrates and epitaxial layers;
• doping, compensation and point defects;
• surfaces, interfaces and heterostructures;
• structural, optical and electrical characterization linked to growth;
• modelling and theory of growth processes, defects and material properties;
• reproducibility, process control and scale-up of nitride growth;
• control of conductivity, absorption, strain, purity and defect concentrations.

Device-related contributions will be welcome when they clearly provide feedback to growth, epitaxy, defects, interfaces or material-property control. In ISGN-9, devices are not treated as a separate topic, but as a way to understand how growth and material quality determine functionality.

Programme Structure

Symposium schedule · 26–30 September 2027

Sunday, 26 September

Arrivals and an informal get-together.

Monday–Wednesday, 27–29 September

Main scientific programme.

Thursday, 30 September

Final half-day session and departures.

The ISGN-9 programme will combine several complementary formats:

Cornerstone Lectures

Broad, problem-setting lectures by internationally recognized leaders of the III-nitride growth community. Their role will be to define key open questions and stimulate discussion across the field.

Rising Star Talks

High-visibility talks by early-career researchers who show originality, independence and strong potential to shape the future of III-nitride growth research.

Seed Talks

Short, selective presentations by PhD students and early-stage researchers, always linked to poster presentations. Their purpose is to give visibility to promising new results, emerging ideas and open scientific questions.

Poster Sessions

Poster sessions will be treated as central scientific forums, not as side events. They will provide time and space for detailed discussion, feedback and new collaborations.

Discussion Time

The schedule will include extended breaks and informal discussion periods. Scientific exchange outside the lecture room will be an essential part of the meeting.

Young Scientists

A central aim of ISGN-9 is to give real visibility to the next generation of researchers. PhD students, postdoctoral researchers, early-career group leaders and young scientists from industry will be actively represented in the main programme.

Established researchers will play a key role as lecturers, mentors, discussion leaders and guarantors of scientific quality.

Iwińska Award

Iwińska Award – In Memory of Dr. Małgorzata Iwińska (1985–2024)

The ISGN-9 Conference proudly introduces the Iwińska Award, established to honor the memory and legacy of Dr. Małgorzata Iwińska, a brilliant researcher, inspiring mentor, and valued member of the nitride semiconductor community.

Dr. Iwińska passed away in 2024, leaving behind a legacy of outstanding scientific contributions in the field of gallium nitride (GaN) crystal growth. In recognition of her impact, the Iwińska Award will be presented for the Best Student Presentations at ISGN-9.

About Dr. Małgorzata Iwińska – Scientific Biography

• Graduate of the Physics Departments of Warsaw University and Warsaw University of Technology
• Since 2014, researcher at the Crystal Growth Laboratory, Institute of High Pressure Physics (Unipress), Polish Academy of Sciences
• 2015: Winner of the Yamaguchi Masahito Award at LEDIA 2015 for “HVPE-GaN Growth on GaN-based Advanced Substrate by Smart Cut™”
• 2019: PhD with distinction – “HVPE as a Method for Crystallizing GaN with Low Background Impurity Concentration with Controllable Doping – Highly Conductive n-type and Semi-insulating Material”
• Visiting Associate Professor at the New Industry Creation Hatchery Center, Tohoku University, Japan
• Coordinator and scientific lead at Unipress for multiple international projects, including “GaN for Advanced Power Applications” under the 2020 ECSEL IA Call
• Author of 52 scientific publications, cited above 1,000 times

Beyond her scientific excellence, Dr. Iwińska was admired for her collegial spirit, kindness, and support for young researchers around the world.

About the Award

• NameMałgorzata Iwińska Award – Best Student Presentation
• ScopeAwards per oral presentation (seed talks)
• EligibilityStudent presenters at ISGN-9
• SponsorInstitute of High Pressure Physics, Polish Academy of Sciences
• Form of AwardCertificate and prize

This award serves not only to commemorate Dr. Iwińska’s achievements but also to support and inspire emerging talents in the field of III-nitrides.

