We are pleased to announce that FMOCS VIII, the eighth international symposium in the Frontiers in Metal Oxide Cluster Science series, took place in Mainz, Germany, following previous conferences in Israel (Jerusalem, 2010), Spain (Lanzarote, 2012), France (Maffliers, 2014), the UK (Newcastle, 2016), China (Changchun, 2017), the US (Corvallis, 2019), and Spain (Tarragona, 2023).

With the agreement of the main organizer, Carsten Streb, the IRN supported the organization of YoungFMOCS, a one-day satellite symposium specifically designed for early-career researchers. The event was held on July 21, 2025, in Mainz, at the same venue as the FMOCS meeting.

The event was a great success, bringing together around 100 participants and fostering scientific exchange, networking, and professional development in a supportive and dynamic environment. The scientific program is available online. In total, the symposium included four invited lectures (Nadiia Gumerova, Lorenzo Casimiro, Dominic Shiels, and Max Hohenschütz), 14 oral presentations, and 13 flash communications.

In addition to the scientific sessions, a one-hour career development round table was organized to encourage informal dialogue between early-career and senior researchers. Discussions focused on key topics such as essential skills and experiences for career advancement, building a strong research network, and applying for postdoctoral fellowships and research grants.