JUF
The Young Environmental Forum (JUF) was held for the first time in 2013. The event offers young researchers in environmental chemistry and ecotoxicology (doctoral candidates, early-career professionals and Master’s students) the opportunity to present their own (including preliminary) results from dissertations or doctoral theses, exchange professional knowledge, get to know one another and engage in interdisciplinary discussions. Since 2021, the Young Environmental Chemistry & Ecotoxicology (jUCÖT), the youth organisation of the Division, has organised the JUF – usually before the annual Environmental conference. The JUF is generally opened with a keynote lecture.
As in previous years, the Young Environmental Forum (JUF) will take place ahead of Umwelt 2026. Early-career researchers in environmental chemistry, ecotoxicology and related degree programmes can present parts of their master’s or doctoral theses in the form of short presentations or poster pitches in a small, informal setting. It is good practice for the main conference!
Date: 2 September 2026
Time: 09:00
Registration deadline: 15 July 2026
Register here
On 22 September 2025, the “Young Environmental Forum” (JUF) 2025 took place in Dessau-Roßlau. It was organised by the young environmental chemistry and ecotoxicology (jUCÖT), with the participation of SETAC-GLB, ahead of the “Environment 2025” Division conference. The JUF is aimed at early-career researchers (doctoral researchers, master’s graduates and bachelor’s graduates) who wish to gain their first experience of scientific Conferences. The programme offered a varied mixture of lectures and poster sessions on current research topics. Following the welcome address and an introductory lecture by Dr. Oliver Eberhardt (BMUKN) on the topic “Chemicals (regulation) – opportunity or risk?”, participants presented their work in two lecture sessions on regulation and environmental monitoring. The topics ranged from assessments of veterinary medicinal substances and RNA interference-based pesticides, through the automated assessment of ecotoxicological effects, to the impacts of micropollutants on dragonflies and pesticide toxicity in agriculture. The two poster sessions additionally featured work on ecotoxicology and environmental analysis, for example on chemical effects on snails, the sorption of fertiliser inhibitors and PFAS adsorption. Another highlight was the interactive lecture by Dr. Charlotte Henkel on sampling campaigns. As in previous years, the JUF provided an ideal platform for gaining initial experience of Conferences, making contacts and exchanging ideas on the broad 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 JUF 2026 in Essen!
On 8 September 2024, the “Young Environmental Forum – JUF”, organised for the second time by the Young Environmental Chemistry & Ecotoxicology group (jUCÖT), took place in Gießen ahead of the Environmental 2024 Conference, with the participation of SETAC GLB. This year, the morning programme included an introduction to the Young Division and its activities, as well as fascinating presentations by participating doctoral researchers. During the shared lunch break, pizza and soft drinks provided an opportunity for discussion and exchange. The different areas of expertise and perspectives also opened up new aspects of some of the topics presented. This was followed by a private guided tour of the Justus Liebig Museum in Gießen, led by Prof. Dr. Gerd Hamscher (Professor of food chemistry and food technology), who introduced the participants to Justus Liebig’s remarkable life and presented his achievements at the place where he worked. At the end, both the organisers of JUF 2024 and the participants were highly satisfied with an extremely successful event! For the early-career scientists in particular, who subsequently also attended Environmental 2024, it was an ideal opportunity to make contacts in advance. We are already very much looking forward to the next JUF in 2025 in Dessau-Roßlau and hope to see many participants!
On 11 September 2023, the redesigned “Young Environmental Forum – JUF”, organised by young environmental chemistry & ecotoxicology (jUCÖT), took place in person once again in Muttenz (Switzerland), ahead of Umwelt 2023, with the participation of SETAC-GLB (Society of Environmental Toxicology & Chemistry Europe, German-Language Branch e.V.). The early-career conference, which emerged from the “Young Environmental Chemistry Forum” and “Forum of Young Environmental Scientists”, offers students and doctoral researchers from environmental science disciplines the opportunity to present their research, even at an early stage, in the form of a lecture, exchange ideas with other young scientists and make new contacts. Almost 30 students and doctoral researchers from across Germany and Switzerland came together for this purpose. The JUF began with Janet Hering, who, as a retired professor at ETH Zurich and EPFL and former director of Eawag, delivered a varied and interactive lecture on career opportunities in the natural sciences. This was followed by the participants’ lectures. The diverse range of topics included endocrine disruptors, cytotoxicity and alternative testing methods, geochemical indicators, hydrodechlorination and trace-element accumulation, as well as multi-element monitoring, covering ecotoxicology, environmental chemistry, geosciences and analytical method development. Participants without their own contribution were also actively involved in the discussions, and the many different areas of expertise and professional perspectives often gave rise to exciting new aspects of the topics presented. Stefan Höger’s lecture on possible career prospects and entry opportunities at IES Ltd. provided further variety in this year’s JUF programme. 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 leadership of the young environmental chemistry & ecotoxicology (jUCÖT) youth organisation of the Division, which had been founded only in April that year. The JUF opened with an engaging lecture on the topic “Biocides in bream, DIY stores and the authorities – interaction between research, policy advice and enforcement” by Stefanie Wieck from the German Environment Agency in Dessau-Roßlau. Seven early-career researchers and young professionals then presented their research on transformation processes, instrumental and effect-based analysis, and nanotechnology/nanoparticles. The virtual audience also included curious early-career researchers and students without a presentation of their own, who took the opportunity to experience the atmosphere of a conference and ask questions. After each lecture, the 15 participants engaged in lively discussions and question-and-answer sessions.
The third edition of the Young Environmental Scientists Forum took place from 19–21 June 2017 in Münster and was organised by the Division together with the JCF (JungesChemieForum) Münster. Talks and posters on all topics in the field of environmental chemistry and ecotoxicology were welcome, from analysis to effects, from soil via water to air, from measurement to modelling, from assessment to regulation.
Flyer 2017
Following the great success of the premiere in 2013, the Division invited participants to the second Young Environmental Scientists Forum at Blomberg Castle from 22–24 June 2015 —again under the direction of Prof. Dr. Christine Achten. Presentations and posters on all topics relating to environmental chemistry and ecotoxicology, such as environmental analysis & tools for assessing effects, substances of concern in the environment, environmental monitoring of chemicals, chemodynamics in water & sediment, bioavailability, transformation processes, air pollution & aerosols, environmental compartment distribution, effects of individual substances & mixtures, effects on communities, biodiversity, aquatic & terrestrial ecosystems, ecotoxicological modelling, risk assessment & QSAR, substance flow management & environmental legislation, technical solutions and socio-ecological approaches to solutions, were welcome.
Programme and abstracts
Flyer 2015
To improve networking among young environmental scientists in Germany, the Forum for Young Environmental Scientists was held for the first time at Burghotel Blomberg from 27–29 May 2013. Twenty-three participants from Germany and Austria, working in a wide range of areas 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 Division of Environmental Chemistry & Ecotoxicology covered the areas of analytics, the distribution of pollutants in the environment, pollutant transformation, the effects of pollutants on organisms, chemical assessment, among others, and was led by Prof. Dr. Christine Achten (University of Münster).
2013 Flyer