The MATRAC 2 School 2026

The MATRAC 2 School 2026 took place in the first week of March. The event was organised by Helmholtz‑Zentrum Hereon and brought together nearly 40 doctoral candidates and early‑career researchers from Germany, Sweden, and other countries for a week of training in materials research with neutron radiation.

The school was divided between two locations. The first part took place at Schloss Fürstenried in Munich and focused on theoretical foundations, including an introduction to modern approaches in research data management. Participants got to know the so-called data life cycle at a large-scale research facility, with an emphasis on FAIR principles.

Because the FRM II reactor is currently offline, the hands‑on part of the program drew heavily on virtual instruments. These simulations allowed participants to work through typical experimental procedures and data‑collection steps, even before setting foot in the reactor hall. Although not a substitute for real beamtime, the virtual environment provided a useful introduction to the instruments and workflows at the Heinz Maier-Leibnitz Zentrum in Garching.

Overall, the MATRAC 2 School offered a compact overview of both the theoretical and practical aspects of neutron scattering and related methods. The combination of lectures, discussion sessions, and virtual training gave attendees a solid basis for future experimental work at a neutron or synchrotron radiation source.

Author: Sebastian Busch