The seminar “Materials for Advanced Reactors” took place on Friday, January 23, at the Bovisa Campus of the Politecnico di Milano. The event was organized by the Department of Energy on the initiative of Professor Davide Pizzocri. The meeting provided an important opportunity to explore in depth the role of advanced materials in the development of next-generation nuclear reactors.

The seminar speaker was Lorenzo Malerba, professor at CIEMAT (Centro de Investigaciones Energéticas, Medioambientales y Tecnológicas) in Madrid and a leading European figure in the field of nuclear materials. Over the course of his career, Malerba gained extensive experience at the Belgian Nuclear Research Centre (SCK•CEN) and, since 2014, has coordinated the Joint Programme on Nuclear Materials of the European Energy Research Alliance  (EERA JPNM). Since 2024, he has also served as coordinator of CONNECT-NM, the new co-funded European Partnership dedicated to nuclear materials for energy innovation.

During his talk, Malerba outlined the main scientific and technological challenges related to materials for advanced reactors, with particular attention to multiscale modelling approaches, the study of microstructure, and the strategic role of European collaborative research in ensuring the safety, sustainability, and reliability of future nuclear technologies.

The seminar, hosted in lecture room L10 of building B12, brought together faculty members, researchers, and students, fostering direct discussion on topics of strong relevance to the energy sector and confirming the Department of Energy’s role as an international hub for scientific dialogue.