Under the theme “Crystals, Minerals, and Materials,” this year’s 89th Annual Meeting of the German Mineralogical Society (DMG) took place at the Faculty of Natural Sciences at the University of Salzburg. For the first time, the meeting was organized in cooperation with the German Society for Crystallography (DGK) and, as on several previous occasions, with the Austrian Mineralogical Society (ÖMG). The range of topics was correspondingly broad and was complemented by a varied and exceptionally high-quality selection of field trips (the Felbertal tungsten deposit, Variscan granites of the Bohemian Massif, Alpine metamorphism in the Tauern Window) and workshops (calorimetry in the geosciences, neutron scattering for crystallographers).
Provided attendees could locate the conference venue, the pleasant atmosphere—with short distances and central meeting points—provided an ideal setting for lively discussions. Among the 350 participants, 147 delivered oral presentations, and 184 poster presentations were showcased. The quality of the contributions was remarkably high. The public lecture by Nobel Prize in Physics laureate Johannes Georg Bednorz was very well attended; he underscored his roots in mineralogy through his keen interest in the poster sessions. The concrete merger efforts of some geoscience associations, which are forcing the DMG to take a stance, provided plenty of topics for discussion.
The poster presentations were limited to one hour per day and were consistently well attended. The posters were displayed in two physically separate areas, but this arrangement was evidently well understood. As a result, a lively scientific exchange developed, ensuring that the posters played an important role in the scientific program. The beer service may have played a part in this. Coffee was also available.
The DGK’s presence was clearly evident in the high number of symposia and posters focused on crystallography. A larger number of contributions oriented toward petrology and, above all, geochemistry certainly would not have detracted from the program. The excellent plenary lectures rounded out the scientific program.
The nearby Hellbrunn Palace and the adjacent park grounds provided a very beautiful backdrop. Many participants took advantage of the excellent weather to explore Salzburg. The social evening at the Stiegl-Keller could have benefited from shorter lines. The rest of the organization was outstanding and demonstrated the great dedication of the organizers, without whom such a pleasant and very successful conference would not have been possible.
Moritz Liesegang (FU Berlin)