From March 11 to 13, 2026, the joint workshop of the DMG sections “Applied Mineralogy” and “Crystallography” again took place in the charming town of Bad Windsheim (between Würzburg and Nuremberg). With 32 participants from across Germany and Austria, attendance continued its upward trend in recent years. Master’s students, PhD students, postdocs, and professors met with experts from industry. Since the event and accommodations were organised in the same hotel, the atmosphere was welcoming and collegial from the start.
The programme was kicked off on Wednesday evening with a talk by Dr. Kathrin Weber of Refratechnik Cement GmbH, who spoke about her career path as a mineralogist in the refractory industry. The presentation was very well received and sparked a lively discussion on how university education can better prepare students for the demands of the industry, how academia and industrial practice can grow closer together, and which skills make mineralogists particularly valuable for the industry sector. Given the high level of interest, there are plans to focus more strongly on the topic of “Mineralogists in the Industry” at the next workshop.
A total of 20 talks were given. The topics were grouped into six sessions: “Methods & Characterisation”, “Modelling & Simulation”, “Energy Materials”, “Synthesis & Reaction Mechanisms”, “Ceramics, High-Temperature Materials and Functional Materials”, and “Recycling & Sustainability”. From the energy transition to new materials and the circular economy, many societal issues were addressed. The workshop thus once again shows the forward-looking nature of Applied Mineralogy and Crystallography.
The workshop was deliberately kept informal and in particular aimed at giving early-career researchers the opportunity to present their work. Speakers were explicitly encouraged to share ongoing work, open questions, and unsolved problems. Breakfast, lunch, and dinner, as well as the coffee breaks, were used intensively for discussions, making new contacts, and exchanging ideas.
For me personally, this was not only my first workshop of this kind, but the first academic event outside of my own university. As a student at the beginning of my master’s programme, I was pleasantly surprised by how warmly I was welcomed into the community. The many open conversations gave me a valuable insight into how diverse career paths after graduation can be. The workshop also motivated me to approach my studies more consciously with regard to my future path. I can highly recommend it to other students.
The next workshop is already in its planning stages—the DMG sections “Applied Mineralogy” and “Crystallography” look forward to welcoming participants again.
Paula Sablowski, Cologne
