Sustainability, materials science and technology: the 2025 "Young Researchers" Forum in Naples

Combining expertise, exploring new perspectives, and fostering collaborations capable of generating cutting-edge solutions. With this goal, the National Interuniversity Consortium for Materials Science and Technology (INSTM) is organizing the 2025 Young Researchers Forum, scheduled for October 9th and 10th at the Department of Chemical, Materials, and Industrial Production Engineering (Dicmapi) at the University of Naples Federico II.

The Youth Group of the Italian Chemical Society is also participating in the organization, strengthening the initiative's cross-disciplinary nature and creating a direct bridge between the various communities working in chemical and materials research. The event, organized for the first time as an open space for discussion and interaction, is part of the long tradition of schools and initiatives promoted by INSTM. The aim of the event is to support and enhance the potential of new generations of young Italian researchers, present at INSTM's 53 universities, by offering them tools, opportunities for discussion, and visibility. (AGI) Sci/Oll The forum aims to create a fertile ground for the exchange of ideas, transcending the boundaries between disciplines and promoting cross-disciplinary dialogue between chemistry, physics, engineering, nanotechnology, life sciences, and materials sciences. Through this interdisciplinary approach, the aim is to strengthen a collaborative ecosystem where young researchers can exchange ideas, share their expertise, and contribute to the development of solutions geared toward sustainability, industrial innovation, and the ecological transition. "Connecting intelligences is a strategy for imagining the future," says Andrea Caneschi, director of Instm . "The Forum represents a tool that gives voice to the new generation of research, promoting universities as hotbeds of knowledge and generators of innovation."

Among the forum's participants are young Italian scholars who have distinguished themselves for the quality and impact of their work in academia and industry, both in Italy and abroad. These authoritative voices are also similar in age and background to the participants, embodying the present, as well as the future, of Italian scientific research. The 2025 Young Researchers Forum is not just a scientific event, but a true incubator of ideas and connections, designed to foster professional growth and the building of lasting collaborations. "Among the most anticipated moments," explains Federica Bondioli, President of INSTM, "is the 'Meet-to-Match' session , which will provide a dedicated space for researchers from different Italian and European universities with similar or complementary interests to meet, with the aim of fostering synergies and launching new projects on a national and international scale. The Forum, in fact, goes beyond simply sharing results: it aims to open spaces for discussion and planning, where new research paths and interdisciplinary work networks can take shape." The focus of the forum will be not only scientific debate, but also the recognition of young researchers' merit. Five INSTM awards will be presented: the Polymers Award promoted by the international journal Polymers, sponsor of the event, and the award of the Young Group of the Italian Chemical Society (SCI), co-organizer of the Forum with INSTM. All the awards, intended for the best oral presentations, are intended not only to recognize the results achieved, but also to demonstrate the trust placed in the new generations of scientists and their ability to grow and contribute innovative ideas to the future of research.