Thoughts from EuChemS’ President
As a President of EuChems it was a great honor to have more than 1500 researchers all gathered in Dublin to celebrate the advancements and innovations in the field of chemistry. The ECC has always been a platform for fostering collaboration, sharing knowledge, and advancing the frontiers of chemical science. Since its inception in 2006, the ECC has grown in both scope and impact, becoming a cornerstone event for the European chemical community. Each congress builds upon the successes of its predecessors, continually pushing the boundaries of our understanding and application of chemistry. Throughout the course of this congress, our collective efforts in addressing global challenges such as climate change, healthcare, and energy demand highlight the pivotal role of chemistry in shaping a better world. Together, we explored the boundless possibilities of chemistry and its profound impact on society.
Young Chemists at the Congress
The excellent scientific program of the congress was also accompanied by a set of sessions aimed to empower early-career researchers and highlight rising trends, organised by the European Young Chemists’ Network (EYCN). The sessions covered topics like science communication, artificial intelligence, diversity & inclusion, CV writing, science policy and more. Additionally, the 12 finalists of the EuChemS Young Chemists’ Award (EYCA) presented their cutting-edge research in front of the award committee. The program has attracted a large number of interested participants and received lots of positive feedback, reassuring us in our belief for the need for such elements in scientific conferences. Thus, the EYCN is planning to continue this way of supporting young chemists at the next EuChemS Chemistry Congress, which coincides with the 20th anniversary of the EYCN’s foundation.
Recognising good chemistry
ECC9 also hosted the EuChemS Award ceremonies. At the opening ceremony, Avelino Corma received the biennial EuChemS Gold Medal in recognition of his exceptional achievements, including founding the Instituto de Tecnología Química (CSIC-UPV). Later, the 2022 EuChemS Lecture award was presented to Athina Anastasaki, an outstanding polymer scientist, who carried on with her lecture after accepting this honour. EuChemS Service Award recipients Hartmut Frank and Robert Parker also received their awards. You can get to know them better through the interview in this issue. Finally, out of the 12 excellent European Young Chemists’ Award (EYCA) finalists presenting at ECC9, Sara Ferrara received the Silver and Marie Perrin the Gold Medal in the PhD Category, while Michael Howlett was awarded the Silver and Gianluigi Albano the Gold Medal in the Early Career Researcher Category.
Looking back to look forward
With all the above in mind, we can see that the 9th edition of ECC carried on with the legacy of EuChemS Congresses being successful in their scientific endeavours and in strengthening the European chemistry community. It certainly set a high standard for ECC10, to be held in Antwerp, Belgium in 2026 – where we all hope to see you again.
