The Gordon Research Seminar on Chemical Reactions at Surfaces is a unique forum for graduate students, post-docs, and other scientists with comparable levels of experience and education to present and exchange new data and cutting edge ideas. The focus of this meeting is to openly discuss diverse reactions that take place on surfaces and learn about the fundamental aspects that are common across all fields of study. There will be an introductory talk as well as a panel at the end of the seminar consisting of a North American and a European scientist to provide a perspective on the similarities and differences about the career paths that are available in both continents.