Highlights of the event included:

• A keynote by Prof. Stefan Sandfeld from FZ Jülich on the role of AI in materials research.
• Introductions to RDM fundamentals, metadata management, and digital lab workflows.
• Interactive sessions on Python tools, PyIron, and Electronic Lab Notebooks.
• A guided lab tour at RWTH-IMM, showcasing practical implementations of digital workflows.
• Social events, including a tour of Aachen, which helped participants network and build connections.

One participant described it as the most practically oriented spring school they had ever attended, praising the collaborative atmosphere and the actionable insights shared throughout the program. The event was organized by Ms. Katharina Grünwald (RWTH Aachen IT Center), Dr. Flavio Soldera (Universität des Saarlandes/EUSMAT), and Dr. Pranav Nayak (Universität des Saarlandes), in close collaboration with NFDI-MatWerk.

The success of the Spring School highlights the importance of FAIR research data practices, and the growing community of materials scientists dedicated to open science. For more information on future training opportunities and workshops, please visit the NFDI-MatWerk website or the EUSMAT portal.