Keynote Speakers

Prof. Maik Gude
TU Dresden, Germany

Keynote Title:
Developments and challenges in failure analysis of multi material light weight structures
 

Short CV

Short description of this speech: Despite enormous progress in the field of cross-scale failure and damage analysis of composite materials and material composites in recent years, major challenges remain in the load-bearing capacity analysis of lightweight structures in multi-material designs. In particular, manufacturing influences must be reliably taken into account, especially in hybrid and multi material structures with different heterogeneous and anisotropic composite components that are joined by adhesive bonding and/or form-fitting joints. The contribution provides insights into current research in the fields of intrinsic hybrid composites, mechanically joined multi-material components, 3D-graded composite structures, and adhesively bonded large-scale structures in fiber composite design, and highlights open questions.

Prof. Katarína Monková 
Technical University of Kosice, Slovakia

Keynote Title: 
Exploiting physical laws and principles to design against failure in additive technologies and porous cellular structures applications

Short CV

A short description of this speech will be provided soon.

Prof. Keke Tang 
Tongji University, China

Keynote Title: 
Towards PINN-Assisted Fracture Analysis of Engineering Materials 
keynote lecture in memory of Professor George C. Sih

Short CV

A short description of this speech will be provided soon.

Prof. Anastasios Vassilopoulos 
EPFL, Switzerland

Keynote Title: 
Fatigue and fracture of composite materials and structures
 

Short CV

A short description of this speech will be provided soon.

Prof. Anna Zervaki 
National Technical University of Athens, Greece

Keynote Title: 
Materials for Liquid Hydrogen Storage and Transportation: Current status and future challenges
 

Short CV

Short description of this speech: Hydrogen (H₂) is emerging as a key energy carrier for low-emission energy systems, yet its storage and transportation in liquid form (~20 K, −253 °C) imposes stringent demands on materials and system design. Liquid hydrogen (LH₂) cargo containment systems in maritime applications require alloys capable of resisting hydrogen-induced degradation, including atomic hydrogen ingress, hydrogen-assisted cracking, phase transformations, and cryogenic embrittlement, particularly in welded and corrugated stainless-steel structures. Equally critical is the design of thermal insulation systems, which must minimize cryogenic heat flux to limit the boil-off rate (BOR) and ensure safe, efficient long-duration storage. Addressing these technical constraints requires targeted research, engineering solutions, and strategic investment to enable the safe, scalable deployment of LH₂ in maritime transport, supporting the transition to a sustainable low-carbon energy future. The lecture highlights recent results from the Shipbuilding Technology Laboratory of the National Technical University of Athens (STL/NTUA) within the HORIZON Projects LH2CRAFT and NICOLHy, focusing on materials performance for cryogenic hydrogen containment tanks and advanced insulation technologies for next-generation maritime applications.