Abstract
The 21st International Diatom Symposium (IDS) convened from 29 August to 03 September 2010 at the Crown Plaza Hotel in downtown St. Paul, Minnesota, USA. Over 135 delegates representing 23 countries attended the symposium and enjoyed keynote addresses by Drs John Smol and Ellinor Michel. Delegates participated in special sessions on Genetic Barcoding, Life Cycles and Resting Stages, Marine Biostratigraphy and Paleoceanography, Diatoms and Inferring Water Quality, Ecology and Distribution of Cyclotella sensu lato, and a Diatoms of North America workshop. Sixty-eight papers were presented in oral sessions and over 60 papers given in two poster sessions. A mid-week excursion gave delegates the opportunity to canoe on the Mississippi River or attend the Minnesota State Fair. Other symposia events included the first IDS Auction to raise money for students attending the symposium, an evening gala at the Science Museum of Minnesota, and a closing banquet dinner and dance overlooking the Mississippi River valley. At the 2010 biennial general meeting of the International Society for Diatom Research in St. Paul, a motion was passed for the 22nd International Diatom Symposium to be held in Ghent, Belgium in August 2012.