You will find below the activities of the members of the EPS Executive Committee and of the EPS Staff. January9th January: Alessandra Fantoni had an online meeting of the EPS Nuclear Physics Division with:– elections of scientific secretary– elections of NPD chair elect– selection of the 2024 Lise Meitner winnersIn January, Karin Zach organised and participated in a meeting between the EPS and DPG presidents with the presidents or representatives of 14 EPS member societies, which took place on the occasion of the opening of the German activities for the International Quantum Year in Berlin. February11th February: Anna Di Ciaccio, Aessandra Fantoni and Luc Bergé participated in the EPS Executive Commitee in Mulhouse20th February: Luc Bergé chaired the evaluation committee of the Center of Research Enrico Fermi in Roma26th February: Anna Di Ciaccio participated in the EPS Budget Committee meeting28th February: and Alessandra Fantoni participated in an online meeting for the preparation of an EPS DEI statement March6th March: Alessandra Fantoni had a D/G’s chairs meeting with the EPS Executive Committee20th-21st March: Anna Di Ciaccio participated in the EPS-HEPP board meeting24th March: Luc Bergé participated in the EPS-TIG meeting24th March: Alessandra Fantoni had an EPJ /TI meeting as EPS reference for EPJ26th March: Anna Di Ciaccio and Alessandra Fantoni participated in the EPS Executive Committee April1st April: Mairi Sakellariadou participated in the ceremony dedicated to the City of Göttingen declared as an EPS Historic Site7th April: Anna Di Ciaccio participated in the EPS Budget Committee meeting24th April: Anna Di Ciaccio had a meeting for the preparation of the press release and the call for the Alessandro Volta prize May5th May: Anna Di Ciaccio and Alessandra Fantoni participated in the EPS Executive Committee online7th May: Alessandra Fantoni participated in the EPJ-SAC meeting in Copenhagen as EPS representative10th May: Anna Di Ciaccio had a meeting with Acinque (sponsor of Alessandro Volta prize) 14th-15th May: Mairi Sakellariadou participated in the meeting of the Danish Physical Society, where she gave a short welcome speech15th May: Anna Di Ciaccio and Alessandra Fantoni participated in the Executive Committee16th-17th May: Ulrich Husemann participated remotely in the EPS Council meeting in Copenhagen; Mairi Sakellariadou, Katharina Lorenz, Anna Di Ciaccio and Alessandra Fantoni participated in the EPS Council meeting in Copenhagen; Anna Di Ciaccio prepared the application form for the A.Volta prize with Ophélia Fornari and Chahira Boudeliou 19th May: Anna Di Ciaccio had an online meeting with Gina Gunaratnam for the preparation of the call for nomination for A.Volta prize22nd May: Alessandra Fantoni had a meeting with Gina Gunaratnam for the EPS Nuclear Physics Division websiteIn May, Katharina Lorenz participated in the jury for the APS-EPS-ICTP Travel Award Fellowship Programme (ATAP) June3rd June: Alessandra Fantoni participated in the Executive Committee online; José María De Teresa attended the Executive Committee7th-11th June: Anna Di Ciaccio organised the EPS Historic Site ceremony for Villa Mondragone – Tor Vergata (Rome), where Mairi Sakellariadou gave a speech and Alessandra Fantoni took part. 19th June: Anna Di Ciaccio took part in the meeting of Working Group on improving the report “Importance of Physics in EU Economy”.23rd-27th June: Ulrich Husemann participated in the Open Symposium on the European Strategy for Particle Physics in Venice, as the co-convener for detector instrumentationIn June, Ulrich Husemann contacted all EPS National Member Societies and Sections for which he is the ExCom contact (zero response). Gabriel Chardin was in contact with the French Physical Society and organised the International al Physics Olympiads in Paris. In June, Mairi Sakellariadou gave the welcome speech as the EPS President, a scientific talk, as well as a closing speech at the EPS Young Minds leadership meeting in Santiago.From 30th June to 2nd July, Sascha Schmeling participated in the GIREP-EPEC Conference in Leiden and co-opened the conference as a co-organising body (EPS Physics Education Division). July 1st-2nd July: Katharina Lorenz represented EPS at the 46th SESAME Council meeting at DESY Hamburg2nd July: José María De Teresa, Alesandra Fantoni and Anna Di Ciaccio attended the Executive Committee7th-11th July: Ulrich Husemann, Anna Di Ciaccio and Mairi Sakellariadou