The journal Science Impact recently published 2 interviews with the FEMS president, Paloma Fernández Sánchez and with immediate past president, Brett Suddell on the subjects of international collaboration and supporting materials research in Europe and beyond.

“FEMS - International Collaboration is key”, Science Impact, 2018, N° 11, pp 52-53, can be consulted on the Ingenta Connect website here. This article includes a discussion on the following topics:

• FEMS’ key objectives,
• FEMS collaboration both downstream with its member societies and upstream as part of the European Materials Forum (EMF),
• How FEMS works to support its members in seven major areas of materials research,
• The background behind FEMS hosting Junior EUROMAT and what FEMS seeks to achieve with Junior EUROMAT conferences in addition to the major EUROMAT series,
• The FEMS range of awards, including the FEMS Masters thesis award,
• Interaction of FEMS with materials research societies and groups outside Europe and steps FEMS takes to promote the work of its members internationally.

“Supporting materials research in Europe and beyond”, Science Impact, 2018, N° 9, pp50-51 can be consulted on the Ingenta Connect website here. This article includes a discussion on the following topics:

• How FEMS supports its member societies,
• Steps taken by the Federation to ensure the fulfilment of its objectives,
• Critical issues facing FEMS and strategies implemented to address them,
• Gender equality in materials research,
• FEMS support for the next generation of researchers in materials science,
• Impact of the FEMS EUROMAT conference series,
• How FEMS participation in European projects supports furthering materials research.