Nowadays, our society faces huge challenges related to climate change, the energy transition and the availability (and scarcity) of materials. On the other hand, when engineers develop innovative solutions trying to pave the way towards a solution to these challenges, they always need adequate materials to realize this solution. Therefore, materials and more specifically metals are key for many high-tech and clean-tech innovations. However, a sustainable use of metals, along their entire lifespan is an absolute prerequisite within the development of a more sustainable society and future. In this framework, my research team will tackle the three following issues:

• How do we extend the life span of materials by developing strategies for increased resistance to environmental influences, which might potentially degrade the material, consequently decreasing its useful life span?
• Which is the role and what are the challenges related to materials in today's energy transition, e.g. hydrogen embrittlement when re-purposing pipeline steels currently used for natural gas transport?
• How can we increase our understanding of high-temperature metallurgical phenomena to increase process efficiency and to progress towards carbon-neutrality in metal production?

The current project envisages to contribute to the research done in the Sustainable Materials Science research group with respect to these topics.