Conference topics

S1) Innovative ceramic syntheses, processing and shaping / Ceramic coatings / Porous ceramics

Innovative synthesis routes and advanced powder processing and molding techniques are key to the successful production of reliable, high-performance ceramic components, whether they are dense or porous micro or macro devices of varying geometric complexity.

This symposium will focus on the whole processing chain of ceramic components including powder synthesis, pre-processing steps, e.g., granulation, feedstock or slurry preparation, filament drawing, etc., shaping methods, and subsequent debinding and sintering. Beside single-material parts, multi-material approaches for functionalization of components are welcome. The symposium will provide an international forum for academic and industrial researchers to discuss and exchange ideas.

A particular focus is on the understanding and application of innovative processes and sustainable technologies for the development of ceramic materials with new functionalities and/or structures, with special attention to the reduction of energy consumption and CO2 emissions, as well as the challenges involved and the experience gained.

Topics of interest include, but are not limited to, the following:

• Powder and precursor syntheses
• Preparation of granulates, feedstocks, suspensions, inks, pastes, and filaments
• Coating technologies
• Novel shaping methods: shaping of ceramic suspensions, pressing, plastic shaping, soft chemistry and sol-gel, gel casting, templating, temperature-induced forming, direct foaming
• Hybridization technologies (e.g. 2-component injection molding, multi component shaping)
• Advanced machining and precision finishing of ceramic components
• Process monitoring and control in preparation and shaping
• Multiscale modeling, numerical simulation and Artificial Intelligence/deep learning applied to the ceramic processing chain

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S2) Thermal processes and advanced sintering / Cold sintering

The symposium will address the recent progress in the field of thermal processes and sintering of ceramic materials. Along with the broad range of experimental approaches, the emerging novel methods of the material densification such as Cold Sintering, Radiative Sintering, Blacklight Sintering, Laser Sintering will be covered. The Symposium will give a stage both to academic researchers to showcase the remarkable development in the fundamental understanding and modelling of these processes in relation to the tailored ceramic microstructure evolution as well as to the experts dealing with industrial applications of these techniques. The focus will be on the unveiling the potential of these approaches to designing multifunctional and complex materials with outstanding and unusual combination of properties. Furthermore, the reduction of manufacturing costs and energy consumption during these processes whilst actively impacting the carbon footprint will be discussed.

Topics

• Spark plasma sintering/Field-assisted sintering
• Flash sintering
• Cold sintering
• Microwave sintering
• Selective Heat Sintering (including laser sintering, radiative heating etc.)
• Ultrafast high-temperature sintering
• Reactive sintering
• Sintering mechanisms
• Modeling
• Tailored ceramic microstructures and properties (functionally graded, nanomaterials, composites…)

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S3) Additive manufacturing

Additive manufacturing (AM) of ceramics, hardmetals, cermets and glass uses a wide variety of direct and indirect processes with dot-wise, line-wise or layer-wise deposition of material, some of which have already reached a productive level and are in industrial use. Granules, suspensions, filaments or feedstocks are often used as semi-finished products for the additive manufacturing processes, which are subject to special requirements in terms of processability and reproducibility. The current main objectives of development are primarily to achieve component properties of additively manufactured components at a level comparable to conventional molding methods, and to increase reliability and repeatability. Non-destructive in-line testing methods and surface finishing steps will be indispensable to achieve these goals in the future.

Contributions that address current progresses around Additive Manufacturing and hybridized processing technologies along the whole processing chain focusing on component design, AM building processes, debinding, consolidation/sintering, finishing post-treatments and characterization are welcome. Both experimental and numerical approaches can contribute to this symposium, emphasizing the current tremendous issue of the full digitalization of the design and entire fabrication chain of ceramics both at the academic and industrial levels.

