National Institute Of Materials Physics - Romania

Invited speakers

Prof. Alexandru George Nemnes

University of Bucharest, Romania

Prof. Alexandru George Nemnes is affiliated with University of Bucharest, Romania. (Add full biography text here.)

Prof. Andreas Offenhauser

RWTH Aachen and FZ Julich, Germany

Prof. Andreas Offenhauser is affiliated with RWTH Aachen and FZ Julich, Germany. (Add full biography text here.)

Dr. Athanasios Dimoulas

INN-Demokritos, Greece

Dr. Athanasios Dimoulas is affiliated with INN-Demokritos, Greece. (Add full biography text here.)

Prof. Beatrice Radu

University of Bucharest, Romania

Beatrice Mihaela Radu is a professor of biophysics and biomedical microscopy at the University of Bucharest, Faculty of Biology, where she has pursued her academic career since 2002. She is affiliated with the Department of Anatomy, Animal Physiology, and Biophysics and is actively involved in teaching and doctoral supervision in neuroscience. Her research activity is centered on the study of blood–brain barrier structure and function, neurovascular coupling, and the development of physiologically relevant in vitro platforms, including blood–brain barrier–on-chip and organ-on-chip systems, with applications in drug testing and translational neuroscience. Current research interests include endothelial barrier regulation, neuroinflammation, brain–device interfaces, and the integration of cellular and microfluidic models with advanced sensing and analytical approaches. Her research group involves undergraduate, graduate, and doctoral researchers working at the interface between neurophysiology, biomedical engineering, and applied neurotechnologies.

Dr. Brahim Dkhil

CentraleSupélec, CNRS, France

Dr. Brahim Dkhil is affiliated with CentraleSupélec, CNRS, France. (Add full biography text here.)

Prof. Coriolan Tiusan

UBB Cluj, Romania and CNRS, France

Prof. Coriolan Tiusan is affiliated with UBB Cluj, Romania and CNRS, France. (Add full biography text here.)

Dr. Dimitrios Pinotsis

City St George’s, University of London, UK

Dr. Dimitrios Pinotsis is affiliated with City St George’s, University of London, UK. (Add full biography text here.)

Prof. Erika Covi

Technical University of Munich, Germany

Prof. Erika Covi is affiliated with Technical University of Munich, Germany. (Add full biography text here.)

Dr. Ewelina Kurtys

FinalSpark, Switzerland

Dr. Ewelina Kurtys is affiliated with FinalSpark, Switzerland. (Add full biography text here.)

Dr. Ghazi Sarwat Syed

IBM Zurich, Switzerland

Dr. Ghazi Sarwat Syed is affiliated with IBM Zurich, Switzerland. (Add full biography text here.)

Prof. Heidemarie Krueger

Leibniz-Institute for Photonics Technologies (IPHT), Germany

Prof. Heidemarie Krueger is affiliated with Leibniz-Institute for Photonics Technologies (IPHT), Germany. (Add full biography text here.)

Prof. Herbert Jaeger

University of Groningen, the Netherlands

Prof. Herbert Jaeger is affiliated with University of Groningen, the Netherlands. (Add full biography text here.)

Prof. Ilia Valov

Institute of Electrochemistry and Energy Systems, Bulgaria

Prof. Ilia Valov is affiliated with Institute of Electrochemistry and Energy Systems, Bulgaria. (Add full biography text here.)

Prof. Jean-Francois Dayen

University of Strasbourg, France

Prof. Jean-Francois Dayen is affiliated with University of Strasbourg, France. (Add full biography text here.)

Prof. Jose Luis Contreras-Vidal

University of Houston, USA

Prof. Jose Luis Contreras-Vidal is affiliated with University of Houston, USA. (Add full biography text here.)

Prof. Liliana Prejbeanu

University Grenoble Alpes-INP, SPINTEC, France

Prof. Liliana Prejbeanu is affiliated with University Grenoble Alpes-INP, SPINTEC, France. (Add full biography text here.)

Dr. Liza Herrera Diez

CNRS- Université Paris Saclay

Dr. Liza Herrera Diez is affiliated with CNRS- Université Paris Saclay. (Add full biography text here.)

Prof. Mario Lanza

NUS, Singapore

Dr. Mario Lanza is an Associate Professor of Materials Science and Engineering at the National University of Singapore, since August 2024. He got the PhD in Electronic Engineering in 2010 at the Autonomous University of Barcelona, where he won the extraordinary PhD prize. In 2010-2011 he was NSFC postdoctoral fellow at Peking University, and in 2012-2013 he was Marie Curie postdoctoral fellow at Stanford University. On September 2013 he joined Soochow University (in China), where he promoted until the rank of Full Professor. Between October 2020 and July 2024 he was full-time Associate Professor at the King Abdullah University of Science and Technology (in Saudi Arabia), where he became known for his work in the field of nano-electronics. He has published over 250 research articles in top journals like Nature (3), Science (2), and Nature Electronics (8), many of them becoming highly cited. He has been plenary, keynote, tutorial and invited speaker in over 150 conferences, and he and his students have received some of the most prestigious awards in the world (like the IEEE Fellow). He has been often consulted by leading semiconductor companies and publishers. He is an active member of the board governors of the IEEE – Electron Devices Society, and has been involved in the technical and management committee of top conferences in the field of electron devices, including IEDM, IRPS and IPFA. He speaks fluently five languages: English, Chinese, German, Spanish and Catalan.

