For the second time, the Department of Mathematics, Natural Sciences and Data Processing is organizing the traditional barbara conference, which will take place this year on November 19. This event, whose beginnings go back to the main focus of foundry and material technology at the Department M, is to be developed into a technology conference in the Friedberg location in the medium and long-term.

Laser technology and materials science are closely related to the topic of materials. This creates the opportunity to offer the university's alumni and industrial partners an information platform. At the same time, this opens up a professional home for the regional group of the Industry Association of German Foundry Specialists (VDG). This association has been organizing the afternoon event since the beginning of the Barbaratagungen more than forty years ago.

In keeping with the 50th anniversary of the invention of the laser, the morning programme deals with laser technology. Four former students will report as speakers from their respective professional environment. In the evening, a relaxed get-together is planned, to which former and current students, teachers, employees and all interested parties are invited.

In the future, too, speakers who have studied physical engineering or taught in this course should make contributions to the conference. In the preliminary planning for the year 2011 it is considered to choose a topical material topic.