Topics

• Materials design
• Numerical simulation
• Preparation of granulates, feedstocks, suspensions, inks, pastes, and filaments
• Dot-wise, line-wise, and layer-wise building techniques
• Direct and indirect AM methods
• Hybridization technologies
• Multi-material approaches
• Thermal post-processing (debinding, sintering)
• Artificial Intelligence / Machine learning / Deep learning
• Process monitoring and control

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S4) Advanced structural ceramics and composites / Architectured materials / Defense / Subsea systems

Advanced ceramics like ceramic-matrix composites, laminates and architectured porous ceramics are entering a new age, with a robust increase of their applications in aircraft propulsion, subsea systems, drive technology, thermal protection of space objects, heat exchange in energy conversion and heavy industry, nuclear applications, etc. Indeed, their outstanding performances turn them into the ”enabling materials” for highly demanding, though strategic applications under extreme conditions.
The increasing demand pushes not only the engineers to propose new materials designs, materials solutions and processes but also the scientific community to investigate breakthrough techniques related to their synthesis, multi-scale characterization, testing in a variety of conditions and to develop or apply state-of-the-art modelling techniques in order to better understand the relationships between processing, (micro-)structure and properties of these materials. This symposium welcomes all contributions addressing research and development on this class of amazing materials. It is aimed to present the user benefits of these materials linked to the different areas of application.

Topics

• Oxide/non-oxide structural ceramics
• Architectured ceramics, incl. porous ceramics and multi-material components
• Ceramic Matrix Composites, incl. ceramic laminates and fiber composites
• MAX phases and related compounds
• Manufacturing technologies
• Ceramics for civil safety and defense
• Superhard and wear resistance materials
• Ultra-high-temperature materials
• Testing techniques; diagnostics; structural characterization
• Mechanical, thermal and tribological properties; oxidation/corrosion resistance
• Microstructure/property/processing relationships
• Design
• Modeling, numerical simulation and Artificial Intelligence

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S5) Refractories / High and ultra-high temperature ceramics / Hardmetals

Application in which requirement in terms of high mechanical and thermo-physical properties exist rely on advanced structural ceramics, ceramic metal (cermet) composites and refractories. Their resistance to high temperatures, chemical attack and other demanding conditions make them strategic materials for many industrial applications. Be it in material and energy production, automotive, aerospace or medical applications.

The symposium aims to bring together scientists  from materials science and engineering for discussing the main challenges material development of high to ultra high temperature ceramics, cermets and refractories.

Topics will include approaches in medium to high entropy ceramics, synthesis of complex powders for production of monolithic and layered composites and coatings as well as materials suited for harsh and demanding environments.

Topics of interest include, but are not limited to, the following:

• HTC/UHTC: Medium and high entropy carbides, nitrites and carbonitrides
• Cermets: alternative binders, novel hard phases, interface design
• Refractories: raw materials, shaped and monolithic refractories
• Microstructural design
• Advanced processing and its relationship with microstructural development
• Synthesis of starting powders
• Mechanical properties and fractography
• Processing-microstructure-properties-performance in use relationships
• Thermo-physical and tribological behavior at room and high temperature
• Corrosion/ablation/oxidation testing and analysis
• Applications

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S6) Ceramics for environmental technologies / Recycling

Ceramic parts and components derive the measure of their sustainability from several levels: on the one hand, their intrinsic durability, hardness, temperature resistance and chemical resistance guarantees sustainability per se compared to other material classes, because fewer parts must be manufactured for the specific purpose. In most cases, the effect of durability of ceramics far outweighs the energy requirements for their production which are sometimes high. This increasingly justifies recycling of ceramic materials and their raw materials. Furthermore, ceramics can be applied in various fields of application to replace quite critical raw materials (e.g., the substitution of precious metals by oxide materials in the field of catalysts). However, the essential greater influence on sustainable management is that ceramic components enable the application of certain modern technologies in the first place - not least for environmental protection and more sustainable production methods. Ceramic materials and components thus occupy a key position in the technology areas that are essential for the successful long-term transformation of industry towards a circular economy. This symposium will particularly focus on the latter aspect on “ceramics and sustainable development” and show examples of sustainable technological approaches that would hardly be feasible without the use of ceramics, be it in the chemical industry, the water and hydrogen economy, power storage, e-mobility, environmental technology, or other sectors.

