EUROPEAN MATERIALS RESEARCH SOCIETY

Their core work

EMRS is a major European learned society dedicated to advancing materials science through conferences, networking, and community building. Based in Strasbourg, they organize the well-known E-MRS Spring and Fall meetings that bring together thousands of materials researchers. In H2020, their role has been facilitating public engagement, mutual learning between science and society, and coordinating cross-European materials research communities — acting as a bridge between researchers, policymakers, and the public rather than conducting lab-based research themselves.

What they specialise in

How they've shifted over time

EMRS began its H2020 participation with structural coordination work — MATCH (2015) aimed at building a common institutional framework for the European materials community. Their focus then shifted toward societal engagement and responsible innovation, with NANO2ALL (2015-2019) emphasizing transparency, trust, inclusion, and co-development between science and the public. The HERACLES project (2016-2019) marked a thematic expansion into climate resilience for cultural heritage, suggesting growing interest in applying materials expertise to real-world societal challenges.

EMRS is moving from internal community-building toward outward-facing societal engagement and responsible innovation — a valuable partner for projects that need to demonstrate public impact and inclusive science communication.

How they like to work

EMRS participates exclusively as a partner, never as coordinator, which fits their role as a community convener embedded in larger consortia. With 52 unique partners across just 3 projects, they operate in large, diverse consortia (averaging 17+ partners per project). This broad network makes them a well-connected node in European materials research — useful for reaching many organizations through a single partner, though they are unlikely to take on project leadership responsibilities.

EMRS has collaborated with 52 unique partners across 15 countries in just 3 projects, indicating involvement in large pan-European consortia. Their network reflects strong connections across Western and Southern Europe, consistent with the geographic spread of materials research communities.

What sets them apart

EMRS is not a research lab — it is the community backbone of European materials science, with unmatched convening power through its flagship conferences. For consortium builders, EMRS offers instant access to a vast network of materials researchers and the credibility of a long-established learned society. They are particularly valuable in projects requiring dissemination, public engagement, or multi-actor coordination across the materials science landscape.

Highlights from their portfolio

• HERACLES
  Their largest funded project (EUR 237K), and an unusual application of materials expertise to cultural heritage preservation under climate stress.
• NANO2ALL
  A Coordination and Support Action focused on responsible nanotechnology governance through public dialogue — demonstrates EMRS's role as a science-society mediator.