Successful participation at the 23rd CBGA Congress in Cluj-Napoca

The 23rd Congress of the Carpathian-Balkan Geological Association (CBGA) has come to an end. The conference was hosted by Babeș–Bolyai University in Cluj-Napoca from 9 to 11 September.

The conference was one of the key events in this year’s scientific programme of the MTA–HUN-REN CSFK Lendület "Momentum" PannonVolcano Research Group. Almost all members of our research group participated in the event, presenting our latest research results in 12 oral presentations and two posters. Our contributions covered volcanic formations of the Carpathian–Pannonian region, processes of magma generation and volcanic activity, as well as the related cultural heritage.

Our researchers also played an active role in the scientific programme of the conference: four members of our group chaired a total of five scientific sessions.

It was a particular honour that Szabolcs Harangi, together with three distinguished Romanian researchers, was invited to give a plenary lecture on the Neogene–Quaternary volcanism of the Carpathian–Pannonian region and its geodynamic context. The lecture was based on a comprehensive review paper co-authored with Ioan Seghedi and Réka Lukács, which will appear in a volume of the Geological Society of London Special Publications series and has already been available online since late 2024.

We also participated in field trips associated with the conference. These provided particularly inspiring opportunities to explore and discuss the geology and volcanic formations of the region directly in the field.

A scientific conference like this, however, is about much more than presentations and posters. Equally important are the opportunities to meet old and new colleagues, exchange ideas, engage in stimulating scientific discussions, and develop new collaborations.

From this perspective, the CBGA Congress in Cluj-Napoca was also an extremely rewarding and inspiring experience. The work of our research group received a great deal of positive feedback and recognition, and we returned home with many new ideas, professional connections, and plans for future research.

Many thanks to the organisers for an excellent conference and their wonderful hospitality!