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S7) Glass-ceramics and glasses

In conjunction with the composition of glasses, structural changes that occur in glass melts are of fundamental importance for the boundary conditions that induce or prevent crystallization. An understanding of the interrelationships on a fundamental and application-oriented level provides the prerequisite for the specific adjustment of the properties of glasses and glass ceramics and their production. In the context of this symposium, we invite contributions from all who are interested in the fundamentals and applications where crystallization and its properties can lead to new functionalities. In view of the increasing relevance of glasses and glass ceramics in applications related to the generation, storage and conversion of energy and as well as additive manufacturing processes, contributions on their processing via the powder route represent a special focus. This symposium will address all studies linking melts to crystals, including modeling, processing, and metrology (especially those evaluating in situ behavior) of glass and glass-ceramic systems that enable unique microstructures and functions.

Topics

• Basic science, crystallization
• Link between structure, microstructure and properties (glass, glass-ceramics and glazes)
• New technologies and innovative processes, hot forming
• Sintering of glass ceramics
• Additive manufacturing and near net shaping
• Process monitoring and control
• Modelling, numerical simulation and Artificial Intelligence
• Applications and future developments (optics, fibers, laser, etc)
• Link between glass/melt and crystal
• What are the changes that occur in a liquid before the first crystal appears?
• Applications of bulk, thin film and fiber composites with engineered microstructures

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S8) Functional ceramics

The symposium will offer an interdisciplinary meeting point for scientists from academia, institutes for applied research and industry to present and discuss the state-of-the-art, and developments in the broad field of functional ceramics. Besides new fundamental insights, the development of advanced functional ceramics and composites with improved, new or tailored properties relies on emerging processing routes that open new application perspectives, significant energy-savings, or the avoidance of hazardous or rare raw materials. The aim of the symposium is also to highlight advances in the understanding of structure/microstructure/properties relationships.

In addition to material development, the symposium will address technologies of shaping functional ceramic materials, in particular aspects of layer deposition in thick-film and multilayer technology.

Topics

• Dielectrics (high K, microwave, high-temperature applications)
• Ferroics (ferroelectrics, antiferroelectrics, relaxor ferroelectrics, multiferroics)
• Magnetic materials
• Thermoelectrics
• Ionic, electronic and mixed conductors, defect chemistry and transport
• Lead-free piezoelectric ceramics (from composition and other critical elements to devices, i.e., electromechanical sensors and actuators, energy harvesting …)
• Caloric materials and applications, cooling technologies
• Modeling, simulation and in situ characterization techniques
• Composite materials (for new/tailored functionalities)

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S9) Ceramics for energy conversion and storage, chemistry and environment / Hydrogen

The transformation of the energy system towards conversion and storage of renewable energy and green molecules-based economy is in progress. Due to their unique properties, ceramic materials have great potential to resolve the challenges of this energy transition. The symposium will cover ceramic materials and components for applications in:

• Electrochemical energy conversion (materials and components in electrolyzers and fuel cells)
• Electrochemical energy storage (materials and components in batteries)
• Power generation (high-temperature coatings and ceramic matrix composites for gas turbines, materials and components for nuclear fission and fusion reactors and nuclear waste confinement, materials and components for heat storage and exchange, materials and components for solar absorbers)
• Energy harvesting (materials and components for thermoelectrics, photovoltaics, solar fuels/artificial photosynthesis)
• Hydrogen production from different feedstocks (waste, biomass etc.)
• Hydrogen storage and CO₂ capture
• Hydrogen conversion to chemicals and fuels (incl. process design)
• Electrochemical applications (ionic/proton and electronic conducting dense or porous membranes for gas separation, catalytic membrane reactors)

Contributions to the symposium S9 should address at least one of the following topics:

