Dear Mineralogists,

Given the low enrollment numbers in mathematics, the natural sciences, and engineering at many institutions, I, as a university professor, wonder how we in Germany intend to solve the challenges ahead. Even in an age when some people dismiss even facts as “a matter of opinion,” I believe we can only solve real problems with a fact-based approach. That’s why I’m glad that so many of my colleagues are concerned about attracting new, motivated students! Sometimes, however, I’m concerned that while we have many good ideas, our efforts are too short-lived and often amount to nothing more than a faint, fleeting flash in the pan.

Against this backdrop, I’m pleased to see the rapidly growing “Geo-Olympics,” which we at the DVGeo have revitalized together with geologists, geophysicists, and paleontologists (www.dvgeo.org/fach-themen/geowissenschaften-in-der-schule). Through our umbrella organization, we’re also closely connected to the other math and science disciplines (physics, chemistry, biology, and mathematics). Together (https://wissenschaft-verbindet.de), we plan to carry out a larger-scale campaign this year aimed at reaching all secondary schools in Germany. We could hardly manage this on our own through mineralogy alone. My dream is that these initiatives can be carried out over the long term—that they are not just a flash in the pan, but have a lasting and sustainable impact.

Without rising student enrollment, we will come under pressure at many university locations, even though it has never been more important than it is today—as it has been over the past decades—that many highly qualified female and male mineralogists can dedicate themselves to solving our challenges. These include, for example, low-carbon cement, negative greenhouse gas emissions, energy storage (from batteries to hydrogen storage), new high-performance ceramics, as well as the more sustainable use of mineral deposits and the provision of affordable, reliable energy.

Without mineralogy, we lack crucial problem-solving expertise—ranging from fascinating basic research to curiosity-driven applied research.

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Yours,

Frank Schilling