Annalisa Pola is a professor of Metallurgy at the Department of Mechanical and Industrial Engineering - DIMI, University of Brescia (Italy), where she was appointed full professor in 2019. At the same institution, she teaches courses within her field of expertise and serves as a member of the PhD Program Committee. Her research covers a wide range of topics, including standard and innovative foundry processes, liquid state Al alloy treatments, and the characterization of components for foundry and additive manufacturing. Her studies also involve the correlation between microstructure and mechanical properties, failure analysis of metallic components, and the rheological behavior of semi-solid alloys. Currently, her main research focus is dedicated to recycled alloys for structural components and the effect of trace elements in mitigating the impact of impurities within secondary aluminum alloys for casting. She has co-authored approximately 150 scientific publications, which have received more than 2,100 citations.
Ronald Schnitzer is a professor of Physical Metallurgy and works in the Department of Materials Science at Montanuniversität Leoben in Austria. After receiving his PhD, he worked at voestalpine Böhler Welding, heading the research and development department until 2016. He was appointed professor in 2016 and has headed the Chair of Physical Metallurgy since 2022. His research interests focus on investigating the processing–structure–property relationship of metallic materials, with a focus on advanced steels. High-resolution characterization methods, such as atom probe tomography, are used to obtain quantitative information on the composition of phases and on their correlation with mechanical properties. Currently, his main focus is the development of sustainable steels and the influence of increased contents of tramp elements. He is a co-author of more than 100 publications, which have been cited more than 1,900 times.
Key topics include innovative and sustainable alloy design concepts, integrated computational materials engineering (ICME), and advanced processing technologies. Special attention is given to in-situ characterization techniques, which provide real-time insights into phase transformations and deformation mechanisms, enabling more efficient design of high-performance steels.
The symposium also explores emerging applications across sectors such as energy, transportation, and infrastructure, with a strong emphasis on sustainability, circularity, and lifecycle considerations.
By bringing together researchers and practitioners from diverse backgrounds, the symposium provides a platform for sharing knowledge, discussing challenges, and identifying future directions. Participants will engage with recent breakthroughs and contribute to shaping the next generation of advanced steels.
Join us in advancing structural steel technology,where scientific insight, digital innovation, and industrial needs converge to address tomorrow’s challenges.
Lightweight alloys feature a unique combination of strength, durability, and low density. They are key in the automotive and aerospace industries, where weight reduction leads to better fuel efficiency, lower emissions, and improved performance.
These alloys are cost-effective compared to other lightweight materials, aluminum and titanium show high corrosion resistance, most can be fabricated by many routes to complex shapes using conventional and additive manufacturing processes. In addition, they can be recycled indefinitely, and magnesium and titanium feature high biocompatibility.
All these properties of light alloys and composites enable designers and engineers to create more innovative and efficient products in many industries.
This symposium will be a meeting point for light alloys professionals and researchers to share their knowledge, showcase their advances, and discuss the exciting present and future of light alloys and composites.
With the expected contributions, the symposium will be an excellent opportunity for knowledge exchange and networking for all the participants.
