It is undeniable the major role of soils in ecosystem functions at very different spatial and temporal scales (local and global) from microscopic to macroscopic phenomena. Soil plays a fundamental role as sink and source of gases being part of the greenhouse effect and thus in the fight against climate change. Soil serves as an ecological buffer for numerous chemical species such as contaminants and fertilizers and is a major factor in the global hydrological cycle. The exchange of energy and mass takes places at the interface, where physical, chemical and biological processes determine their fate. Moreover, soil is a substrate that provides sustenance and nutrients to plants, microorganisms and higher organisms.

In view of the great demand for information regarding best practices for soil use and management, as well as remediation, new methods traditionally used in other areas have come into play to provide a better understanding of important soil processes and functions. With the arrival of powerful and more efficient computers, molecular modeling has become an important tool, offering insights into scales unattainable experimentally, being able to simulate complex molecular systems. The application of such methods in soil science has proven success to understand the interactions within soil at microscopic level, key to determine the fate of pollutants.

Following up the symposia organized in 2005 and 2009, this symposium represents an opportunity to bring together scientists of high prestige in different areas of molecular modeling applied to soil science to discuss the state-of-the-art, promote meaningful discussions and contrast in-depth points of view to determine future perspectives and challenges regarding molecular modeling applied to soil science. Furthermore, the symposium presents an opportunity to foster cooperation and dissemination of knowledge on methods for the simulation of representative soil models, according to today's needs as well as the prediction of physicochemical properties.

All participants will enjoy a pleasant atmosphere surrounded by other experts in fields of soil science. Molecular modeling methods applied to various areas in soil science will be covered but not limited. The symposium is open for the presentation of experimental techniques combined with molecular modeling studies such as the contributions in the field of microcalorimetry, Nano-SIMS, AFM, XANES and similar techniques. These will be divided into plenary sessions:

• Advances of MM methods in soil science
• Soil minerals
• Soil organic matter (SOM)
• Interactions of minerals and SOM
• Fate of contaminants in soils

During the three days of the symposium, there will be talks by experts, oral presentations and poster sessions to share the most recent advances in each field. On the second day, a mini workshop to build SOM models using the Vienna Soil Organic Matter Modeler (VSOMM) tool will be held in place.

The symposium will take place at the BOKU University, leader in the fields of life sciences in Europe and distinguished by its holistic and sustainability-based approach to research and teaching, located in the city of Vienna, renowned for its rich cultural heritage, stunning architecture, and vibrant arts scene.