Three interactive workshops were held prior to the conference and were very well received. Topics ranged from high-pressure hydrogen loading and test methods, to combining electrochemical loading with mechanical testing, to detailed analyses of hydrogen in materials. The practical nature of these workshops enabled participants to deepen their knowledge and exchange ideas with colleagues.

The scientific program of the conference included a total of 63 lectures, 15 poster presentations and nine poster pitch presentations, providing a dynamic discussion platform. The program was complemented by six company presentations that provided insight into current industrial developments and applications of hydrogen technologies. A special highlight were the three plenary lectures by renowned researchers. Prof. Dr. Reiner Kirchheim from Georg-August-Universität Göttingen presented the “defactant concept”, which is used to explain hydrogen effects in chemomechanics. Associate Professor Motomichi Koyama from Tohoku University in Japan presented current challenges and solutions for the development of hydrogen-resistant high-performance alloys. Dr. Fabian Scheepers from Forschungszentrum Jülich provided valuable insights into sustainable electrolysis technologies and their importance for the energy transition. In addition, Dr. Benjamin Witzel from Siemens Energy Global GmbH & Co. KG spoke about current developments and future prospects for the decarbonization of gas turbines.

Young researchers also played a central role at the conference. Prizes were awarded for outstanding poster presentations. Donaldine Tade from ONERA studied the effects of hydrogen preloading on the mechanical properties of Inconel 718, Seoyun Sohn from the Technical University of Hamburg investigated hydrogen sorption kinetics in nanoporous palladium, while Elvina Gaisina from the Karlsruhe Institute of Technology (KIT) presented hollow specimen testing for hydrogen embrittlement at cryogenic temperatures. This research illustrated the diversity of methodological approaches and the relevance of new findings for materials science.

Industry also played an important role at the H₂ MSE conference. Six leading companies in materials characterization and analysis presented their latest developments and technologies. AMETEK GmbH / CAMECA, Bruker AXS SE, Hiden Analytical Europe GmbH, Rigaku Europe SE, TOP INDUSTRIE and ZwickRoell GmbH & Co. KG used the opportunity to present their latest innovations and to enter into dialog with the participants. The intensive exchange between the exhibitors and the conference attendees promoted the transfer of knowledge and made it possible to discuss current challenges together. Participants also took advantage of networking opportunities outside of the official program, in particular at the conference dinner at the Siegburger Brauhaus, which provided an opportunity for informal exchange in a convivial atmosphere.

A special added value for the participants was the possibility to view all conference presentations online on the event platform for 14 days. This gave the experts the opportunity to engage intensively with the content presented and to deepen valuable insights at a later date.

The successful premiere of the H₂ MSE conference would not have been possible without the commitment of the program committee. Special thanks go to Prof. Dr. Peter Felfer from the Friedrich-Alexander-University Erlangen-Nuremberg. The vice-chairs Dr. Daniel Höche from Helmholtz-Zentrum Hereon GmbH, Dr.-Ing. Jens Jürgensen from Euro-Labor GmbH, Prof. Dr. Astrid Pundt from Karlsruhe Institute of Technology (KIT) and Dr.-Ing. Florian Schäfer from Saarland University also contributed significantly to the success of the event. They were supported by the International Advisory Board with Dr. Sylvia Hartmann from Purem GmbH and Dr. Thorsten Staudt from AG der Dillinger Hüttenwerke, who created the framework for a successful event with their technical expertise and organizational work.

The positive response to the first edition of the conference shows the high demand for a platform for scientific exchange on the role of hydrogen in materials. For this reason, the next edition of the H₂ MSE conference is already being prepared in two years' time to bring together the latest developments and findings in this forward-looking field.