Federica Dei has been awarded first prize at the 8th edition of the ISWA (International Solid Waste Association) YPG (Young Professionals Group) Online Conference 2025 for her research titled: “Modeling Future Waste From the Energy Transition: A Forecast-Oriented Approach For Italy.” The ISWA YPG had invited young professionals under the age of 35 to submit abstracts for the conference, held under the theme “Towards a Wasteless Future or Wasteful Planet.” All submitted abstracts were reviewed by the Conference Scientific Committee. A total of 45 abstracts were received, of which 44% were rejected. Reflecting on the award, Federica commented: > “The ISWA YPG Online Conference has been an incredible opportunity to connect > with scientists and waste experts from around the world, leaving me with such > positive energy. > > I’m honoured to receive this recognition for my work on forecasting waste from > the energy transition. Assessing and quantifying these complex, > resource-intensive waste streams is essential to truly close the loop and turn > future challenges into opportunities — not only for the sector, but far > beyond. > > For me, it’s about realizing that despite our distances and differences, we > face similar issues and share a common commitment to finding solutions. It’s > powerful to see how science and technology can bring us together for a better > future on our planet.” L'articolo Federica Dei Wins First Prize at the 8th ISWA YPG Online Conference 2025 proviene da DICA - Polimi.

Dr. Marco Carlo Rampini was recently awarded the “Young Researcher Best Paper Award on Corroded Reinforced Concrete Structures” at the fibCACRCS 2025 – Capacity Assessment of Corroded Reinforced Concrete Structures conference, held at the Lecco Campus of Politecnico di Milano. The award was granted for the presentation of the scientific contribution entitled “Analytical Investigation of the Structural Impact of Artificially-Induced Corrosion in Reinforced Concrete Dapped-End Beams”, developed in collaboration with co-authors Katherina Flores Ferreira, Giulio Zani, and Marco di Prisco. L'articolo Marco Carlo Rampini awarded the “Young Researcher Best Paper Award on Corroded Reinforced Concrete Structures” at fibCACRCS 2025 proviene da DICA - Polimi.

ASCE Reads interviewed Professor Fabio Biondini on the occasion of the publication of the book Effects of Climate Change on Life-Cycle Performance of Structures and Infrastructure Systems: Safety, Reliability, and Risk, which he co-edited with Zoubir Lounis and Michel Ghosn. The volume, published by ASCE Press, is the result of a three-year interdisciplinary project funded by ASCE, involving over 40 researchers including structural engineers and climate scientists. The main goals of the project were: * To review available information on climate change * To outline methods for updating current design standards to account for climate change effects on structural performance over time * To identify methodologies and tools for addressing the impact of climate change on the safety, risk, and life-cycle performance of structures and infrastructure systems 👉 Read the full interview: asce.org/publications-and-news/… 📘 Explore the book: ascelibrary.org/doi/book/10.1061/9780784485804 L'articolo Professor Fabio Biondini interviewed by ASCE on the future of structures in a changing climate proviene da DICA - Polimi.

We are pleased to inform you that applications are now open for Switch2Product (S2P), the Innovation Challenge of Politecnico di Milano. S2P is aimed at students, researchers, PhD candidates, faculty members and alumni who wish to turn a technology, idea or research project into a real startup. The program supports participants through every phase of startup development, providing concrete tools, targeted training, mentoring from industry experts, financial grants, and access to a vibrant ecosystem of investors, companies and fellow entrepreneurs. Program structure: 📩 Application Fill out the form at s2p.it by September 1st, 2025 (first batch deadline). ✅ First selection – 100 teams The most promising projects will access the Innovation Fundamentals program: 8 weeks of training on problem/solution fit, go-to-market strategy, and market analysis. 🏆 Second selection – 50 finalists A jury made up of organizers and partners will assign financial grants and in-kind services to support startup development. 🚀 Incubation – 3 months The selected startups will join an intensive program focused on IP strategy, fundraising, and sector-specific workshops. 🤝 Matching Day Structured meetings with corporates and investors to foster synergies, collaborations, and concrete growth opportunities. For more information, visit: https://www.s2p.it L'articolo Applications now open for Switch2Product 2025-26 proviene da DICA - Polimi.

Professors Maria Cristina Rulli and Valentina Zega, affiliated with the Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering at Politecnico di Milano, have been elected as Ordinary and Junior Members for 2025, respectively, of the Accademia di Ingegneria e Tecnologia (ITATEC). Founded in 2022 under the auspices of the National Academy of the Lincei, ITATEC aims to foster the exchange of knowledge between universities, research institutions, and industry, providing independent assessments and recommendations to stakeholders, policymakers, and civil society. The founding members, together with those elected based on merit, form a stable body of impartial experts capable of representing the most authoritative positions within the technical-scientific community. ITATEC is actively involved in the European Council of Applied Sciences, Technologies and Engineering (Euro-CASE), enabling Italy to fully participate in the European Commission’s scientific advisory mechanism on issues related to engineering and technology. L'articolo Two DICA faculty members among the newly elected members of ITATEC proviene da DICA - Polimi.

