On 2^nd September 2025, the ESFSS Pre-Day for Early Career Scientists took place at the ZAG Fire Laboratory in Logatec. The event was designed for MSc and PhD students as well as postdoctoral researchers in fire safety science and engineering, offering them a unique opportunity to connect, learn, and exchange ideas.

The Pre-Day was organized by Nik Rus and Martin Veit. Throughout the day, Martin supported the facilitation of the large-scale test, while Nik guided the participants and ensured the program ran smoothly.

The program began with transport from Ljubljana and a participant activity focused on presentations and networking. The scientific part of the day featured two keynote lectures:

• Prof Bart Merci on Policy and AI
• Prof José Torero on The Benefits of Collaboration in Research

Participants also enjoyed a guided lab tour, followed by a highlight of the day: a large-scale demonstration of the ETICS façade experiment. The demonstration concluded with a panel discussion, where participants reflected on their observations and discussed broader implications for fire safety science and engineering.

The Pre-Day successfully combined technical knowledge, hands-on experience, and meaningful discussions. It provided early career researchers with valuable insights while fostering collaboration across the international fire safety community.