A red thread through Dr. Somers’ scientific work is gas-metal interactions in surface engineering and gaseous corrosion along with microstructure characterization with microscopy, diffraction and spectroscopy.His work is of fundamental character with a technological importance and spin-off for industrial application. From 2000 to 2020 Marcel Somers has established and led an internationally visible section in Materials Science and Engineering with strong expertise in physical metallurgy, heat treatment, surface engineering, materials characterization and corrosion.