The Young Environmental Forum (JUF) took place for the first time in 2013. The event offers young environmental chemistry and ecotoxicology students (PhD students, young professionals and Master's students) the opportunity to present their own (also preliminary) results from final theses or doctoral theses, to exchange ideas, to get to know each other and to engage in interdisciplinary discussions. Since 2021, the Junge Umweltchemie & Ecotoxicology (jUCÖT), the youth organisation of the division, the JUF - usually before the annual conference Umwelt. The JUF is usually introduced by a keynote lecture. Guests have included Prof Janet Hering (EAWAG) and Prof Gerd Hamscher (Justus Liebig University).
On 22 September 2025, the "Young Environmental Forum" (JUF) 2025 took place in Dessau-Roßlau, which was organised by the Young Environmental Chemistry & Ecotoxicology (jUCÖT) with the participation of SETAC-GLB in the run-up to the "Environment 2025" specialist group conference. The JUF is aimed at young scientists (doctoral students, Master's graduates and Bachelor's graduates) who want to gain their first experience of scientific conferences. The programme offered a diverse mix of lectures and poster sessions on current research topics. After the welcome and an introductory lecture by Dr Oliver Eberhardt (BMUKN) on the topic of "Chemicals (regulation) - opportunity or risk?", the participants presented their work in two lecture sessions on regulation and environmental monitoring. The topics ranged from veterinary drug assessments and RNA interference-based pesticides to automated assessment of ecotoxicological effects, the effects of micropollutants on dragonflies and pesticide toxicity in agriculture. In the two poster sessions, additional work on ecotoxicology and environmental analysis was presented, e.g. on chemical effects on snails, sorption of fertiliser inhibitors and PFAS adsorption. Another highlight was Dr Charlotte Henkel's interactive presentation on sample campaigns. As in previous years, the JUF provided an ideal platform for gaining initial conference experience, making contacts and exchanging ideas on the wide range of topics in environmental chemistry and ecotoxicology. The successful event impressively demonstrated the commitment and innovative research of the next generation of environmental scientists. We are therefore already looking forward to the JUF 2026 in Essen!
On 8 September 2024, the "Young Environmental Forum - JUF", organised by the Young Environmental Chemistry & Ecotoxicology (jUCÖT) with the participation of SETAC GLB, took place for the second time in Giessen in the run-up to the Environment 2024 specialist group conference. This year, in addition to a presentation of the young specialist group and its activities, there were exciting lectures by participating doctoral students in the morning. During the joint lunch break, there was the opportunity for discussion and exchange over pizza and cold drinks. Different expertise and perspectives also opened up some new aspects of the topics presented. This was followed by a private tour of the Justus Liebig Museum in Giessen by Prof Dr Gerd Hamscher (Professor of Food Chemistry and Food Technology), who explained Justus Liebig's remarkable life to the participants during the tour and presented his achievements at the place where he worked. In the end, both the organisers of JUF 2024 and the participants were very satisfied with a more than successful event! Especially for the young scientists who took part in Umwelt 2024 afterwards, it was an ideal opportunity to make contacts in advance. We are already looking forward to the next JUF in Dessau-Roßlau in 2025 and hope to see many participants!
On 11 September 2023, the "Young Environmental Forum - JUF", redesigned by the Young Environmental Chemistry & Ecotoxicology (jUCÖT) with the participation of SETAC-GLB (Society of Environmental Toxicology & Chemistry Europe, German-Language Branch e.V.), took place in Muttenz (Switzerland) for the first time in presence in the run-up to Environment 2023. The conference, which emerged from the "Young Environmental Chemistry Forum" and "Forum of Young Environmental Scientists", offers students and doctoral candidates from environmental science disciplines the opportunity to present their research at an early stage in the form of a lecture, to exchange ideas with other young scientists and to make new contacts. Almost 30 students and doctoral candidates from all over Germany and Switzerland came together for the event. The JUF was introduced by Janet Hering, a retired professor from ETH Zurich and EPFL and former director of Eawag, who gave a varied and interactive presentation on the topic of career opportunities in the natural sciences. This was followed by the participants' presentations. From endocrine disruptors, cytotoxicity and alternative test methods to geochemical indicators, hydrodechlorination, trace element accumulation and multi-element monitoring, a wide range of topics from ecotoxicology, environmental chemistry, geosciences and analytical method development were represented. Participants without their own contribution were also actively involved in the discussion and it was not uncommon for the many different expertises and specialist perspectives of the participants to provide exciting new aspects of the topics presented. The presentation by Stefan Höger on possible career prospects and entry opportunities at IES Ltd provided further variety in the programme of this year's JUF.
We look forward to the next JUF and would like to thank this year's sponsors ibacon GmbH, IES Ltd and Carbolution Chemicals GmbH!
On 6 September 2021, the Young Environmental Chemistry Forum (JUF) took place online for the first time under the auspices of the young environmental chemistry & ecotoxicology (jUCÖT) youth organisation, which was founded in April of this year. The JUF was introduced by an exciting presentation on the topic of "Biocides in bream, DIY stores and authorities - the interplay between research, policy advice and enforcement" by Stefanie Wieck from the Federal Environment Agency in Dessau-Roßlau. Afterwards, seven young scientists and young professionals presented their research on the topics of transformation processes, instrumental and effect-related analytics and nanotechnology/nanoparticles. The virtual audience also included curious young scientists and students without their own presentation, who took the opportunity to get a taste of the conference and ask questions. Each presentation was followed by a lively discussion and Q&A session with a total of 15 participants.
The third edition of the Forum of Young Environmental Scientists took place from 19-21 June 2017 in Münster and was organised by the specialist group together with the JCF (JungesChemieForum) Münster. Presentations and posters on all topics in the field of environmental chemistry and ecotoxicology were welcome, from analytics to effects, from soil to water to air, from measurement to modelling, from evaluation to regulation.
After the great success of the premiere in 2013, the specialist group hosted the second Forum of Young Environmental Scientists at Burg Blomberg from 22-24 June 2015 - again under the direction of Prof. Dr Christine Achten. Presentations and posters on all topics in the field of environmental chemistry and ecotoxicology, such as environmental analytics & impact assessment tools, problematic substances in the environment, environmental monitoring of chemicals, chemodynamics in water & sediment, bioavailability, transformation processes, air pollution & aerosol, environmental compartment distribution, effects of individual substances & mixtures, effects on biocoenoses, biodiversity, aquatic & terrestrial ecosystems, ecotoxicological modelling, risk assessment & QSAR, material flow management & environmental legislation, technical solutions and socio-ecological approaches were welcome.
Programme and abstracts
Flyer 2015
From 27-29 May 2013, the Forum of Young Environmental Scientists was held for the first time at the Burghotel Blomberg to improve networking among young environmental scientists in Germany. 23 participants from Germany and Austria from various fields of environmental chemistry and ecotoxicology were given the opportunity to present their work to an interested specialist audience and discuss it together. The event organised by the GDCh Environmental Chemistry & Ecotoxicology Division covered the topics of analysis, pollutant distribution in the environment, pollutant transformation, pollutant effects on organisms, chemical assessment, etc. and was chaired by Prof. Dr Christine Achten (University of Münster).
Detailed report: Mitt Umweltchem Ökotox 3/2013.
Flyer: Flyer 2013