Minisymposium at YIC 2025, Pescara, Italy

The Young Investigators Conference 2025 in Pescara, Italy, witnessed a successful minisymposium on “Atomistic, Nano, and Micro Mechanics of Materials” on September 18th. As the brainchild of Dr. Maximilian Ries and Lukas Laubert, the aim was to foster interdisciplinary collaboration at the intersection of atomistic, nano-, and micromechanics. Their collaborative efforts emphasized the critical exploration of micro- and nanostructures within materials, showcasing how these foundational elements influence material behavior on a macroscopic level. The symposium further served as a platform for scientists and researchers to delve into advanced modeling and testing approaches, ranging from particle-based and network-based methods to continuum approaches and experiments.

The intellectual exchange at the symposium was enriched by the contributions of co-researchers from FAU in the field: Lukas Laubert from the Institute of Applied Mechanics explored how the coupling quality of domain decomposition methods can be reasonably evaluated. Javad Karimi and Bakul Mathur, both from GeoZentrum Nordbayern, presented compelling research on the role of grain packing and pore distribution in fracture evolution of rock and a novel polyhedral DEM grain fracture model, respectively. From the Institute of Materials Simulation, Leon Pyka captivated with his work on “Tuning Fracture Behaviour in Architected Composite Materials”, and Kaijie Zhao, from the Institute of Multiscale Simulation of Particulate Systems, presented on a “Unified Framework for Strain Analysis in Pentatwinned Nanoparticles”. Finally, Maximilian Ries shared his insights on molecular dynamics in epoxy-based structural adhesives, underscoring the diversity and topicality of the symposium’s discussions. The event and its contributions served as a platform and foundation for future innovation and collaboration in material science, facilitating a richer understanding of the intricate mechanics at play.