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| updated on 10 September 2026 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
| AF.I – From Discovery to Translation: Integrating Fast-Track Innovation, Advanced Delivery Systems, and Data-Driven Precision Nanomedicine AF.II – Advanced Materials for Space: Research Results, Industrial Impact and Future Directions AF.III – Application Workshop on Digital and 3D Confocal Microscopy and Laser Probe Profilometry with Nanometric Resolution AF.IV – Forum PNRR Sapienza AF.V – Cultural Heritage |
| ROOM 17 | |||
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AF.II Advanced materials and enabling technologies serving the new frontiers of space and life beyond Earth 14 september |
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| Chairs: Mirko ROCCI- CV, Thales Alenia Space & Alessandro GARIBBO, Leonardo (to be confirmed) | |||
| A Joint Thales Alenia Space / Leonardo Forum @ NanoInnovation 2026 | |||
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| SCIENTIFIC COMMITTEE Alessandro GARIBBO, Leonardo Mirko ROCCI - CV, Thales Alenia Space Walter PECORELLA, Thales Alenia Space Pasqualantonio PINGUE, SNS, Pisa Simone SCARDAPANE, Sapienza Università di Roma |
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| Space is one of the most demanding environments for materials. Extreme thermal gradients, radiation exposure, mechanical stress, and tight mass budgets push the boundaries of what existing materials can do — and define much of the research agenda for the next generation of space systems. This joint Forum by Thales Alenia Space and Leonardo brings together PhD researchers working at the intersection of materials science and industrial space applications. The Forum draws primarily on work conducted within PNRR-funded industrial doctoral programmes — a scheme that places researchers directly inside company environments, working alongside engineering teams on real industrial challenges. This context shapes the nature of the contributions: they are not purely academic studies, but research developed in close contact with product lines and technology roadmaps. The session also welcomes contributions from doctoral researchers active at Thales Alenia Space or Leonardo under other frameworks, provided the work addresses space materials with a clear industrial dimension. Topics covered include nanomaterials and advanced composites, thermal protection systems, electromagnetic shielding, and structural materials for lightweight architectures. Alongside these core engineering themes, the session also touches on an increasingly relevant frontier: materials that support human presence in space — from radiation-shielding solutions for crewed habitats to multifunctional materials designed for life support and long-duration mission environments. As human spaceflight moves from low Earth orbit toward the Moon and beyond, this class of materials is becoming a concrete industrial priority, not a distant research horizon. The Forum focuses on results — what has been achieved, what it means in practice, and where the research is heading beyond the current funding horizon. Several contributions also address how materials originally developed for space translate into terrestrial applications, from energy systems and advanced mobility to sustainable manufacturing and healthcare. Coordinated by a joint Thales Alenia Space / Leonardo scientific committee, the Forum reflects a shared commitment by both companies to doctoral research as a strategic tool for long-term technological development — and a model of structured industry collaboration that extends well beyond any single funding programme. |
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