European Polymer Congress 2011

The biannual European Polymer Congress is one of the main activities of the European Polymer Federation, the roof organization of the national polymer societies in Europe that currently comprises 22 full and 4 associated member countries. Since its start in Lyon, France, in 1986, the congress series has developed to one of the greatest events in polymer science.

The EPF’09 congress hosted around 1000 participants from more than 50 countries for an intense and simultaneously relaxed exchange of scientific results and ideas among industrial partners, highly recognized scientists and young researchers. With 7 leading edge plenary speakers, 35 keynote und 61 invited speakers, almost 300 oral contributions and around 600 posters, the congress continued the success story of uninterrupted growth of the previous meetings. The six sessions contributed to a deeper insight into key areas in the field of polymer science and technology and stimulated vivid discussions among the participants, for instance on the occasion of the cheerful congress party. The congress party was celebrated at the historical landmark of Graz, the Schlossberg with its superior view over the UNESCO World Heritage-awarded city of Graz. Poster sessions and also the industrial exhibition was another starting point for numerous discussions.

Pieter Jan Lemstra Invention AwardAnother milestone of the EPF’09 congress was the celebration of the “Pieter Jan Lemstra Invention Award” ceremony, sponsored by the Dutch Polymer Institute. This year’s award winner Ulrich S. Schubert. A summarizing overview over the state-of-the-art research presented at the EPF’09 will be published in a dedicated, peer-reviewed issue of Macromolecular Symposia by WILEY-VCH in the near future.