Since the first edition in 2017, we have built an amazing and constantly growing network of renowned scientists and young researchers. Overall, more than 700 participants have attended our conferences and shared their discoveries in the exciting field of polymer science and technology. Nowadays, polymer scientists face wide-ranging social and environmental challenges, to overcome which they must be able to generate knowledge and innovation. Therefore, to make our conferences increasingly up-to-date and effective in highlighting new trends in polymer science, for the first time this year we have invited a group of colleagues from the University of Milan with complementary skills in industrial chemistry to join us and be part of the newly established Advisory Board of the MIPOL congress.

We are proud to introduce this fantastic group of people, which includes:

• Claudia Bianchi Professor of Industrial Chemistry. She teaches classes of “Industrial Chemistry”, “Chemical Processes and Plants”, and “Recycle and Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) of products and processes”. She is also the quality assurance of the master’s course in Industrial Chemistry of the University of Milan. She is expert in and industrial catalysis and certified professional expert of life cycle assessment. Particularly in the latter role, she studies how to evaluate products and processes to compare them with industry standards or identify opportunities to reduce their impacts. As a professional LCA expert, she can advise how to develop business models to optimize balance of impacts and operations for a more sustainable chemical industry.

• Ilenia Rossetti, Professor of Chemical Plants. She teaches classes of “Energy Sources, Management and Conversion”, and “Design and Optimisation of Chemical Plants”. Her expertise ranges from design, simulation, and optimization of chemical plants to development of catalytic and photocatalytic processes, particularly for environmental application, and economic assessment of chemical processes. Her main research fields are currently in the field of biorefinery and catalysis. As an expert in biorefinery, she can advise how to design plants and processes to convert biomass to energy and other beneficial byproducts, including many chemicals.

• Carlo Pirola, Associate Professor of Chemical Plants. He teaches classes of “Industrial Processes and Scale up” and “Catalytic processes” and is head of the Committee for Career Development of the Faculty of Science, University of Milan. Recent research interests include the development of new carbon and TiO2-based adsorbent materials for air purification from VOCs, as well as the production of biofuel from oilseeds of agricultural essences and from by-products. A distinctive feature of Carlo's professionalism is the great experience deriving from long collaboration with private companies. This characteristic enables him to guarantee constant analysis of the application potential of new products and projects.

• Ermelinda Falletta, Assistant Professor of Industrial Chemistry. She teaches classes of “Fundamentals of instrumentation for chemical industry”. Her research interests range from the development of advanced materials and new technologies for environmental depollution. In addition, she is strongly involved in activities concerning the promotion of STEM disciplines among girls and young women. She is indeed the contact person for the Department of Chemistry for gender policies.

• Marco Ortenzi, Assistant Professor of Industrial Chemistry. He teaches classes of “Advanced Industrial Chemistry”, “Environmental control and sustainability management”. He is expert of plastics recycling and of bioplastics. He has a long expertise of industrial collaborations, which enables him to meet the needs of the plastics industry.

• Stefano Gazzotti, Assistant Professor of Industrial Chemistry. He teaches classes of “Laboratory of Industrial Chemistry”. He has gained international experience and mentality thanks to numerous internships abroad. He is expert of the synthesis of biodegradable polymers, particularly by ring opening polymerization techniques.

This Advisory Committee has a correct gender balance and balance of skills and knowledge.

They have all competences to act as a consultative and supporting body for the Organizing and Scientific Committees of the Milan Polymer Days congress. Their role will be to advise on topics to cover in the annual congress editions, and to help identifying the best members of the Scientific Committee. They will encourage reflection and debate, to look far ahead in terms of strategies, visions, and ideas for our initiatives.

Thank you, guys, for joining our group! We are confident that we will make a good job together!