• Ceramic-containing electrocatalysts, electrodes, electrolytes, seals, cells, interconnects, protective and contacting layers for electrolysis and fuel cell stacks as well as technology for their manufacturing
• Ceramic-containing electrodes, electrolytes, coatings for batteries and supercapacitors as well as technology for their manufacturing
• Ceramic-containing materials, coatings and components for power generation by gas turbines and combustion processes utilizing hydrogen, hydrocarbons, or ammonia as fuel
• Ceramics for nuclear fission and fusion and materials and sealants for nuclear waste confinement
• Ceramic-containing electrodes and coatings for photovoltaics / photocatalysis as well as technology for their manufacturing
• Ceramic materials and components for concentrated solar power as well as technology for their manufacturing
• Thermoelectric ceramic materials and components based thereof as well as technology for their manufacturing
• Ceramic materials and components for hydrogen production by thermo-chemical conversion
• Ceramic-containing catalysts and components for chemical conversion (PtX, reforming, ammonia, cracking, membrane reactors…)
• Ceramic-containing materials and components for hydrogen storage technologies

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S10) (Bio)ceramics, composites, and bioactive glasses for healthcare

The requirements for materials, processes, and parts related to healthcare have increased dramatically in recent years. This is driven on the one hand by the expectations of society and patients and on the other hand by newly developed manufacturing processes, new regulations, and better scientific understanding of the interactions between materials in vivo. Multidisciplinary research in the field of ceramics and glasses has a synergic effect proven by rapid developments of related areas, e.g., tissue engineering, nanotechnology, drug delivery, sensors, smart materials, and structures. The symposium will cover ceramic- and glass-based materials which are relevant for various healthcare sectors. Particular attention is given to implants, substitutes, protein-, cell- and tissue-interaction with ceramics and glasses, medical applications, and personalized therapies. Material systems of interest are, classical and new ceramic implant materials, innovative nanoparticles, bioactive ceramics, as well as new concepts and approaches for the design and production of 3D biomimetic devices. Thus, this symposium will seek to bring together researchers from academia, medical device manufacturers, and clinicians, to provide a comprehensive view on the topics of interest, which include, but are not limited to, the following:

• Ceramics in nanomedicine and in biotechnology
• Biological interactions
• Medical, pharmaceutical (drug delivery), and biotechnological applications
• Dental and orthopedic ceramics
• Bioactive ceramics and glasses for tissue engineering
• Bone replacement, regeneration, and reconstruction
• Modeling, numerical simulation and Artificial Intelligence for development and design
• Mechanical and biological testing and characterization
• Processes for 3D bioceramic and -glasses fabrication

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S11) Ceramics and construction materials for building applications / Silicate ceramics / Art + Archeology

The rapid development of modern societies is based on the availability of new materials with specific features. The building sector is responsible for 39 % of global carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions, with concrete alone accounting for 11 % of global CO2 emissions and thus, significantly contributing to climate change. Due to population growth and progressing urbanization, global demand for concrete will increase by up to 23 % by 2050. To limit further global warming a significant reduction of CO2 emissions is required. Therefore, new innovative approaches are needed that enable also the (re)use of existing materials.

To this aim, this symposium focuses on new ceramics, inorganic materials and novel biogenic approaches that are using novel eco-friendly processes, raw materials derived from by-products of other industrial processes or, microorganisms and living materials that bind CO2, to achieve novel building applications.

With new materials and new processes follows the adaption of shaping techniques either conventional like casting and foaming processes or 3D printing. Together with innovative materials they can help saving resources and thus increase the sustainability of novel construction materials. Within the aim of sustainability, end of life scenario has also to be considered, thus recycling of all materials has to be investigated.

On behalf of the Co-organizers, it is our great pleasure to invite all scientists, colleagues, young researchers, business delegates, students and anybody interested in innovative ceramics and inorganic construction materials to attend this symposium.

Topics

• Ceramics
• Inorganic materials
• Inorganic binders and cements
• Innovative green synthesis
• Living Building Materials
• New raw materials
• Recycling of by-products
• Innovative shaping processes
• Durability
• Life cycle assessment

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S12) Advanced characterization techniques

The characterization of the microstructure is the cornerstone of material evaluation. It is required to enable material development, optimization, and quality inspection. And it’s especially critical in case of ceramic materials. In addition to characterization of the microstructures, the symposium will address all other characterization methods such as mechanical, thermomechanical and thermal methods.