participated in the EPS HEP conference in Marseille. Mairi Sakellariadou gave a speech to award the 2024 EPS Emily Noether Distinction to Prof. Daniela Bortoletto8th-12th July: Mairi Sakellariadou participated in the BPU annual congress in Bucharest, gave a welcome speech, a scientific talk and participated to a panel discussion.In July, José María De Teresa commented the EPS drafts documents on “The Impact of Physics in the European Economy” and the EPS position paper on Energy. He attended meetings related to the participation of the EPS in the European Researchers NightHe had interviews related to his new position as President-Elect of the EPS in Spanish televisions (RTVE, Aragón Televisión) and radios (RNE, Onda Cero, Aragón Radio). In July, Gabriel Chardin finalised the EPS Energy Position Paper with the Energy Group together with Kristel Crombé.21st July: Sascha Schmeling and José María De Teresa participated in the EPS Executive Committee. Alessandra Fantoni took part in the EPS TIG meeting online. August José María De Teresa worked on the creation of an EPS Young Minds section in Zaragoza. He also took part in an interview related to his new position as President-Elect of the EPS, for an issue of e-EPS, the Society’s newsletter.21st August: Alessandra Fantoni participated in the online EPS Executive Committee meeting and the online EPS historic Sites Selection Committee meeting. September 6th September: Karin Zach participated in the Congress of Polish Physicists in Katowice and in the Informal Physical Societies Exchange Conference, where she gave a presentation17th and 29th September: Alessandra Fantoni participated in the EPS Finances meeting30th September: Alessandra Fantoni participated in the EPS Energy Conference meetingIn September: Karin Zach took part in the discussion in the group to look at the Mission Statement of the EPS15th-17th September: Sacha Schmeling participated in the Open Science Fair 2025 at CERN25th September: Sacha Schmeling participated in a Round Table at EuNPC 2025 in Caen October 1st October: Sacha Schmeling participated in the Farewell Colloquium for Andreas Müller in Geneva (EPS-PED)8th October: José María De
Call for bids European Nuclear Physics Conference 2027 (EuNPC 2027)
Call for bids to host the European Nuclear Physics Conference in 2027 (EuNPC 2027) The board of the Nuclear Physics Division (NPD) of the European Physical Society (EPS) is seeking candidates to host the 2027 edition of the European Nuclear Conference (EuNPC 2027). Every three years the European Nuclear Physics Conference brings together researchers with the aim to review and discuss the status and prospects in the field of nuclear physics and its applications. The conference will be a showcase for forefront theoretical and experimental developments, where the interplay between outstanding research and innovative concepts in the field will be promoted. The EuNPC conference is part of the series of NPD divisional conferences, including also the Nuclear Physics in Astrophysics (NPA) and the Applied Nuclear Physics (ANP) Conferences. The application material should include: The scientific program should cover the following fields: The bid should also provide a list of members of the proposed Local Organizing Committee. As the EuNPC is part of the series organized by the Nuclear Physics Division: In the case that proceedings are foreseen, it is strongly recommended to consider a refereed journal. The procedure should be defined in advance, and the possibility to contribute with a proceedings article must be open to all speakers. The conference could apply to be recognized as an EPS conference and may also request an EPS poster prize and/or a grant for early-career researchers. It is in the tradition of the EuNPC to have a special session devoted to the EPS-NPD awards. In the 2027 edition, we expect to award the Lise Meitner 2026 prize and prizes for the best 2024-2026 PhD theses. The winners will be invited at the conference to present their work. The deadline to submit the application material to the Scientific Secretary of the NPD board (Raquel Crespo, raquel.crespo@tecnico.ulisboa.pt) is July 31st, 2025. Applicants will be invited to present their proposal at the NPD board meeting in September 2025. The NPD board will select and announce the host of the EuNPC 2027 conference at the end of the EuNPC 2025 edition that will be held in Caen (France), on September 22-26, 2025.
