The European Materials Research Society (E-MRS) was established in Strasbourg, France, in 1983. It is a consortium of materials science academic institutions from over 30 EU nations, functioning as a non-governmental, non-profit international academic organization. Comprising more than 5,000 experts, professors, and government leaders from EU industry, government, academia, and research institutions, it is among Europe's most influential academic bodies. E-MRS holds two annual conferences each year, in spring and autumn. The spring meeting is regarded as holding the highest international significance.
Since 2003, the E-MRS Spring Meeting has launched a dedicated session on Cultural Heritage Materials. The session in 2026 will be co-chaired by Professor João Pedro Veiga (University of Lisbon, Portugal), Professor Giuseppina Padeletti (Italian National Research Council), Professor Koen Janssens (University of Antwerp, Belgium) and Professor Wenqiang Dong (Director of the Key Laboratory of Archaeological Detection and Cultural Heritage Conservation Technology, the Ministry of Education, Northwestern Polytechnical University).
The theme for the Cultural Heritage Materials session in 2026 is, Cultural Heritage: Materials, Methods, Practice and Innovation. The following keywords are associated with the session: cleaning materials and techniques, non-destructive analysis technologies, historic architecture, ancient paintings, calligraphy and manuscripts, advanced functional materials for heritage conservation, practical application assessment of novel methods and products, digital restoration of cultural heritage, heritage authentication, multimodal optical sensing technologies, and heritage reproduction and revitalisation through generative artificial intelligence. For more information, please visit the session website: https://www.european-mrs.com/cultural-heritage-materials-methods-practice-and-innovation-emrs.
Strasbourg, the host city of the E-MRS Spring Meeting, is situated in northeastern France. As the capital of the Grand Est region and France's seventh-largest city, it is strategically located on the western bank of the Rhine, serving as a pivotal border city between France and Germany. To the east, it overlooks the German state of Baden-Württemberg across the river, and is approximately a two-hour train journey from Paris. Its strategic location at the intersection of multiple ethnic spheres of influence has historically contributed to its cultural and ethnic diversity. Following the Second World War, Strasbourg's advantageous geographical position led to it becoming home to numerous key European Union institutions, such as the European Parliament and the European Court of Human Rights. This venue is to be used for the Spring Meeting of the European Materials Research Society on an ongoing basis. The city has a number of historic buildings, including the Gothic Strasbourg Cathedral, which is positioned so that its bell tower can be seen from all parts of the city. The Petite France district exudes medieval charm, making Strasbourg a city of both political significance and historical and cultural appeal.
The 2026 Spring meeting is scheduled to take place from 25th-29th May, 2026. The official conference website has now opened the abstract submission portal (https://www.european-mrs.com/meetings/2026-spring-meeting-exhibit). Experts and scholars wishing to attend are requested to complete the online abstract submissions by the 31st January 2026. The results of the abstract selection process are expected to be announced in early March 2026.
