WS.VI

ADVANCED IONIZING RADIATION TECHNOLOGIES FOR LIFE SCIENCES, MATERIALS ENGINEERING, AND SPACE EXPLORATION

17 September

WORKSHOP COMMITTEE
Rocco CARCIONE, ENEA
Alessia CEMMI, ENEA
Jessica SCIFO, ENEA

This mini-workshop focuses on recent advances in ionizing radiation technologies, encompassing gamma rays, X-rays, electron beams, and protons, for multidisciplinary applications across materials science, life sciences, and space exploration. The aim is to bring together researchers, engineers, and practitioners working across radiation physics, cultural heritage, aerospace engineering, and healthcare.
Particular emphasis will be placed on progresses in radiation processing, facility capabilities, routes for radiation-induced material functionalization, innovative preservation strategies for cultural heritage and agri-food, radiation tolerance, planetary exploration, radiation therapies and dosimetry.
Topics of interest include, but are not limited to:
• Irradiation facilities (gamma, electron beam, proton, neutron)
• High-energy/nuclear applications
• Radiation-induced material synthesis, functionalization, and defect engineering
• Non-destructive preservation and biodeterioration control for cultural heritage and agri-food
• Astrobiology and radiation shielding materials for space applications
• Advanced radiation therapies and dosimetric systems
Organized into two 90-minute sessions, this mini-workshop aims to foster interdisciplinary collaboration and provide insights into bridging the gap between fundamental radiation physics and high-impact industrial, aerospace, and clinical applications.

This session focuses on the technological cornerstone of radiation research: the specialized irradiation infrastructure, cutting-edge facilities, and their applications in extreme environments. The discussion will gather contributions regarding diverse ionizing radiation plants, including gamma, electron beam, and X-ray facilities, as well as specialized platforms dedicated to space environment simulation. A specific emphasis will be placed on proton and neutron irradiation facilities, which are crucial for assessing radiation hardness and displacement damage in advanced components.
Furthermore, the session will bridge the gap between material irradiation and large-scale physics frameworks, exploring the latest developments in high-energy physics and nuclear applications, with a dedicated focus on the structural and functional challenges in nuclear fusion technology. By addressing facility capabilities and dosimetry standards, this session aims to outline the foundational testing environments that enable next-generation nuclear, aerospace, and high-energy research.

This mini-workshop, organized into two 90-minute sessions, explores the expanding multidisciplinary impact and technical advantages of ionizing radiation technologies (gamma rays, X-rays, electrons, and protons). The event aims to provide a multidisciplinary forum to discuss recent innovations in cultural heritage and agro-food preservation, material testing for space exploration (including ISRU processes), and polymer modification/functionalization. Particular emphasis will also be placed on the development of advanced dosimetric systems, such as tissue-equivalent dosimeters, and the engineering of innovative radiation shielding materials for both medical and aerospace applications.