News from the Ariaian Young Innovative Minds Institute
Art an Amazing Fact in Science Integrating art and imaginative methods into science education can enhance conceptual understanding in a variety of ways. Creative activities can spark curiosity and wonder and lead to deeper exploration of science topics that reveal students’ understanding beyond traditional tests. Students learn to think outside the box, explore different perspectives, and find innovative solutions, which are essential in scientific inquiry. Art-based science projects often involve collaboration, fostering teamwork, and communication skills that lead to deeper and more meaningful understanding. The book Art an Amazing Fact in Science is the second book related to the IYPT Physics Competition which was published by the Ariaian Young Innovative Minds Institute, after the IYPT Proceeding 2010-2011. This book is a collection of physics problem solutions from various IYPT tournaments that combine science, art, and creativity: https://heyzine.com/flip-book/79055176c1.html Reducing the Gap Between Science and Art, Creating Opportunities for Social Activities This is a link to find our several festivals and after introducing ISAC (Imagination in Science by Art in different Cultures) in two previous years now we have started our new event as ISAC Talk festival . We are going come together to hold various events in ISAC (Imagination in Science by Art in different Cultures) Talk Community which are useful in explaining scientific concepts by art especially when those concepts are complex. Community holds festival in different categories. By combining art and science, we can create powerful learning experiences that foster curiosity, understanding, and appreciation for the world around us. Ariaian Young Innovative Minds Institute (AYIMI) and ADIB Science and Technology Institute (ADIB) jointly in Iran, are the main organisers of this event. There are several working groups from different countries who will join us and the main aim of this event is giving annual grants to students who needs to participate in tournaments, conferences, etc. All related information and the rules are on our website: https://ayimi.org/en/
Updates from EDP Sciences
We are delighted to see the early signs of spring returning here in Les Ulis, Paris. Here we share a few updates regarding recent conferences, and a shift in our social media presence towards platforms that support our values of professionalism, transparency, and community-driven dialogue. From Strangeness in Quark Matter to Nuclear Chemistry for Sustainable Fuel Cycles : EPJ Web of Conferences publishes two notable proceedings from French events “SQM 2024 – The 21st International Conference on Strangeness in Quark Matter was held in Strasbourg, France, June 3-7, 2024 This 2024 edition marked the 21st in the series and was held in France for the first time. It was also the first fully “in-person” edition since the pandemic. A total of 280 participants from 26 countries convened at the Palais de la Musique et des Congrès in Strasbourg to discuss recent experimental and theoretical advancements during a week-long programme including 210 oral and poster presentations. The focus of the Strangeness in Quark Matter Conference is on the role of the strange and heavy-flavour quarks in the field of ultra–relativistic nucleus–nucleus collisions, Quark Gluon Plasma physics and in astrophysical phenomena. Specific time is devoted to open questions and new developments as well as lectures dedicated to graduate students and young scientists.” If this EPJ Highlight has piqued your interest, you can read the full proceedings in open access now. B. Hippolyte (chair), C. Cheshkov, R. Guernane and A. Maire (Eds.), 21st International Conference on Strangeness in Quark Matter (SQM 2024), Strasbourg, France, June 3-7, 2024, EPJ Web of Conferences 316 (2025) Organised by the French Commissariat à l’énergie atomique et aux énergies alternatives (CEA), the 6th International ATALANTE Conference on Nuclear Chemistry for Sustainable Fuel Cycles (ATALANTE-2024) was held in Avignon, France, Sept 1-6 2024 The event explored “subjects and issues that cover almost all the fields of the nuclear chemistry related to the nuclear fuel cycles: The full proceedings can be read in open access now. P. Guilbaud (Ed.), 6th International ATALANTE Conference on Nuclear Chemistry for Sustainable Fuel Cycles (ATALANTE-2024), Avignon, France, September 1-6, 2024, EPJ Web of Conferences 317 (2025) Nurting community dialogue on social media EPL is now on Bluesky Please follow https://bsky.app/profile/epljournal.bsky.socialfor the latest news and articles, including Free-to-Read Editor’s Choice and Perspectives. EDP Sciences leaves Twitter/X The academic world is changing, and so are we. On 31st January 2025, EDP Sciences left Twitter/X as part of the #HelloQuitX movement, in favour of prioritising platforms that support our values. This decision reflects our commitment to professionalism, transparency, and community-driven dialogue. Follow us on LinkedIn, BlueSky, and our website for the latest updates. Perpetual access to digital archives We would like to take the opportunity to remind you that value is still being found in our digital archive collections, and that purchase of these gives perpetual access to this valuable science. Journal de Physique digital archives (1872 to 1997) We were delighted to conduct research in 2024 and discover that many articles in the Journal de Physique archives are still being cited today. The collection includes research from pioneers in physics, including Nobel laureates such as Marie Curie and Louis de Broglie, both of whom were instrumental in founding EDP Sciences in 1920. Discover the Journal de Physique archives, including the most cited articles in the collection. Annales de Physique digital archives (1914 to 2009) For many years, Alain Aspect, who won the Nobel Prize in Physics in 2022, was the Editor in Chief of the Annales de Physique. This collection now forms part of the archive of The European Physical Journal (EPJ), an ongoing series of peer-reviewed journals covering the whole spectrum of physics and related interdisciplinary subjects. Learn more about the Annales de Physique archives.