Chiara Recalcati has been awarded the Gustavo Sclocchi Award 2024–2025, one of the most prestigious national recognitions for doctoral theses in the field of energy. Now in its 32nd edition, the award is promoted by the Italian Section of the SPE (Society of Petroleum Engineers), Assorisorse (the Italian Association for the Energy and Sustainable Resources Industry), and the EAGE (European Association of Geoscientists and Engineers). The aim of the award is to highlight outstanding doctoral research on technical topics related to energy, carried out by young Italian researchers in Italy or abroad, with a background in STEM disciplines. Chiara Recalcati received the top distinction, with her thesis evaluated as Outstanding, meaning of superior quality and exceptional performance. The award ceremony took place on May 23, 2025, at Politecnico di Milano. L'articolo Chiara Recalcati wins the Gustavo Sclocchi Award 2024–2025 proviene da DICA - Polimi.

Mengnan Li has been awarded the 2024–2025 PhD Scholarship by the Fratelli Confalonieri Foundation. The foundation supports doctoral candidates whose research is innovative and contributes to the advancement of both Italy and the international community. Mengnan’s project aligns closely with these goals, and the foundation acknowledged her strong potential to carry it out successfully. Her research topic is “Structure Overall Performance Evaluation Based on Digital Twin“. The award ceremony took place on June 9, 2025, at the University of Milan (Università degli Studi di Milano). L'articolo Mengnan Li awarded the 2024–2025 PhD Scholarship by the Fondazione Fratelli Confalonieri proviene da DICA - Polimi.

Chiara Recalcati has received the InterPore PoreLab Award for Young Researchers, granted by the International Society for Porous Media (InterPore). This is the most prestigious international award dedicated to young researchers who have made significant scientific contributions to the study of porous media from a fundamental perspective. The award was established by InterPore and is assigned annually to outstanding profiles in the field. The award ceremony took place during the 17th International InterPore Conference, held in Albuquerque (New Mexico, USA) from May 19 to 22, 2025. The award citation reads: “Dr. Chiara Recalcati’s diverse research portfolio on fundamental porous media science, her publications, and her successful and already broad international experience, serve as an inspiration to young scientists everywhere. She is rapidly emerging as a reference scientist in the experimental and theoretical characterization of the heterogeneous nature of reactive processes taking place across the surface of minerals in contact with a fluid and driving chemical weathering of natural porous media.” L'articolo Chiara Recalcati Awarded the InterPore PoreLab Award for Young Researchers proviene da DICA - Polimi.

On Monday, 2 June, during the Opening Ceremony of the Annual Meeting of the European Association of Geoscientists & Engineers (EAGE) held in Toulouse, Professor Luigi Zanzi was awarded the Honorary Membership Award 2025. The European Association of Geoscientists & Engineers (EAGE) was founded in 1951 and is the most important European association in the sector of Exploration Geophysics. It consists of about 19.000 active members from academy and industry. The Honorary Membership Award is conferred upon a member of EAGE who has made a highly significant and distinguished technical and non-technical contribution to the geoscience community at large or to EAGE in particular. Since the foundation of the Association this award has been conferred to 75 members. L'articolo Luigi Zanzi awarded the Honorary Membership Award 2025 – EAGE proviene da DICA - Polimi.

How can we make STEM education engaging, meaningful, and socially impactful? The EUthMappers project, supported by the Erasmus+ programme, brings collaborative mapping into European secondary schools, turning classrooms into hubs for environmental and civic action. Now in its fourth phase, launched on April 1st, 2025, students are participating in a real humanitarian mapping project in collaboration with UN Mappers. Their task? To map building footprints in Kandahar, Afghanistan, using the OpenStreetMap platform. The data will contribute to building a 3D digital replica of the city—a vital tool that allows UN peacekeepers to remotely explore inaccessible areas, simulate field scenarios, and perform operational planning within a shared sandbox environment. A hands-on way to apply skills with a real-world impact. Students are also engaged in training activities, interactive quizzes, and geospatial challenges using tools specifically developed for the project, such as iDSandbox4ALL, iD4ALL, and 3D visualization platforms. All materials and tutorials are available on the EUthMappers YouTube channel. Last year, five schools designed and implemented their own local mapping projects, showcasing the potential of open mapping in education—summarized in this student-led video. Building on that success, this year’s webinar “How to Work Together – The Value of Collaborative Work” brought students together across Europe to explore teamwork, group roles, collaborative planning, and the role of digital tools in addressing urban and environmental challenges. In a world facing complex global issues, teaching students to collaborate and use innovative digital tools for territorial data collection and analysis is an invaluable opportunity. EUthMappers shows how education can be a driver of international change—powered by students.EUthMappers è la dimostrazione che la scuola può diventare motore di cambiamento, anche a livello internazionale. L'articolo Students as agents of change: mapping the world with EUthMappers to create social impact proviene da DICA - Polimi.