The XXV International Conference of Young Geologists (ICYG 2026) was held on 14–17 May 2026 in the Renaissance castle Kostelec nad Černými lesy, Czech Republic, marking an important milestone in the history of this long-standing meeting. The 2026 edition was not only the 25th anniversary of the conference, but also the first time that ICYG was organised in the Czech Republic and the largest event organised by SGA – Student Chapter Prague in the history of our chapter. The conference was co-organised by the Faculty of Science, Charles University, together with SGA Student Chapter Prague, in cooperation with partner institutions from Slovakia and Poland.
This year, the conference brought together 102 participants affiliated with institutions from 14 countries: Czech Republic, Finland, France, Greece, Hungary, Italy, Lithuania, Morocco, Poland, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, Switzerland, and the United States of America. During the two scientific days, participants delivered 50 oral presentations and 29 poster presentations. The programme therefore reflected not only the modern scope of geosciences, but also the strong interest of students and young researchers in international scientific exchange.
An important part of the programme was the support provided by SGA, which contributed to the mineral deposits and economic geology sections of the conference. Thanks to the SGA Keynote Speaker Program, ICYG 2026 hosted Prof. Simon M. Jowitt as an invited keynote speaker. His lecture, entitled “Who needs mining, and who does mining need? The role of the minerals industry in modern society and climate change mitigation and opportunities for young geologists”, was one of the highlights of the conference and attracted wide interest among participants from many different geoscience backgrounds. The lecture offered a reflection on the role of the minerals industry in modern society and on the place of young geologists within current discussions on critical minerals, energy transition, and climate mitigation. In addition to the keynote lecture, SGA also supported student participation through travel grants for six selected SGA members presenting topics related to economic geology and mineral deposits.
The conference programme also included a dedicated SGA Mineral Deposits session as part of the Friday scientific programme. The session opened with a presentation by Anna Vymazalová and Marek Tuhý introducing SGA activities and opportunities for students. This offered a direct way to present the Society to a broad audience of young geoscientists, including many potential future members.
During the conference, we also organised an SGA members meeting, which focused on future cooperation among SGA Student Chapters, possibilities for broader international collaboration, and the potential establishment of new student chapters. The meeting provided an opportunity to exchange ideas, share experiences, and build connections among students and early-career researchers interested in the future development of the SGA network.
Another very appreciated contribution from SGA was the donation of Springer books in the field of economic geology, which were awarded as prizes to the winners of the best student presentations. In total, awards were presented to the authors of the three best student oral presentations and the three best student poster presentations. These prizes, together with support from other conference partners, helped recognise excellent student work and added a strong motivational element to the meeting.
The meeting began with an icebreaker in a local brewery, continued with two days of scientific sessions and poster presentations, and concluded with a post-conference excursion in the wider Kutná Hora region. The excursion introduced participants to the geology and mining history of central Bohemia, including Bohemian garnet, the Kutná Hora crystalline complex, and the famous silver mining heritage of the region.
We would like to acknowledge SGA for its support of ICYG 2026, in particular through the keynote lecture, travel grants, and presentation prizes. This support contributed to the scientific programme and the international character of the 25th edition of the conference. Further details about the conference are available on the event website.