While classic characterization still covers a very important role, requests are made to expand the capabilities of established methods to new frontiers (to high temperatures or high pressure, faster in situ or operando measurements etc.). Simultaneously, the development of new tools is discussed.

Among those, one can count special microscopy techniques, combined methods (including in-situ and even online during production), 3D imaging techniques, time resolved measurements and characterization at large scale facilities (neutron and synchrotron radiation sources).

All these allow nowadays pushing the investigations to fantastic spatial and temporal resolutions, under environmental conditions (temperature, pressure, load, reactive atmosphere etc.) simply unreachable a few decades ago.

This symposium aims at sparking the discussion among the ceramic community on:

• The needs of the community in terms of advanced characterization tools
• The state-of-the-art of such tools and potential gaps existing
• The possible application of methods that are not commonly used in the ceramic community
• The use of characterization for materials development quality control

Contributions on all the above-mentioned aspects are welcome to initiate vibrant discussions: what do we need to develop and push beyond the current envelope? How do we couple advanced characterization methods with the build-up of new ceramic materials exhibiting enhanced or even new properties?

What are the limits of the existing inspection methods and how can we push them? Can the development of the new characterization methods keep up with the development of new ceramic materials? What are the critical production stages, where implementation of quality control tool would benefit the most? How will we approach the analysis and correlation of Big Data?

Topics

• Advances in established methods like electron microscopy including sample preparation
• X-ray and neutron scattering, diffraction and absorption methods under external constraints (stress, temperature, pressure etc.)
• In situ or operando methods
• New characterization tools for the development of new ceramic materials
• Laser, Light or X-ray based spectroscopy advanced methods (Raman, Infrared spectroscopy, OCT, EXAFS and XANES etc.)
• Spatial or temporal high resolution approaches
• Advanced methods for the characterization of electrical or magnetic properties of ceramics
• From the lab to the industry. Advanced on-line methods for the characterization of ceramics during their elaboration processes

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S13) Modeling and digitalization of materials and processes

Material science is currently experiencing rapid development and enormous opportunities through the advances in digital methods related to, e.g., simulations, systematic analysis of large datasets and machine learning. Publicly available material data bases together with data-driven techniques or machine learning as well as first-principles computations and experimental measurements accelerate the discovery and design of new advanced ceramic materials. Due to the universality of machine learning methods, the effects of this development and paradigm change are not yet foreseeable. In the context of data-based methods, questions arise about suitable data structures for material, process and application data in the entire life cycle of ceramic materials. The aim of the symposium is to share advances, exchange ideas and discuss results in this methodological field.

Topics

• Physical modeling and simulation of ceramic manufacturing processes
• Multiscale modeling and simulation of ceramic materials and components
• Data driven material search and design of functional and structural ceramics
• Machine learning studies concerning relationships between structure, technology and properties of ceramics
• Ontologies and data bases of ceramic materials and technologies

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S14) Ceramic membranes, water & solvent treatment and gas separation

Ceramic membranes are well established in liquid filtration playing an important role in the purification of water and organic solvents. In competition with polymer membranes, the main advantages are higher resistance to aggressive media and a longer service life. Current trends in chemical engineering, energy and environmental technology and climate protection require gas separation, water/solvent purification, pervaporation and vapor permeation membranes with high permselectivity, temperature stability and mechanical strength. Particularly promising but not the only applications are H₂, CO₂, CH₄, O₂, H₂O separations. The symposium will highlight new results in membrane fabrication in order to increase permeability and flux, improve retention and selectivity, to reduce manufacturing costs and to meet new applications.

Papers on the following topics are welcome:

• Ceramic supports (tubes, flat membranes, capillaries, hollow fibres)
• Membrane coating (slurry, sol-gel, CVD, PVD)
• Membrane materials (oxides, non-oxides, zeolites, MOFs, palladium, carbon, mixed conductors)
• Grafting
• Catalytic membranes, membrane reactors
• Membrane contactors
• Membrane application
• Membrane characterization

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S15) Transparent ceramics

Transparent ceramics are characterized by excellent material properties and are superior in comparison to glass or sapphire. Due to transmittance in a multispectral range from ultraviolet to infrared, transparent ceramics are promising materials for a wide range of applications such as optics, photonics, laser technology, scintillator, armor protection and optoelectronic devices. To achieve the required transparency and microstructures it is essential to study all aspects in terms of powder processing, use of different thermal steps, selection of shaping method and characterization e.g. quality control. Both conventional ceramic technology and new innovative technologies such as liquid or plastic shaping, special thermal processes and finishing steps will be addressed.

