2025 FEMS Master Thesis Award poster.jpg

In 2018 FEMS created a new European wide masters competition to showcase the best masters students across Europe. The FEMS Masters Thesis award is intended to recognize the best Masters Thesis on Materials Science and Engineering, presented in any academic institution from the country of any FEMS member Society. FEMS Member Societies may nominate one candidate per year.
The 2025 FEMS Masters Thesis final will take place during 2025 FEMS EUROMAT in Spain (Granada, 14-18 September).

All finalists should be confirmed to secretary@fems.org not later than 1 May 2025.

List of 2024 FEMS Master Thesis National finals

Eligibility

To be eligible, the Masters Thesis should have been obtained up to a maximum of two academic years before the FEMS final takes place. For the 2025 edition, eligible entrants must have obtained their degree in 2023 and 2024).

Nominations

Each FEMS Member Society taking part in the competition organises their own local heat and the winner from each local/national event goes forward to the European Final. The Member Society covers the travel and subsistence costs for their candidate.
Entries must include the following:
- Entry form
- Citation (100 words max) listinf the entrant's major thesis achievements
- Extended summary of the thesis (2 pages max)
- Letter of support
- Entrant's CV

Criteria & Penalties

To ensure all entrants compete under the same circumstances, the same judging criteria and penalties used at the 2023 final must be used at the institutional heats and national finals.:
- Abstract (15 marks)
- Quality and structure of presentation (20 marks)
- Materials science content (40 marks)
- Timing of presentation [one mark will be deducted for each minute the presentation is over or under 10 minutes] (10 marks)
- Handling of questions from the judges (15 marks)

FEMS Masters Thesis Award Final

At the Final, candidates will give a 10 minute presentation on their Master Thesis using PowerPoint, followed by a short Q&A session of questions posed by members of the judging panel.
The panel will score each candidate and to decide the overall winner who will be announced later during the conference.

PRIZES

All finalists will receive a fee waiver to attend 2025 FEMS EUROMAT and a certificate.
Top-3 finalists will also receive cash prizes:
1st place: €1.200,00
2nd place: €1.000,00
3rd place: €800,00

FEMS Masters Thesis Award - Past Winners