Panorama of materials science

Lively poster session at MSE-Day 2023, characterized by the innovative contributions of young researchers. Photo: FZJ/ Mark-Robert Kalus

The Helmholtz program 'Materials Systems Engineering', supported by Hereon, the Karlsruher Institut für Technologie (KIT), and the Forschungszentrum Jülich (FZJ), aims to achieve breakthroughs in material design and development using information-based methods. The annual MSE Day has become a regular meeting place for presentations and discussions of the latest research work. Hereon hosted the event and welcomed participants in a hybrid format. For the first time, speakers from abroad and from other research areas of the Helmholtz Association were also involved.

Innovative power and networking

From left to right: Prof Christof Wöll (KIT, spokesperson for the MSE program), Prof Matthias Rehahn (Scientific and Technical Director, Helmholtz-Zentrum Hereon) and Prof Regine Willumeit-Römer (event organizer, Helmholtz-Zentrum Hereon) at the start of MSE Day. Photo: Hereon/ Berit Zeller-Plumhoff

MSE Day 2023 proved to be a lively forum that showcased the breadth and depth of the Helmholtz Materials Systems Engineering program with its diverse topics. The presentations offered in-depth insights, from groundbreaking material developments and future-oriented biomedical applications to sustainable functional materials and advanced material characterization methods. A core topic of the day was also research data management and the use of electronic lab notebooks (ELN), with a particular focus on the use of artificial intelligence (AI) and machine learning (ML). Here, the keynote presentation by Prof Berend Smit (EPFL Lausanne) contributed interesting insights into the use of Large Language Models - better known to some as ChatGPT. Presentations of predictive models in materials research showed that data-based approaches break traditional research boundaries and contribute to the interdisciplinarity and innovative strength of the program.

The poster session rounded off MSE Day 2023 and was characterized by the dedicated contributions of the young researchers. The young talents brought fresh perspectives with their innovative projects, promoted scientific exchange and highlighted the crucial importance of young researchers for the development of the program.

Forward-looking outlook

In her closing remarks, Prof Regine Willumeit-Römer, Director of the Hereon Institute of Metallic Biomaterials, highlighted the organizer and the scope of the event: "Today was an impressive testament to the collaboration and progress in this program. It fills me with great joy to see how MSE Day has become a focal point for forward-looking ideas and innovations - and how the MSE community in our program is growing together."

Prof Christof Wöll from KIT, in his role as spokesperson for the program, added: "This day has inspired our community and points the way for our future research. The enthusiasm and commitment we experienced today is living proof of the vital role MSE Day plays in our community."

These statements illustrate the importance of MSE Day as a forum that not only imparts knowledge, but also shapes the future direction of materials science and an entire community. The event exemplified how science pushes the boundaries of what is possible and inspires the next generation of researchers. The focus now turns to next year to see what new horizons the MSE community will open up next.