Welcome

On behalf of the Scientific and Organizing Committees, we are pleased to welcome you to the 17th National Physical Chemistry Meeting (17ENQF) and the 1st Iberian Symposium on Critical Raw Materials (ISCRM), which will take place in Porto from 30 March to 2 April 2027.

The 17th National Meeting on Physical Chemistry (17ENQF) is organized by the Faculty of Sciences of the University of Porto (FCUP), under the auspices of the Physical Chemistry Division of the Portuguese Chemical Society (SPQ). Since its first edition in 1993, ENQF has served as an important forum for the Portuguese Physical Chemistry community. As in previous editions, the participation of students and early-career researchers is strongly encouraged. The Scientific Program will be released in due course and will feature a series of high-level plenary and invited lectures.

The 2027 edition will be centered on Energy, addressing the scientific and technological challenges associated with the energy transition, the development of innovative materials and processes, energy storage and conversion, as well as the role of Physical Chemistry in the understanding and optimization of these systems.

The meeting will also include oral and poster communication sessions, and all participants are warmly invited to submit contributions for consideration by the Scientific Committee.

In parallel, the 1st Iberian Symposium on Critical Raw Materials (ISCRM) will be held. Driven by the ambitious goals set by the European Critical Raw Materials Act, this symposium aims to serve as a strategic meeting point contributing to the redefinition of supply chains for essential mineral resources. This inaugural edition will bring together researchers, industry representatives, policymakers, and innovation clusters in the field of mineral resources. The main objective is to foster discussion on sovereign solutions for the supply, processing, and recycling of critical raw materials, transforming the geological potential of the Iberian Peninsula into a source of geopolitical resilience for Europe.

As a scientific cornerstone of this edition, the symposium will highlight the advances achieved within the framework of the integrated R&D project iChem4M – Innovation in Chemistry for Critical Raw Materials. Funded by the NORTE 2030 programme and coordinated by CIQUP – the Research Centre in Chemistry of the University of Porto, the project develops innovative solutions to challenges across the critical raw materials value chain, contributing to a more efficient, strategic, and responsible use of these resources.

We very much look forward to welcoming you to Porto in March/April 2027.