Call for Nominations: 2026 John Stewart Bell Prize for Quantum Mechanics
The Centre for Quantum Information and Quantum Control (CQIQC) at the University of Toronto, Canada is reaching out to the leading quantum research centres and associations worldwide to announce the opening of nominations for the 2026 John Stewart Bell Prize. Previous winners include: John Preskill (Richard P. Feynman Professor of Theoretical Physics, California Institute of Technology); John Martinis (professor of physics, UC Santa Barbara, USA); Ignacio Cirac (Max Planck Institute for Quantum Optics), Peter Zoller (University of Innsbruck), Ronald Hanson (TU Delft), Sae Woo Nam (NIST), and Anton Zeilinger (University of Vienna). We are pleased to announce the opening of nominations for the 2026 John Stewart Bell Prize for Research on Fundamental Issues in Quantum Mechanics and their Applications. This prestigious award recognises significant contributions in the field of quantum mechanics, particularly those published in the six years preceding the award year. About the Bell Prize The Bell Prize honours advances in quantum mechanics, including (but not limited to) quantum information theory, computation, foundations, cryptography, and control. It covers theoretical and experimental work. Funded by the University of Toronto’s Centre for Quantum Information and Quantum Control (CQIQC), the award will be presented at the biennial CQIQC conference in August 2026, where the awardee will deliver a prize lecture. Nomination Process Nominations must include the nominee’s name, affiliation, a statement of their contribution’s importance, and relevant literature citations (published or in press between August 2019 and August 2025). Deadline August 30, 2025. For more information, you can read the complete Call for Nominations. *Please note that self-nominations are not permitted.
Gražina Tautvaišienė: Education in physics and astrophysics opens many opportunities for a professional career
In 2024, the European Physical Society released a calendar of inspiring physicists. Gina Gunaratnam, EPS communication coordinator and initator of this project, interviewed Gražina Tautvaišienė, president of the Lithuanian Physical Society. Professor Tautvaišienė works as an astrophysicist at the Vilnius University (VU) and is also vice-president of the International Union of Astronomy since December 2024. How did you get to know the European Physical Society? The European Physical Society is a well-known organisation for all physicists. It cooperates with national physical societies to promote physics, to support physicists worldwide, and to foster international collaboration. My first encounter with EPS activities probably occurred in 2000 when the EGAS 32 conference was organised at our Institute of Theoretical Physics and Astronomy in Lithuania. I started to follow EPS activities more closely when I became a vice-president of the Lithuanian Physical Society in 2007. Why is it important for you to be an EPS member and to participate in its activities? International collaboration is very important for such a small country as Lithuania. EPS has divisions covering all main fields of physics. As EPS unites scientists from 42 National Physical Societies, it is an essential platform for developing international collaboration. Lithuanian scientists often need collaboration to access large international infrastructures like CERN, ESO, ITER, etc. Collaboration is also important in order to prepare large groundbreaking research projects, networking, and mobility. We are very glad that quite many international conferences of EPS have been organised in Lithuania. We had the 14th European Conference on Atoms, Molecules, and Photons (ECAMP) in 2022. This conference brought together atomic, molecular, and optical physics experts to discuss recent developments and research in the field. In 2024, we held the 11th EPS-QEOD Conference “Europhoton”, where the latest developments in solid-state physics, optical cables and waveguides were presented. In 2025, we will host the 51st EPS Conference on Plasma Physics. An outstanding example of a close relationship with EPS was the inauguration of the Grotthuss Laboratory as the EPS Historic Site in Žeimelis, Lithuania. This is the first EPS Historic Site in the Baltic states. What is the aim of the Lithuanian Physical Society and its main activities? The Lithuanian Physical Society was established in 1963. The main goal of our society is to unite Lithuanian physicists, coordinate and support their activities in order to contribute to the development of physics research in Lithuania and take care of physics teaching in universities and other educational institutions. We organise the National Conferences on Physics every two years, which attract about 600 participants. Every year, we support the physics olympiad and summer school “Fotonas” of schoolchildren. We organise annual public events dedicated to e.g. Quantum Day and European Researchers Night. Various recent events marked the UNESCO International Year of Basic Sciences for Sustainable Development. Now we prepare for the UNESCO International Year of Quantum Science and Technology. Why did you study physics and become an astrophysicist? I liked sciences that required logical thinking. Physics is exactly like that. However, physics is a very broad science, and I had to decide which field to turn to. And here, the decisive role was played by the meeting of the Lithuanian Astronomical Union at the Molėtai