General Assembly 2026 und Workshop "Ceramics in Austria"

The workshop „Ceramics in Austria” and the 14^th General Assembly of our society was opened on April 9 by Tanja Lube in the Peter-Tunner-Lecture Hall at Montanuniversität Leoben. Vice-Rector Helmut Antrekowitsch followed with his welcoming remarks. As Vice-Rector for Technology and Sustainability at the University of Leoben, he emphasized the importance of this topic, which was chosen as the focus of this year's workshop.

In six presentations, speakers from industry and universities reported on their approaches to achieving sustainability goals. Interesting concepts for energy conservation, avoiding critical raw materials, decarbonization, and the circular economy were presented, leading to lively discussions during the breaks.

At the general meeting, the board reported on the activities of the society and its members. Special thanks are due to our representatives in committees of the European Ceramic Society, such as the Sustainability Network and the Young Ceramists Network. The selection of the logo for the International Day of Ceramics, designed by our member Maximilian Munz, also deserves special mention.

Following the reports from Deputy Treasurer Edith Bucher and the auditors, the proposal for the formal approval of the action of the board was passed unanimously. The board was re-elected, with the exception of the deputy positions, where Tanja Lube assumed the role of deputy chair in addition to her existing position as deputy secretary.

This year, prizes were once again awarded for the best diploma or master's thesis, the best dissertation, and the best publication. The diploma thesis by Philipp Strutz on "Recycling of Dental Zirconia Blanks - Feasibility and Obstacles" and the dissertation by Abdullah Jabr entitled "Understanding the Effect of Processing Conditions on the Properties of Cold Sintered Ceramics" were both awarded prizes. The work by Barbara Buxbaum and co-authors on "Electrochemical Performance and Advanced 3D Reconstruction of LSCF-GDC Air Electrodes for Solid Oxide Electrolysis Cells," published in the Journal of Power Sources in 2025 was acknowledged with the prize for the best publication. We extend our warmest congratulations.