When we started eight years ago, we initially planned to organize a single technology day reserved for Italian colleagues. We could not have imagined that our event would grow so quickly and become so popular in the international polymer science community. This year we have hosted more than 90 participants from different European countries: Belgium, France, Germany, Greece, Poland, Spain and the United Kingdom, as well as Italy. We are honored that so many outstanding scientists have joined us from such distant regions to share experiences and ideas and work together on the exciting field of polymers.

During the three days of the congress, 54 oral scientific communications have been released, of which 3 keynotes, 21 invited lectures, 30 short oral communications, as well as 12 poster communications. The poster session has taken place on the first two days of the congress during the lunchtime. This rich communications program testifies the interest aroused by topics relating to the science of polymers and the liveliness of research in this discipline.

The keynote lectures have been held by leading personalities in the international scientific community:

• “Computer aided process design: opportunities and challenges in polymer science and technology”, by Ilenia Rossetti, University of Milan, Italy.
• “Natural and sustainable polymers of bacterial origin and their biomedical applications”, by Ipsita Roy, University of Sheffield, UK.
• “Thermal and mechanical properties of furan based thermoplastics and biobased epoxy thermosets”, by Nicolas Sbirrazzuoli, University of Côte d’Azur, France.

Many other important contributions were presented in the following areas:

• Bioactive polymers, nanomedicine
• Bioplastics Green chemistry, synthesis of polymers from renewable sources; eco-compatibility assessment of polymers
• Life cycle assessment of polymers
• Crystallization of polymers
• Nanocomposites
• Water purification
• Polymeric biomaterials
• Polymeric flame retardants
• Polymer processing
• Synthesis of complex macromolecular architectures

The proposed themes clearly indicate that the sustainability of polymers is nowadays a hot topic. Polymer scientists must indeed face the challenge of continuing to improve the functional properties of polymers while addressing the issue of sustainability.

On the first congress day, June 5th, we have invited participants to take part in a social event, an Apericena, that is, aperitif and buffet. The location was the Cafè & Restaurant Piccolo Teatro Grassi, located in Milano downtown. We have reached this location walking together and enjoying the beauty of Milan.

One of the aims of the Milan Polymer Days events is to valorize the participation of young scientists, to help boost their careers. As in all previous editions, we have organized a Best Poster Award competition for Young Scientists. The international award committee was made up of Professor Paweł Chmielarz, Rzeszow University of Technology, Poland, and Doctor Monika Dobrzynska-Mizera, Poznan University of Technology, Poland.

Two prizes were awarded for the following communications:

“Carbon dots as photocatalysts in photoinitiating systems for photopolymerization processes in 3D printing application” by Agnieszka Sysło, Ph.D. candidate at the Cracow University of Technology, Poland;

“Toughening effect of 2,5-furandicaboxylate polyesters on polylactide-based compatibilized renewable fibers”, by Edoardo Zonta, Ph.D. candidate in Industrial Engineering at the University of Trento, Italy.

We have also prized the winner of the Mario Malinconico award for the best master’s degree thesis in polymer science, namely Chiara Strigini, University of Milan, Italy, who has presented the results of her research during the last oral session. The title of her communication has been: “Synthesis and study of bio-based polymers as compatibilizers for potato peel-polybutylene succinate blends”.

This year's novelty is that, to satisfy the requests of participation of Young Scientists, we have organized the MIPOL YOUNG Symposium, consisting in a rich program of sessions specifically dedicated to the short oral communications by Young Scientists. The MIPOL YOUNG Symposium has given them a unique opportunity to interact with an international audience. The symposium has been chaired by Dr. Ermelinda Falletta and Dr. Stefano Gazzotti.

Special prizes have been awarded for the two best oral communications, namely:

• “Reduction of heat release in unsaturated polyester resin-based thermosets: exploring the effect of in-situ grown SiO 2 nanoparticles for a transparent composite” by Arvindh Sekar, Swiss Federal Laboratories for Materials Science and Technology, Switzerland;

• “Heterophasic copolymers of isotactic polypropylene: development of methods for improving toughness without losing mechanical strength” by Angelo Giordano, University of Naples Federico II, Italy.

In her final speech, the congress chair, Professor Elisabetta Ranucci, has announced that the 9 th edition of the Milan Polymer Days congress, MIPOL2025, will be held from 17 to 20 June 2025 at Ca' Granda - University of Milan. We look forward to continuing this exciting experience and hosting many more brilliant scientists willing to share their knowledge in polymer science with us.