"The Student Speech Contest organized by the Belgian Ceramic Society (BCerS) was an opportunity for me, as a doctoral student representing the University of Liège, to present my research to a jury of experts in the development and shaping of ceramic materials, to receive feedback on my work, and to get advice for the future. It was also an opportunity to learn about ongoing research at other universities in the country and to talk with other candidates and members of the BCerS.
At the awards ceremony, I was delighted to learn that my presentation entitled “Bovine bones as raw material for biomedical application by additive manufacturing,” which, as the title suggests, focuses on recycling bovine bones to exytract hydroxyapatite for its use in personalized surgery through 3D printing, had won first prize. As a result, I was selected to represent Belgium at the European level in the competition organized by the European Ceramic Society (ECerS) the following year.
In 2025, the XIXth ECerS conference was organized in collaboration with the Deutsche Keramische Gesellschaft (DKG) in Dresden. Although I did not win the European prize, this experience was even more rewarding. The five-day conference brought together more than 1,400 participants from 47 different countries, with dozens of presentations given each day on various topics in ceramic chemistry. It was a unique opportunity to meet researchers, some of whom are world-renowned, learn about their work, and interact with them. In addition to academic researchers, there were also representatives from major industries active in the field of ceramics research and development, who provided a more applied perspective.
Finally, the student evening organized by the Young Ceramic Network (YCN) during the conference was also an opportunity to network with the community of young researchers in a relaxed, warm, and friendly atmosphere.
In conclusion, I invite young doctoral students from all Belgian Universities to seize this opportunity by registering for the BCerS Student Speech Contest in 2026 and try their luck at participating in the XXth ECerS conference, which will take place in 2027 in Valencia, Spain. Beyond the contest itself, it is an exceptional opportunity to highlight your work, get out of the lab, open up to the scientific community, and expand your professional and social network.
I would like to thank Nicolas Somers, who encouraged me to participate in the contest and accompanied me to ECerS, Frédéric Boschini, my advisor, who supported and assisted me in preparing the presentation, and Stefan Pfeiffer, managing director of the DKG, who welcomed us to the conference in Dresden with warmth and cheerfulness."