Prof. Martin Ziegler

Technische Universität Ilmenau, Germany

Prof. Martin Ziegler is affiliated with Technische Universität Ilmenau, Germany. (Add full biography text here.)

Dr. Nikhil Garg

University of Groningen, the Netherlands

Dr. Nikhil Garg is affiliated with University of Groningen, the Netherlands. (Add full biography text here.)

Dr. Paschalis Gkoupidenis

Max Planck Institute for Polymer Research, Germany

Dr. Paschalis Gkoupidenis is affiliated with Max Planck Institute for Polymer Research, Germany. (Add full biography text here.)

Prof. Romain Brette

Sorbonne University, INSERM, CNRS, France

Prof. Romain Brette is affiliated with Sorbonne University, INSERM, CNRS, France. (Add full biography text here.)

Dr. Sabina Spiga

IMM-CNR, Italy

Dr. Sabina Spiga is affiliated with IMM-CNR, Italy. (Add full biography text here.)

Dr. Simas Rackauskas

Kaunas University of Technology, Lithuania

Simas Rackauskas is a Chief Researcher in Kaunas University of Technology (KTU). He defended his PhD in Physics at Aalto University, Finland in 2011. He was a Marie Curie Fellow in University of Turin (Italy). He had fellowships in Swiss Federal Institute of Technology in Lausanne (EPFL, Switzerland), Technical University of Denmark (DTU) and University of Nagoya (Japan). His research interests are mainly focused on metal oxide nanowires and application in sensing, neuromorphic computing and multifunctional coatings. He is involved in commercialization of multifunctional anti-reflection coatings, founder of spin-off company “Zinotech”. He is a coordinator of Horizon-MSCA-SE project on neuromorphic computing (TetraNET).

Prof. Yoeri van de Burgt

Eindhoven University of Technology, the Netherlands

Prof. Yoeri van de Burgt is affiliated with Eindhoven University of Technology, the Netherlands. (Add full biography text here.)

Program

Abstract Book

OTETELEȘANU HALL, MĂGURELE, ROMANIA

The Oteteleșanu Hall in Măgurele has a storied past dating back to the 19th century (1843), when it was built by the influential Oteteleșanu family. Initially serving as their private residence, it underwent a significant transformation in 1894, becoming the esteemed “Ioan Oteteleșanu Institute for Girls” under the auspices of the Romanian Academy.

Across its existence, the Otetelesanu Hall has stood witness to the dynamic evolution of Romanian history, from periods of subjugation at the cross-roads of three Empires to the victorious pursuit of independence and modernization. During its journey, the hall has endured three major wars, the vicissitudes of Communism, and the arduous path back to Democracy, navigating through cycles of transformation, neglect, and revitalization. Through it all, the Oteteleșanu Hall has remained a steadfast symbol of resilience amidst political turmoil and societal shifts.

Following a decade of careful restoration overseen by NIMP, Oteteleșanu Hall has been rejuvenated as the headquarters of the Culture and Physics Foundation in Măgurele, the International Centre for Advanced Training and Research in Physics (CIFRA), and the DRIFMAT cluster.

Today, it serves as a prestigious venue for international events like IWMP, embodying both its historical scope and contemporary relevance while upholding its unwavering, 130-years-old commitment to education and scientific advancement.

In the present day, the Oteteleșanu Hall stands as a testament to the cultural legacy of Măgurele, offering a captivating window into the past while remaining an integral part of the local community vibrant present.

National Institute of Materials Physics

Established in 1949, the Institute of Physics of the Romanian Academy was founded by Horia Hulubei, a distinguished scientist renowned for his ground-breaking contributions to various fields of physics, including Raman, X-rays, Compton, atomic, and nuclear physics. Hulubei earned his PhD in Paris under the tutelage of Nobel Prize laureates Pierre Curie and Maria Skłodowska-Curie.

In 1956, the Institute underwent a division resulting in the formation of two separate entities: the Institute of Atomic Physics (IFA) in Măgurele & the Bucharest Institute of Physics (IFB), the latter led by the Acad. Prof. Eugen Bădărău. E. Bădărău, a prominent professor from Sankt Petersburg and Cernăuți Universities, played a pivotal role in advancing the Romanian school of physics, particularly in the study of electrical discharges in gases and plasma.

Relocating to Măgurele in 1974, the Institute experienced further transformation in 1977 with the amalgamation of laboratories from IFB and IFA, forming the Institute of Physics and Technology of Materials. In 1996 it was officially rebranded the National Institute of Materials Physics (NIMP) following a national accreditation process, subsequently re-accredited in 2008 and 2016.

Throughout its history, NIMP has been home to distinguished physicists such as Acad. Eugen Bădărău, Acad. Radu Grigorovici, Acad. Ioan Iovitz Popescu, Acad. Margareta Giurgea, Acad. Rodica Mănăila, or Acad. Vladimir Țopa.

Over the past fifty years, NIMP has emerged as a leading research institution in Romania, investing over 35 million EUR in a new laboratory building equipped with state-of-the-art research facilities and the restoration of the historic Oteteleșanu Hall. Internationally, NIMP has played a significant role as one of the founders of the Central European Research Infrastructure (C-ERIC) and as an associated member of the Francophone University Agency (AUF). Additionally, it hosts a UNESCO category 2 centre – the Centre for Advanced Training and Research in Physics (CIFRA).