Last updated 22/09/2025
Empowering young chemists
At EYCN, we’re dedicated to fostering the growth of young chemists through direct support and initiatives. We actively engage with chemical societies to provide project support to empower emerging talents in the field.
Chemical societies can request support for projects through their respective delegates. To submit a proposal, please download the Project Proposal Form below.
Join us in our mission to nurture the next generation of chemical innovators and leaders.
What Should Stick?
Keeping up with the world of research isn’t easy. If you ever feel overwhelmed trying to shift through the constant stream of scientific news, the What Should Stick? Project might be just what you need.
The project delivers the highlights from research conducted by young, ambitious chemists – all in a clear, concise format. Each update is no longer than a sticky note: under 100 words!
New Sticky Notes, after previous evaluation, are featured monthly in EYCN Newsletter. Want to stay in the loop? Simply sign up for the Newsletter!
And if you’d like us to promote your research, we warmly encourage you to submit your own Sticky Note – just make sure to check out the Rules and Regulations first (there you can also find link for the template file)!
What Can I Be With a PhD?
You are not sure what you want to do after your PhD? Join EYCN’s webinar series “What Can I Be with a PhD?” and get insights into all the possibilities you have after finishing your PhD. We will invite speakers from a variety of fields who will explain their career path to you and will be open for questions at the end of the webinar.
Take a look at the previous speakers:
EYCN Podcast
You want to hear something about the latest chemistry research while walking the dog, washing the dishes, or doing your laundry? We have got you covered! In late 2020, the EYCN started a new science podcast to present current research topics in chemistry and related sciences to a general audience.
With this podcast, the EYCN wants to make current chemical research more accessible and demystify currently discussed science topics in the news. The target audience is not only chemists who want to explore topics beyond their own research, but also science-interested people in the general public. Each episode focuses on a highly discussed field or research topic. The EYCN gives a short introduction and interviews an expert in the field. Furthermore, they are highlighting some of the most interesting stories in chemical research in the last month.
Eurospectives
Three questions are asked from scientists across Europe to explore the range of views on key topics in science.
Science for Policy
An overreaching objective of the Science Policy Team has been to provide a platform for young chemists to contribute to the policy-making process in Europe. Since such a platform has not existed previously, the initial milestone has thus been to set a path towards establishing it. As a result, early-career chemists would have a better understanding of policy-making as well as the opportunity for involvement, thereby having a broader impact on our society globally.
Some of the activities and initiatives lead by Science Policy Team
- Supporting EuChemS in science (for) policy activities and identifying the opportunities for young chemists to engage with policy-makers in Europe.
- Providing a comprehensive overview of the activities and guidelines for the Delegates
- Contributing to a database of early-career chemists and their field of expertise
- information for surveys (such as the Employability Survey)
- Organizing seminars and workshops on topics related to policy advice. For instance, during the 15th Delegate Assembly in Sitges, an interactive “Science (for) Policy Session” took place. The main purpose was to identify key policy concerns, discuss options to actively engage, formulate strategies to address, and form a team for the European Youth Event (EYE).
- Communicating information about the projects and developments to the delegates and the public on different platforms, such as scientific journals, newsletters, and social media:
- Pursuing independent collaborative opportunities and partnerships with academic, industrial, and governmental representatives (e.g. participation in events and dialogues around the initiatives and various legislations), such as with the European Commission and the National Science Policy Network, and others.
- Contributing to the “legislative process” in any appropriate capacity, such as through (a) actively monitoring the activities and the legislative process, as well as (b) providing expertise through the shared database of experts when required while keeping EuChemS informed.
- Striving to contribute to long-term sustainability in Europe as well as globally, such as through partnerships evolving around the European Green Deal and advocating for sustainability in education, as well as organising webinars and workshops on the topic.
Attending science policy events in Europe and abroad
- The IUPAC event on politics in chemistry (YouPack, Summer 2019)
- The European Youth Event (2020)
- European Research & Innovation Days (2020)
- Discussion at the EU Parliament in collaboration with Knowledge4Innovation
EYCN Webinars
The European Young Chemists’ Network (EYCN) has hosted various webinars directed at a broad audience over the last years.
You can find detailed information about the individual series that were (co-)hosted by the EYCN below and in this article.
Mentorship: The Secret Key to Academic Life
Are you interested in learning more about mentoring, why we need mentors, and how to choose a good one? Then register for our upcoming webinar with Jen Heemstra!
Industry-Academia Collaborations
Are you interested in industry-academia collaborations? Then, our upcoming discussion featuring everything from students over a start-up to an incubator and an international company is exactly the thing for you!
EYCN-IYCN Collaboration Webinars on COVID-19
During the pandemic, the European Young Chemists’ Network (EYCN), had to find new and exciting ways of reaching our audience. Thus, the EYCN, in cooperation with the International Younger Chemists Network (IYCN), organised a series of webinars on COVID-19 and related topics. These webinars focused on dealing with COVID-19 (in terms of medical details, mental health, job hunting during the pandemic, and teaching) as well as various international awards relevant to early-career chemists.
Chemists Fighting COVID-19 – The Status QUO
CatalysisTalks
The European Young Chemists’ Network (EYCN) and the Young European Catalysis Network (YEuCat) teamed up to start an online seminar series on catalysis research named CatalysisTalks. Each session of the series, which launched in Mid-May 2020, hosts three speakers from various countries and career stages with a particular focus on enabling early-career chemists to present their research.
Follow @CatalysisTalks on Twitter or LinkedIn!
Register for the series here (for free)!
Read more about this series in the article “CatalysisTalks – Bringing Research to the World during the COVID-19 Pandemic”.
e-YCN@ECC Online Sessions
The European Young Chemists’ Network (EYCN) also hosted some of the 2020 in-person planned events online to continue supporting the young chemists’ community in remaining connected and keeping the interest in networking activities high. Among them, the e-YCN@ECC event was organized due to the postponement of the 8th EuChemS Chemistry Congress (ECC8) until 2022. The online event included multiple sessions about the future in chemistry, different career opportunities and professional development for young scientists in academia and industry. Particular attention was devoted to grant writing through two workshops aimed at providing useful tips for writing competitive MSCA and European Research Council grant proposals.
The following sessions are available to view online:
Session 1: Future in Chemistry
Session 2: Grant Writing Workshop
Session 3: Career Workshop
Session 5: Science Communication Workshop