The Young Ceramists Network (YCN) is an initiative of the European Ceramic Society (ECerS) sponsored by the Journal of ECerS Trust. This non-profit network aims at bringing young students and professionals currently doing research on Ceramics.

• A network for Young people conducting research on the field of Ceramics (under 40 years old)
• For young researchers (professional, PhD but also post-doctoral or master students), belonging to European/International research institutions (universities, laboratories...)
• An interactive website
• A Facebook page: YCN Ceramic Social Club

Since 2016, a group of 5 young researchers is in charge of managing the Young Ceramist Network committee: 

Erkka Frankberg  Finland

Laura Silvestroni  Italy

Andraž Kocjan  Slovenia

Marie Lasgorceix Belgium

Dominique Hautcoeur Belgium

The committee works under the supervision of the Young Ceramist and Training Working Group leader (L. Winnubst) and of one senior ECerS Council member (V. Srdic). 

The new committee members introduced an application to the Journal of ECerS Trust to ask for support for its activities for the next 3 years which was approved by the Journal of ECerS Trust board of July 2016:

• Marketing tools will be developed in order to make the YCN known: the website will be updated; network tools such as Facebook – Twitter – LinkedIn will also be used, brochures will be professionally printed and a newsletter will be sent to the members. Oral and poster presentations about YCN have already been presented during conferences, workshops, summer schools, etc.
• YCN will co-organize the next “Student Evening” that will be held again during the 15th ECerS conference taking place in beautiful city of Budapest. Young ceramist researchers, that is, Master and PhD students including early stage PhD`s are all invited and will have an opportunity to socialize, interact and discuss their work in a warm and festive atmosphere, where short talks about scientist careers are planned for the evening as well. A great opportunity to start professional and/or friendly relationships, to initiate collaborative networks and plan lab visits. The newly established YCN committee will present itself and its activities, the Ceramic Social Club, Journal of ECerS Trust fund and much more.
• YCN will co-organize the next Students Meeting organised in Novi Sad, Serbia, in 2017.
• A YCN Network Workshop dedicated to young ceramists will be organized every 2 years and the first one will be organised in 2018.

For more information, please visit the YCN Ceramic Social Club Facebook page or the YCN Website or contact the ECerS secretariat or one of the YCN committee members:

• Erkka Frankberg - erkka.frankberg@tut.fi
• Laura Silvestroni - laura.silvestroni@istec.cnr.it
• Andraž Kocjan - a.kocjan@ijs.si
• Marie Lasgorceix - m.lasgorceix@bcrc.be
• Dominique Hautcoeur - d.hautcoeur@bcrc.be

For information, the last YCN Student Evening was organised on 23rd June 2015, during the ECerS Toledo Conference. During this event, Maria Herrero made a presentation on Innovative Training Networks (ITN) and Individual Fellowships (IF).