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The first committee of five gathered in a meeting room of the Belgian Ceramic Research Center and there we laid a strong foundation for the new and dynamic network dedicated for the Young Ceramists. Six years have passed since, and I’ve had the pleasure of seeing how YCN grew from a small group of friends and colleagues, into something bigger, something that was missing and something I feel proud of being part of.

Over the years, we’ve heard your success stories and how YCN helped you to achieve your career goals and dreams, whether it be collaboration, Ph.D./post-doc positions or funding. But most of all, YCN exists because the best memories and strongest bonds are created after the conference venue closes for the evening, and we gather to raise a toast together, to forget the hardships endured and to salute the new beginnings.

Today, YCN is an increasingly global network, with more than 1000 members in our main social media channels and YCN representatives from more than 25 countries around the world. The YCN is run by the executive committee, which I helped to create and run through the years, and to which I will now say farewell to, handing over the opportunity to a new candidate with fresh ideas.

However, the farewell is only partial, as I will surely stay connected to the YCN, which now seems such an obvious thing to do: networking is vital to be able to survive in the dynamic and demanding academic world. The world, where I now have so many good friends and colleagues. So, see you soon in the next ceramic meeting, somewhere, sometime, and let’s raise a toast to Young Ceramists!

Erkka Frankberg

Young Ceramist & Academy postdoctoral researcher at Tampere University