Material Strength
& Durability Symposium 2023
For the second time, the symposium brought together experts in material strength and durability, covering both experimental and modeling/computational research, and discussing recent advances in our understanding of these material properties.
Congratulations to Yaqi Zhao (D-BAUG) for winning the pitch competition and thank you for summing up the event:
The Material Strength & Durability Symposium, hosted by the MaP Doctoral School at ETH Zurich, provided a remarkable platform for expanding knowledge. Engaging talks by renowned speakers, including Prof. Deshpande (Cambridge University), Prof. Mol (TU Delft), Prof. Espinosa (Northwestern University), and Prof. Kolinski (EPFL), covered a wide range of topics, from theory to experiments, and from fracture mechanics to meta materials and machine learning, enhancing my understanding of material properties.
Participating in the pitch session, alongside four other PhD students, was a true honour. Winning the first prize not only validated my research and presentation skills but also ignited a stronger passion for my studies.
The symposium's highlight was the delightful dinner at an Italian restaurant, where I had the invaluable opportunity to connect with the esteemed speakers. Their insights and advice served as guidance, propelling my academic journey with renewed enthusiasm.
Overall, the Material Strength & Durability Symposium was a transformative experience that provided fresh perspectives, recognition, and meaningful connections. I extend my heartfelt gratitude to the MaP Doctoral School for organizing this impactful event, which will undoubtedly inspire my continued growth in the field of material science.
Prof. Arjan Mol of Delft University of Technology Prof. Arjan Mol presenting Only the first two rows remained empty
Zhikang Deng during his pitch Mohammad Alinezhadfar pitching Waiting for spaghetti: speakers and doctoral students of the Material Strength & Durability track were invited for dinner
Lively discussions during dinner
Material Strength
& Durability Symposium 2023
co-hosted by professors Laura De Lorenzis (D-MAVT) &
David Kammer (D-BAUG)
8 June 2023
ETH Zentrum, MM C 78.1 (Alumni Pavillon)
Download Announcement & Programme (PDF, 293 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.
The list of speakers highlights the broadness of 'Material Strength & Durability' and the various approaches including theoretical, experimental and computational.
- Prof. Vikram Deshpande, external page Cambridge University: Anomalous toughness of elastic architected solids
- Prof. Horacio Espinosa, external page Northwestern University: Fracture of 2D materials – in situ experiments and ML parameterized force fields
- Prof. John Kolinski, external page EPFL: Toughening by crack tip complexity
- Prof. J.M.C. (Arjan) Mol, external page Delft University of Technology: From experimental and computational inhibitor screening to advanced characterization of active protective coatings
The symposium aimed to create a forum for the doctoral students to hear about a wide range of exciting research in 'Material Strength & Durability'. To foster exchange with the speakers, doctoral students of the 'Strength & Durability of Materials' Track of the MaP Doctoral School were encouraged to give a Pitch of five minutes and receive direct feedback from the expert round. As a reward, they were invited to the Symposium Dinner on Thursday evening.
