We are organizing the next WOCSDICE/EXMATEC for you. We will do our best to attract excellent scientists, and we look forward to your participation and presentation of your latest research results.

Continuing the marine traditions (Cadiz 2025, Iraklion 2024, Palermo 2023, Ponta Dalgada 2022, etc.), WOCSDICE/EXMATEC 2026 will be held in Gdańsk, a Hanseatic town by the Baltic Sea. The town has a rich history, belonging to Poland, Germany, and was also a free town for many years. Moreover, the area around Gdansk was and is inhabited by Kashubians (our Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk has such ancestry!). The melting pot of Polish/German/Kashubian cultures makes Gdańsk very special and unique.

The ambition of the Conference organizers is to attract scientists from more countries than has been the case so far. Countries like China or India contribute significantly to the world's research on semiconductor materials and devices, and their presence in WOCSDICE/EXMATEC is very desirable.

The European Chips Act, which entered into force on 21 September 2023, is a European Union regulation aimed at strengthening the semiconductor ecosystem within the EU. It aims to boost semiconductor production, reduce reliance on external chip suppliers, and enhance the EU's technological leadership and resilience in the field. Hopefully, during the Gdansk Conference, the representatives of various EU Grants will present the progress of these projects.

In the name of the International Advisory Committee and the Organizing Committee, we heartily invite you to the conference. It will be a great event, and with your participation will be even greater.

I recommend coming with your family and staying for a few more days before or after the Conference. The visit to Gdansk and to the world’s largest castle in Malbork is “a must” in your life.