Research data management is becoming an essential part of modern materials research. Experimental results, simulation data, process parameters, and metadata need to be structured in a way that makes them findable, accessible, interoperable, and reusable. These FAIR principles are increasingly important for collaborative research, digital infrastructures, and funding requirements.
The NFDI-MatWerk Summer School 2026 addresses this need with a focused three-day program for the Materials Science and Engineering community. From 21 to 23 September 2026, participants will meet at Ruhr-Universität Bochum to gain practical insights into research data management and FAIR data practices tailored to materials science.
The summer school is designed for PhD students, postdocs, advanced Master’s students, and young professionals working in experimental research, modeling, or simulation. It is also open to participants from related fields such as condensed-matter physics and solid-state chemistry. Prior experience in research data management is not required.
The program will cover central topics for data-driven materials research, including an introduction to research data management, electronic laboratory notebooks, the Coscine research data management platform, PyIron for complex workflows, and the role of NFDI-MatWerk in supporting the MSE community. A keynote on artificial intelligence in Materials Science and Engineering and a lab tour at Ruhr-Universität Bochum will complement the course.
Participants are expected to bring their own laptop. Basic programming knowledge, for example in Python, MatLab, or similar languages, is beneficial. A Python environment such as Miniconda, PyCharm, Jupyter, or ipython should be installed in advance, as it will be needed for parts of the program.
Participation is free of charge, but the number of places is limited to 20. Places will be assigned on a first-come, first-served basis. The registration deadline is 30 June 2026.
Further information and online registration are available on the EUSMAT event page.