The history of European materials science is deeply connected with the creation of networks and federations that promoted collaboration across borders, notably through FEMS (Federation of European Materials Societies) and E-MRS (European Materials Research Society).
Within this context, Professors Ehrenfried Zschech and Rodrigo Martins, both Fellows of EurASc, played a central role in establishing what became known as the European Materials Common House. This initiative laid the foundation for what is now recognised as the Innovative Advanced Materials Initiative (IAM-I), launched as part of the European Commission’s IAM4EU partnership: https://www.iam-i.eu/iam4eu-partnership/.
Their vision was to build a collaborative European platform that would unite societies, researchers, and industry stakeholders under a common framework, ensuring that materials science in Europe could respond effectively to technological challenges and global competition.
Today, the Innovative Advanced Materials Initiative continues this mission, acting as a strategic hub for research, innovation, and policy dialogue in materials science at the European level.
The European Academy of Sciences (EurASc) is proud to recognise the contributions of its Fellows, Professors Ehrenfried Zschech and Rodrigo Martins, as builders of the European Materials Common House, whose efforts significantly strengthened the European dimension of materials research and cooperation.
📖 For further historical background, please consult the full document on the history of FEMS here