The symposium deals with all new developments in the field of transparent ceramics with passive properties and active – light absorption, light scattering and light conversion – properties related to doping. Other topics include functional coating, bonding or laminating to achieve better component performance.

Topics

• Ceramics for photonics
• Transparent ceramics (passive)
• Protective components for optical systems and sensors in harsh conditions (subsea sensor technology, lidar sensors)
• Biocompatible and biostable optics for diagnostics
• Transparent ceramics (active) like phosphors, scintillators, Q-switches and laser gain-media
• Functionalization of transparent ceramics, doping
• Innovative technology, shaping and processing, bonding, coating

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S17) International Sodium Battery Symposium SBS6

Sodium batteries represent the most promising and short-term available post-lithium battery technology family. This family has members spanning generations, some of whom have over 40 years of history and have been commercialized and others who are being developed in the field of basic research. The variety of technological options is enormous and opens up a range of promising new possibilities for sustainable electricity storage.

The Sodium battery Symposium – SBS is the conference for scientific exchange on sodium batteries in Europe and looks back on a six-year tradition with alternating organization by Fraunhofer IKTS and the research group of Prof. Philipp Adelhelm (Helmholtz-Zentrum Berlin – HZB). While SBS5 is hosted by HZB, SBS6 will be organized as a satellite meeting of the ECerS XIX by Fraunhofer IKTS.

The SBS6 will cover all aspects of Na-based batteries, from fundamental research up to systems, along with testing, markets and applications. The SBS6 wants to strengthen the community around sodium batteries and intends to enable an open exchange of information on current scientific results, research interests, as well as market requirements. Scientists, engineers and managers are invited to report on their results, developments and future prospects orally or via posters, or display their products and services as an exhibitor. This 6^th SBS welcomes contributions on recent trends and discoveries on:

• Sodium batteries and systems – experiences from R&D to real-world applications
• Innovative sodium battery cell concepts including
  • Liquid and polymer electrolyte cell concepts
  • Solid state and all solid state concepts
  • High temperature sodium cells (Na-MeCl₂, NaS)
  • Flow, all liquid and alternative cell concepts
• Electrolytes and electrodes – material, design and production
• Anode and cathode materials – from material science to production processes

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SSC) Student Speech Contest

The student speech contest at the biennial ECerS conference is an event, an independent symposium of the conference, where young ceramist research students, representing each of the ECerS member countries, will give an oral presentation presenting their research achievements that is evaluated by a jury.

The presentation duration will be 15 minutes, followed by questions from the jury and the audience.

• Each member country of ECerS can send one (PhD, MSc, BSc) research student as the candidate of their country for the ECerS student speech contest.
• The oral presentation at the contest should be based on research work that the candidate has performed himself/herself at a research institution in the country he/she is representing.
• Graduate representatives must be within their first five years of full-time research at the time of the speech.
• If the representative is a PhD student, the candidate can participate in the competition if he/she defends (or will defend) his/her thesis after September 1, 2024.
• The candidate is granted a free registration for attending ECerS XIX
• The national ceramic societies are requested to pay the costs for travelling of their candidate student. If some societies are facing any difficulty for paying for the travelling of their candidate student, individual requests can be addressed to the ECerS secretariat asking for support.
• Accommodation will be provided by the conference organizers with the support of the JECS Trust.
• The national society will inform the ECerS Young Ceramists and Training working group as well as the conference organizers not later than May 31, 2025 who will be the representative of their country.

Once the national societies inform about their candidates, the conference organizers will contact the candidate to give instructions about abstract submission, registration and lodging. Please note that the candidates will be asked to register individually to the conference through the conference registration system.