Important Dates

• First announcementSeptember 2026
• Second announcementNovember 2026
• Abstract submission opensMarch 2027
• Abstract submission deadlineJune 2027
• Notification of acceptanceJuly 2027
• Conference26–30 September 2027

Participation

ISGN-9 is planned as a compact meeting for approximately 120 participants. Participation will be limited in order to preserve the single-room, discussion-driven character of the symposium.

Further information on abstract submission, registration, fees, accommodation and travel will be announced on this website.

Previous edition

Venue

International Congress Center Burgas — built to current standards for high‑level events, with spacious halls and modern audio‑visual equipment.

• “Chernomorie” Hall400 seats
• “Foros” Hall200 seats
• “Burgas” Hall100 seats

Accommodation

Hotels within walking distance of the congress center:

• DAS Marina Burgas Hotel 3★3 min walk
• Boutique Hotel Promenade 3★3 min walk
• Primoretz Grand Hotel & SPA4 min walk
• Hotel Bulgaria 4★14 min walk

Getting there

Vienna offers direct flights to Burgas, with further connections via Sofia and Istanbul.

Bulgaria is a full member of the Schengen Area. Citizens of the EU, Australia, Canada, Iceland, Israel, Japan, Liechtenstein, Malaysia, Norway, the Republic of Korea, Singapore, Switzerland, Taiwan, the UAE and the USA, and holders of a valid Schengen visa, do not need a visa to travel to Bulgaria.

Organizers

Host: Institute of High Pressure Physics, Polish Academy of Sciences / Unipress

Local organizational support: EPISTROMO (www.epistromo.com)

Conference Chair: Michał Boćkowski, IHPP PAS / Unipress

Committees

Program Committee

• Prof. Agata KamińskaCardinal Stefan Wyszynski University, Poland
• Dr. Eva MonroyCEA-Grenoble, France
• Prof. Filip TuomistoUniversity of Helsinki, Finland
• Dr. Hideki HirayamaRIKEN, Japan
• Dr. James R. GranduskyCrystal IS, Inc., USA
• Prof. Maki KushimotoNagoya University, Japan
• Prof. Marta SawickaUnipress, Poland
• Prof. Motoaki IwayaMeijo University, Japan
• Dr. Markus WeyersFerdinand-Braun-Institut, Germany
• Dr. Matthias BickermannLeibniz-Institut für Kristallzüchtung, Germany
• Prof. Shigefusa F. ChichibuTohoku University, Japan
• Prof. Sung Kyun ParkPusan National University, Korea
• Prof. Tae-Yeon SeongKorea University, Korea
• Prof. Takashi MatsuokaTohoku University, Japan
• Prof. Tetsuya TakeuchiMeijo University, Japan
• Dr. Tim WernickeTechnische Universität Berlin, Germany
• Prof. Xin-Qiang WangPeking University, China

International Advisory Committee

• Dr. Andrew A. AllermanSandia National Laboratories, USA
• Dr. Bernard GilUniversity of Montpellier, France
• Prof. Bo ShenPeking University, China
• Prof. Debdeep JenaCornell University, USA
• Prof. Euijoon YoonSeoul National University, Korea
• Prof. Hideto MiyakeMie University, Japan
• Prof. Hiroshi AmanoNagoya University, Japan
• Prof. Hiroshi FujiokaThe University of Tokyo, Japan
• Prof. Izabella GrzegoryUnipress, Poland
• Prof. Jung HanYale University, USA
• Prof. Jen-Inn ChyiNational Central University, Taiwan
• Prof. Nicolas GrandjeanEPFL, Switzerland
• Prof. Rachel OliverCambridge University, UK
• Prof. Russell DupuisGeorgia Institute of Technology, USA
• Prof. Ray-Hua HorngNational Yang Ming Chiao Tung University, Taiwan
• Prof. Shoou-Jinn ChangNational Cheng Kung University, Taiwan
• Prof. Zetian MiUniversity of Michigan, USA
• Prof. Zlatko SitarNorth Carolina State University, USA

Contact

Email: isgn9@epistromo.com

Phone: +359 886 409 579