The Materials Testing 2025 conference, organized this year by the German Society for Materials Science and once again chaired by Prof. Dr. Martina Zimmermann, brought together a remarkable range of topics on both days of the event. With a total of 72 presentations, 10 posters, and six plenary lectures, the event offered a comprehensive insight into current developments in materials characterization and testing. Demand was high. 163 participants were on site, 25 joined online, accompanied by 14 exhibitors presenting the latest testing technology and services.

In her opening remarks, Prof. Zimmermann emphasized the high relevance of the field. Over 70 submitted contributions underscore the continuing importance of materials testing for material-driven innovations, technologies, and applications. The topics ranged from high-temperature material characterization to mechanical testing methods for implants in the CE context, multiscale methods for analyzing moisture-induced gradient effects in polyamide 6 and thin-film testing, to topics such as stress corrosion cracking in bridge structures and semantic knowledge representation in the experimental data world. Many participants took the opportunity to explore the scientific program online in advance and plan their visit accordingly.

One of the highlights was the panel discussion “No competitive electronics without materials testing”. Experts from industry and research discussed the central role of materials science testing methods for the reliability of electronic systems. The discussion developed into a lively exchange about the similarities and differences between the requirements of the semiconductor industry and the sectors usually represented at the conference, strategic requirements, critical testing processes, and the question of which developments will be decisive in the future.

The six plenary lectures, which covered a broad spectrum of topics, were particularly well received. Many participants emphasized the strong practical relevance. Since the plenary lectures are not traditionally discussed in the plenary session, the breaks rarely offered enough time to discuss open questions with the speakers. Accordingly, there was great interest in personal conversations, which later seamlessly shifted to the networking evening.

The networking evening following the panel discussion offered a relaxed atmosphere. The combination of stimulating conversations, good food, and an open, collegial atmosphere meant that the evening lasted much longer than planned. It was late in the evening before the room emptied, a clear sign of how actively the community cultivates exchange.

Throughout the conference, participants had access to a wealth of information. The recorded presentations can be accessed via the event platform until 15 December. The more than 500-page digital conference proceedings, edited by the program committee and included in the participation fee, are also available.

The conference ended on Friday afternoon. Despite a long final day, the hall remained remarkably well filled until the end. Impressions of the conference can be found in the photo gallery on the website.

In the closing remarks, the focus was already on the future: The next Materials Testing Conference will take place on 25 and 26 November 2026, in Goslar and will be hosted by the DVM.

This year's event once again demonstrated how vibrant, diverse, and future-oriented materials testing is. The close connection between scientific excellence, industrial relevance, and a strong sense of community makes the conference a fixed point of reference for the German-speaking community.

The German Society for Materials Science (DGM) would like to express its sincere thanks to all members of the program committee who volunteered their time to help organize the conference. Special thanks go to Prof. Dr. Martina Zimmermann for her successful leadership of the conference and her extraordinary commitment.