This diversity was particularly evident in the calendar of events. A wide variety of training courses, intensive conferences, and a whole series of free webinars imparted knowledge and at the same time created space for open discussion of current challenges. Topics such as sustainable material cycles, AI in materials research, and modern analysis methods illustrated how broad and at the same time forward-looking the MatWerk community is.

Among the special highlights of the year were the H₂ MSE in Siegburg with around 170 participants, the EWCPS in Berlin with around 480 international experts in plasma spectrochemistry, and the newly aligned MaterialsWeek in Frankfurt. With over 300 participants, it demonstrated how much momentum there is in cross-cutting topics such as green materials and material digitization.

Promoting young talent was also a key concern for us in 2025. Competitions, surveys, and targeted programs gave young researchers a strong voice and highlighted how committed the next generation is to shaping our research landscape and industrial applications. It is precisely this commitment that makes the DGM what it is.

A new format has also established itself in this context: DGM Tuesday. This is a young but already effective platform that makes people, research, and applications more visible and shows how much resonance is created when we share even small insights, projects, and questions with each other.

Internationally, 2025 was also a strong year. New collaborations, for example with SF2M in France, and participation in European programs underscore that many of the big questions in materials science and engineering can only be answered together.

We would like to thank you for all of this. For your participation, your input, and your trust in our joint work.

With this foundation, we look forward to 2026. A special highlight will be the International Materials Science and Engineering Congress – MSE 2026 – in Darmstadt. A congress that reflects the entire breadth of our field and at the same time creates space for new ideas. We look forward to seeing you there again, continuing to explore topics, and shaping the future of MatWerk together.

Finally, here is a thought from our little MatWerk sonnet, because it aptly captures this year: “So let this stillness not be idle space, but pause that warms the will to build anew.” That is exactly what it is all about. Take a deep breath, gather your strength, and start the new year with a clear vision.

We wish you a restful winter and a good start to the new year.
Your DGM Office

A Winter Sonnet for the Year’s Last Light
To the MSE Minds Who Shape the World 

Now wanes the year, its labors gently laid,
In drawers of thought and shelves of tempered steel.
The sparks once flown from lathe and bright cascade
Now rest beneath the hush that snowflakes seal.

From crystal seed to scaffold bold and wide,
From datasheet to tensile curve well drawn,
Each mind, each hand stood ever side by side,
Till dusk of year gave way to hope of dawn.

So let this stillness not be idle space,
But pause that warms the will to build anew.
When stars return, and time begins its race,
Our craft shall rise, both proven and still true.

With peace we part, in quiet strength made clear.
Be light your path, and strong the coming year.