Astronomical Observatory, which I attended after finishing the 10th grade. There, I won a place on the Lithuanian team for the meeting of young astronomers of the Soviet Union. Then my path to astronomy began. All summer, I studied astronomy at the Kaunas Public Library, studied constellations, and read various books. By the way, being a schoolchild, I really liked reading books, especially about scientists, politicians, and artists and how they lived and worked. The story of Marie Curie was very memorable. She was an inspiring role model for me. Could you describe your current field of research? Currently, together with my colleagues, I am working on improving methods for determining the age of stars. Knowing the age of stars is very important in many aspects. It is very important to know it in order to clarify the evolution of our and other galaxies, the evolution of stars, the characterization of exoplanets, etc. The period for such investigations is very favourable because NASA’s TESS telescope is now orbiting in space and is providing important asteroseismic information for determining the stellar age. If robust seismic pulsations could be detected in all stars, there would be no problems in stellar age determinations. However, it is not possible to reliably record the pulsations of many stars, and other methods must be sought. Among these are the so-called chemical clocks – the abundance ratios of various chemical elements. The Science Council of Lithuania is funding our research “Chemical elements as clocks for determining the age of stars”. We are analysing the use of the abundance ratios of carbon and nitrogen and yttrium and magnesium chemical elements in order to determine the age of stars. Several other projects also are on the way, including the one on the investigation of planet-hosting stars. What are the challenges of your field? There are many challenges. As Lithuanian folk experience says – the deeper into the forest, the more trees… Much is expected in the field of exoplanet search and research. This is a relatively new field of research. Incredible planets are being discovered around other stars which are not found in our solar system. The question arises of how planets form and what their characteristics depend on. Several space telescopes have been launched into space and are planned for exoplanet research. As Vice President of the International Astronomical Union, I am entrusted with the coordination of space and ground-based research. Here, my experience in coordinating the Europlanet telescope network, which currently unites 17 observatories with medium-sized and small telescopes, will come in handy. Ground-based observations for space missions require a lot of time, and smaller telescopes are very suitable for this. I plan to significantly expand the Europlanet telescope network, which also includes the Molėtai Astronomical Observatory in Lithuania. How would you encourage
News from MPL
10,000 times faster than traditional methods: new computational framework automatically discovers experimental designs in microscopy Researchers at the Max Planck Institute for the Science of Light (MPL) have developed an artificial intelligence (AI) framework which autonomously discovers new experimental designs in microscopy. Read the complete press release here. The MPL is an EPS Associate Member.
News from INFN
Possible clues about the history of the universe from Mediterranean minerals. Ancient minerals, formed six million years ago, during the drying up of the Mediterranean Sea, and known as “evaporites”, could hold precious traces of the interaction with cosmic rays, and reveal important information about the history of our universe. Read the full article here. INFN is an EPS Associate Member.
The CTAO becomes an ERIC
Bologna, Italy, 7 January 2025 – On January 7, 2025, the European Commission established the Cherenkov Telescope Array Observatory (CTAO) as a European Research Infrastructure Consortium (ERIC), furthering its mission to become the world’s largest and most powerful observatory for gamma-ray astronomy. The creation of the CTAO ERIC will enable the Observatory’s construction to advance rapidly and provide a framework for distributing its data worldwide, significantly accelerating its progress toward scientific discovery. “The ERIC will streamline the construction and operation of the Observatory in a way that will undoubtedly help the CTAO attract new talent and investment as it continues to grow,” stated Dr. Aldo Covello, Chair of the Board of Governmental Representatives (BGR). “The ERIC status provides the CTAO with the legal stability and administrative advantages it needs to be sustainable in its worldwide operations and impact.” The CTAO ERIC was established with the international support of 11 countries and one intergovernmental organisation that contribute to the technological development, construction and operation of the Observatory. The BGR represents this group and has been responsible for the preparation of the ERIC. “We are grateful to our founding members for their support and to the European Commission for reaffirming their confidence in the CTAO as a world-class research infrastructure,” said Dr. Stuart McMuldroch, CTAO Managing Director. “This milestone represents the culmination of years of dedicated planning by the diverse teams contributing to the success of the Observatory. With the CTAO ERIC, we now have a powerful instrument to consolidate our efforts and drive the project