Honorary membership in the DGM is a tribute to exceptional achievements and recognition for individuals who have made significant contributions to the society and its causes. It symbolizes the value and importance of a community committed to researching and developing materials science and engineering. We are pleased to present an interview with one of our two DGM honorary members for 2025: Prof. Dr. Reinhard Pippan of the Austrian Academy of Sciences.

1) Looking back on your decades of research, how would you describe the evolution of research methods in materials science?

In the early 1990s, materials science was heavily influenced by metallurgy and metal physics, focusing on structure-property relationships. In the following years, the field expanded significantly, initially extending to ceramics, polymers, biomaterials, and composites. The greater involvement of materials synthesis, processing, and related disciplines, such as materials chemistry, mechanics, and simulation, has made materials science a key driver of economic and social development. This is a very positive development that should attract young scientists.

As in other scientific disciplines, materials science has become increasingly Americanized in recent decades. This trend is strongly influenced by key figures and reinforces fashion trends across a broad range of important materials science problems. This development is driven not only by the scientists themselves but also by funding organizations.

2) Your close ties to the Erich Schmid Institute and the Montanuniversität Leoben have significantly impacted your career. What makes this research location so special, in your opinion?

Similar to the research networks formed by the Max Planck Institutes and universities in Germany, the Austrian Academy of Sciences, in collaboration with the Montanuniversität Leoben and the Erich Schmid Institute, has established an attractive materials science research network. This network covers the entire spectrum, from basic research to industrial applications, due to the Montanuniversität's strong ties with industry. This highly successful collaboration provided me with an ideal work environment.

3) You have had a significant impact on materials science for several decades. Which technical and scientific developments do you think have changed the field most significantly during this time?

I briefly mentioned the expansion of materials science, but I would like to add a few points regarding technical and scientific developments. While the focus in the 1950s, 1960s, 1970s, and early 1980s was on linking microstructure parameters with macro properties via analytical relationships, the last 40 years have seen attempts to establish the prerequisites for a cross-scale description, from atomic structure to components. Experimentally, measurement methods that capture structure and properties across all size scales have been and continue to be developed. These developments are particularly striking in the field of model-based descriptions. The development of simulation techniques at the atomistic, micro, meso, and macro levels has decisively changed materials science work.

4) You have been a member of the DGM since 2003 and have been active in major international committees, such as the ICSMA Committee. What role do scientific networks like these play in advancing materials science, and what have you personally gained from your long-standing DGM membership?

Contrary to popular belief, science is not an ivory tower activity. It thrives on communication with both the scientific community and society. The latter is important because science is largely financed by government funding. The DGM is the most significant platform for German-speaking materials science and has evolved into the premier European materials science society. I have followed this development positively and supported it.

We would like to congratulate Professor Reinhard Pippan once again on receiving this special award. We look forward to honoring him and all of the award winners at DGM-Tag 2025, where we will have the opportunity to meet them in person.