About > About YCM2

The French Crystallographic Association (AFC), created in 1953, faces the fact that crystallography becomes an endangered discipline (it has already been ruled so in Germany, for instance). Few early career researchers (PhD students, postdoctoral researchers and recently tenured staff) identify as crystallographers, despite using crystallography in their researches. To overcome this issue, a Young Crystallographers’ Meeting (YCM1) was organized in Strasbourg in September 2023 in collaboration with the German Society for Crystallography (DGK) to initiate the creation of an AFC young crystallographers section, inspired by a similar section in the DGK. 

The YCM international meetings aim at:

1/ Uniting early-career crystallographers in France and Europe.
2/ Promote interdisciplinary scientific exchanges (bringing together chemistry, physics, biology and cultural heritage) and initiate future collaborations.
3/ Promoting career opportunities in Industry, with interventions of crystallographers working in the industrial sector.

The success of the YCM1 (63 people attended, from several countries and different fields) showed that there is a true interest for such event that’s why, in association with other European young crystallographers groups, we would try to organize this event regularly. Thus, we are organizing a YCM2 at Rennes, from the 2nd to the 5th of December 2025, at the Rennes Institute of Chemical Sciences. This event is aimed at European young crystallographers from all fields (biology, chemistry, physics and cultural heritage). It will be co-organized by the young crystallographers section of the AFC and representatives from the young crystallographers groups of the German, Italian, English and Polish societies as well as the representatives of the European crystallographers association. 

The YCM2 is set in an international context to promote exchange and networking across European countries, with the aim of building and consolidating the career plans of the participants. Its purpose is also to allow each participant to present their research in an international context, with modest fees attracting early career attendees. 

Finally, organizing this event with other European early career networks will allow the transfer of skills and build links across European borders and further, since PhD students often move abroad at the end of their thesis. Through this international event in France, aimed at young crystallographers, we hope to attract new members to our scientific network.