forward.” The ERIC not only provides the Central Organisation with a formal framework to accept and operate the current telescope prototypes, but it also allows for the immediate start of construction for the full array of more than 60 telescopes across both telescope sites in Spain and Chile. On the CTAO-North site, where the Large-Sized Telescope prototype (LST-1) is under commissioning, three additional LSTs and one Medium-Sized Telescope (MST) are expected to be built in the next 1-2 years. Meanwhile, on the CTAO-South site, the first five Small-Sized Telescopes (SSTs) and two MSTs are expected to be delivered by early 2026. Thus, with the aid of the ERIC, the Observatory is expected to be able to operate intermediate array configurations as early as 2026. These sub-sets of the final arrays will already be more sensitive than any existing instrument, bringing the Observatory’s early science within reach. The impact of the ERIC will extend beyond hardware, influencing several other key areas. In the coming months, the Observatory will prepare to integrate and operate advanced software designed to control the telescopes and their supporting devices on-site, as well as to manage data processing. Additionally, the ongoing recruitment campaign will continue across all CTAO facilities, including the CTAO Headquarters in Italy and the CTAO Science Data Management Centre in Germany, ensuring robust support for these developments. The CTAO was promoted to a “Landmark” on the European Forum on Research Infrastructure (ESFRI) Roadmap 2018 and was ranked as the main priority among the new ground-based infrastructures in the ASTRONET Roadmap 2022-2035. Now, after years of extensive preparatory work, and with the final legal entity in place, the CTAO solidifies its standing in the global research community, facilitating synergies with other international organisations and observatories. “The ERIC status strengthens the presence of the CTAO in Europe and its role as a key player in the European Research Area, but the support we have received and the scope of the CTAO ERIC’s influence goes far beyond European borders,” explained Prof. Federico Ferrini, co-Managing Director. “To build and operate the world’s largest gamma-ray observatory that serves the ambitious needs of the global scientific community, we are counting on an increasing number of partners from around the world.” The CTAO ERIC Members are Austria, Czech Republic, European Southern Observatory (ESO), France, Germany, Italy, Poland, Slovenia and Spain. Additionally, Switzerland is an Observer, Japan is a Strategic Partner and Australia is a Third Party.
Moniek Tromp becomes new President of ISE
19th December 2024, ISE, press release. Prof. Dr. Moniek Tromp, Director of the Zernike Institute for Advanced Materials, Chair of Materials Chemistry at the University of Groningen (The Netherlands), was elected by the ISE General Assembly on 26 April 2024 as the new President of Initiative for Science in Europe (ISE). Prof. Tromp took office on 1st January 2025. She succeeds Prof. emeritus Dr. Martin Andler, Laboratoire de Mathématiques, Université de Versailles-Saint Quentin, the current ISE President, whose mandate ran until 31 December 2024. He was elected President on 24 mars 2017. ISE members wish to jointly welcome Moniek Tromp and look forward to working under her leadership. Moniek Tromp is currently the chair of Materials Chemistry and her research focusses on the development and application of operando spectroscopy techniques in catalysis and materials research, incl. fuel cells, batteries, photochemistry, etc…, with a focus on X-ray spectroscopy techniques. Application of the techniques to fundamentally or industrially interesting processes and materials have provided unprecedented insights in properties and mechanisms. She has had many important national and international roles, e.g. board member of the Dutch Funding Agency (Science Domain), chair of the Dutch Network for Female Professors (LNVH), chair of the Young Academy Europe (YAE), and president and board member of the Young Academies Science Advice Structure (YASAS) and Science Advice for Policy by European Academies (SAPEA) (the science advice mechanism of the European Commission) respectively. She is therefore very well embedded in management and policy at national and international level. Her leadership is further exemplified by her current positions as Engineering director of the Faculty of Science and Engineering and Research director of the Zernike Institute for Advanced Materials (40 principle investigators, ~300 staff in total). As Captain of Science of the Topsector Chemistry, she advises the Dutch government, esp. on innovation and industry policy. ISE members want to warmly thank Martin Andler for his dedication, enthusiasm and commitment during his more than seven years of presidency at ISE. “I am delighted that ISE has chosen Moniek Tromp as my successor. She is an outstanding scientist, with a broad spectrum of expertise, ranging from fundamental research to industrial applications. She also has extensive experience in science policy. Moniek was the Chair of the Young Academy of Europe (YAE), a member of ISE, and as such was a member of ISE’s Executive Committee between 2020 and 2022. Open science, researchers’ careers and scientific advice are some of the important topics that she has been involved in. She is very committed to European research and innovation.” says Martin Andler, outgoing ISE President.