Material Strength
& Durability Symposium

The 4th edition of the Material Strength & Durability Symposium will once again feature talks by world-renowned experts in the field. They will cover both experimental and modelling/computational research and discuss recent advances in the understanding of material strength and durability.

Material Strength
& Durability Symposium 2025

co-hosted by professors Laura De Lorenzis (D-MAVT) & David Kammer (D-BAUG)

Thursday, 22 May 2025, 08.30 -17.45
ETH Hönggerberg, HIT E 51 (Siemens Auditorium)

Programme: Download download (PDF, 160 KB)

Registration (by 5 May 2025)

Doctoral students: external page https://forms.gle/8kcVthqTLPhD693K9
Faculty, postdocs, and other interested ETH members: external page https://forms.gle/Kcs44gtjn7Fcf5sA8

[Download Calendar entry] (ICS, 39 KB)

Strength and durability are key factors which determine the potential and limitations of materials applied in all disciplines of engineering. For this reason, the accurate prediction of material strength and toughness, the full control over material degradation due to environmental and long-term service conditions, and the optimal design of micro- and mesostructures for increased material performance and reliability are crucial challenges in the development of new technologies.

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Prof. Erica Lilleodden, external page Fraunhofer IMWS

Professor Erica Lilleodden is the Director of Fraunhofer IMWS and Professor for Diagnostics and Structure of Materials at Martin Luther University Halle-Wittenberg (Germany). As a leading expert in the field of nano- and micromechanics of materials she focuses on deformation, damage evolution, and fracture of metals, ceramics, and composites. She received the Award of the German Society for Materials Science in 2019 and was elected to acatech, the German National Academy of Engineering, in 2024.

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Prof. Francesco Maresca, external page University of Groningen

Francesco Maresca is an Associate Professor at the University of Groningen (Netherlands). He chairs the Mechanics of Materials research unit, focusing on the fundamental understanding of structure-property relationships in materials. His expertise encompasses multiscale mechanics modelling, solid mechanics (theoretical and computational), crystal plasticity, and molecular dynamics.

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Prof. Nick Birbilisexternal page , external page Deakin University

Professor Nick Birbilis is a renowned materials engineer recognised for contributions in materials durability and materials design. His contributions to corrosion extend across many alloy systems and processes. Nick is presently Executive Dean for the Faculty of Science, Engineering and Built Environment at Deakin University. His has published over 450 papers, and the Editor-in-chief of the interdisciplinary journal npj Materials Degradation, whilst also serving as a long-standing Editor for the journal Electrochimica Acta. He is a Fellow of the Electrochemical Society, AMPP/NACE, The International Society of Electrochemistry, ASM International and Engineers Australia.

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Prof. Costantino Creton, external page ESPCI

After an engineering degree at EPFL and a PhD at Cornell University in Materials Science, Professor Costantino Creton became a CNRS Researcher at the Soft Matter Science and Engineering Laboratory of ESPCI Paris, France in 1994. His current research is at the interface between chemistry, polymer physics and mechanics and focuses on the deformation and fracture of soft materials. He has pioneered the use of mechanochemistry to bridge the gap between network structure and fracture mechanics. Professor Creton has published over 220 peer-reviewed articles and has received several awards, including the Adhesion Society’s Prize for Excellence in Adhesion Science in 2013 and an ERC Advanced Grant in 2016.

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Prof. Shelby Hutchens, external page University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign

Shelby Hutchens, an Associate Professor at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign, is passionate about uncovering the fundamental physics underlying the mechanical performance of soft and bio-inspired materials. Her research aims to lay the foundation for the next generation of bio-inspired soft materials and contribute to the development of universal fracture criteria in soft solids. Shelby's path started in Chemical Engineering at Oklahoma State (B.S.) and Caltech (M.S. and Ph.D.) before evolving toward the current focus on mechanics of materials.

Pitch Your Research - Call for Applications

The symposium offers a unique opportunity to explore a wide range of exciting research in Material Strength & Durability. To foster exchange, doctoral students are encouraged to give a five-minute pitch to share their work with peers and experts.

This is a great chance to refine your presentation skills, showcase your research, and spark new discussions. As a reward, all presenters—as well as doctoral students from the Strength & Durability of Materials track—will be invited to the symposium dinner, offering further opportunities for networking in an informal setting.

At the end of the symposium, the audience will select the best pitch, recognising outstanding research communication.

Take advantage of this opportunity—step up and share your research.

To apply, fill out the registration external page form and select YES for the "Pitch" question (doctoral students only).

Previous editions

Material Strength & Durability Symposium 2024
Material Strength & Durability Symposium 2023
Material Strength & Durability Symposium 2022

Questions & Support

Reach out to the MaP Doctoral School team.

Material Strength & Durability Symposium