Our Community

Bringing great minds together

We believe in creating knowledge with enduring impact

Our brilliant PhD students make the Department of Energy a true research powerhouse, a multidisciplinary community, a place where ideas matter. In return, we give you an all-round experience and environment that enhances your learning potential and inspires you to think big.

In collaboration with faculty and fellow students, you will conduct innovative research and prepare for a successful career in academia, industry, or government.

I can breath a very open-minded atmosphere with colleagues and professors …I feel grateful to have had the chance to make my wish possible. No regrets at all.

Andrea Sanvito – 3rd year STEN PhD Student

STEN PhD Faculty Board

The Faculty Board plays a crucial role in managing the STEN PhD Programme, ensuring forefront teaching activities and monitoring the career of all the enrolled PhD students.

Angelotti Adriana Building physics and building energy systems
Davide Bortot Nuclear measurements and instrumentation
Stefano Campanari Energy Systems and power generation
Andrea Casalegno Thermal engineering and industrial energy system
Carlo Spartaco Casari Physics of matter
Paolo Chiesa Energy systems and power generation
Luigi Colombo Thermal engineering and industrial energy system
Stefano De Antonellis Building physics and building energy systems
David Dellasega Physics of matter

Gianluca D’Errico Fluid machinery
Francesco Di Maio Nuclear power plants
Vincenzo Dossena (Head) Fluid machinery
Francesca Celsa Giacobbo Nuclear reactor physics
Stefano L. M. Giulini Castiglioni Agosteo Nuclear measurements and instrumentation
Manfredo Guilizzoni Thermal engineering and industrial energy system
Gianpiero Groppi (Vice head) Chemical technologies
Lelio Luzzi Nuclear power plants
Mario Mariani Nuclear measurements and instrumentation

Livio Mazzarella Building physics and building energy systems
Riccardo Mereu Thermal engineering and industrial energy systems
Angelo Onorati Internal combustion engines
Matteo Passoni (Vice head) Physics of matter
Giacomo B. A. Persico Fluid machinery
Andrea Pola Nuclear measurements and instrumentation
Marco Ricotti Nuclear power plants
Matteo Carmelo Romano Energy systems and power generation
Valeria Russo Physics of matter
Margherita Zavelani Rossi Physics of matter

Our PhD students

160 PhD students are currently enrolled with the POLIMI STEN, of which 20% from non-EU countries .
The energy and enthusiasm brought by our PhD students is vital for the research community of both the Department of Energy and the entire POLIMI.

Research topics:

batteries and fuel cells

Thesis keywords:

View all Ageing Electrolysis Flow batteries Hydrogen Li-ion batteries Materials engineering Modelling PEMFC SOFC

Alessandro Alleva

Morphochemical and structural changes of battery electrodes and solid electrolytes

Elisa Emanuele

Degradation analysis of battery materials

Michele Pagliari

Investigation of the effect of carbon dioxide on cathodes of Solid Oxide Fuel Cells for applications in blue power production cycles

Francesco Tavola

Battery Ageing from a Materials-Science Perspective

Francesco Toja

Local experimental and modelling analysis of transport phenomena in Vanadium Redox Flow Batteries

Andrea Macrelli

Nanostructured thin-film materials for next-generation batteries

Amedeo Grimaldi

Innovative design, modelling and control of a flexible fuel cell system for transport sector

Elena Crespi

Electrical grid balancing with fast-ramping Fuel Cell and electrolysis systems: analysis, modelling and optimization

nuclear technologies

Thesis keywords:

View all Decommissioning & Radioactive Waste Management Non Destructive Testing and Analysis Particle acceleration Radiation detectors Radiation fields generation Radiation protection Radiation spectrometry and dosimetry Radiochemistry and radiation chemistry

Gabriele Benzoni

Experimental analysis and modeling for the design of advanced nuclear facilities

Andrea Cirillo

Cosmic Neutron Spectrometry for a Sustainable Agriculture

Francesco Gatti

Development of an innovative laser-driven particle source for industrial and societal applications

Matteo Bolzonella

Passive neutron dosimetry with PADC track detectors – novel applications and optimization of individual monitoring

Riccardo Chebac

A Multidisciplinary Approach to the Handling of I-Graphite

Marta Galbiati

Numerical investigations of laser-driven photon sources with nanostructured materials and their applications

Francesco Galluccio

Advanced Radiochemical Methods and Chemical Processes for Radioactive Waste Management and Environmental Monitoring in Nuclear Decommissioning

nuclear energy

Thesis keywords:

View all Decommissioning & Radioactive Waste Management.Fission reactors Fusion reactors Generation IV systems Nuclear Fuel Nuclear Safety Small Modular Reactors Spent nuclear fuel recycling

Gabriele Benzoni.

Experimental analysis and modeling for the design of advanced nuclear facilities

Martina Di Gennaro

Multi-scale and multi-physics modelling of fuel pin behaviour in the MYRRHA reactor

Diego Jaramillo Sierra

Advancements in Modeling High-Enriched Pu MOX Fuel for Gen-IV Liquid Metal Reactors

Stefano Riva

Development of data-driven Reduced Order Modelling with application to MultiPhysics system

Gabriele Alberti

Nanoscale surface morphology evolution of plasma exposed materials in linear and tokamak machines: erosion and impurity migration

Nicolò Badodi

Experimental and Numerical Studies of PbLi Water Reaction in Support of the WCLL TBM Safety Analysis

Riccardo Chebac.

A Multidisciplinary Approach to the Handling of I-Graphite

Stefano Passoni

Experimental and Numerical analysis of Compact Plate Heat Exchanger for modern Small Modular Reactors

Giovanni Zullo

Mechanistic multi-scale modelling of fission product behaviour in oxide fuels for application to Generation III and IV nuclear reactors

Davide Loiacono

Development and characterization of protective coatings resistant to irradiation

Alessio Magni

Advancements in modelling the thermal-mechanical behaviour of MOX-fuelled pins and application to liquid-metal fast reactor conditions

Elena Tonello

Modelling of boundary plasmas in linear devices and tokamaks

engines and turbomachines

Thesis keywords:

View all Computational fluid dynamics Experimental fluid dynamics Turbomachinery design Turbomachinery test rig Turbomachines Wind turbines

Andrea Notaristefano

Combustor-turbine interaction in gas-turbines

Andrea Giuseppe Sanvito

Multi-fidelity unsteady rotor aerodynamic modeling of multi-scale Horizontal and Vertical Axis Wind Turbines

HVAC technologies and buildings’ environment

Thesis keywords:

View all Building simulations Comfort in buildings Energy efficient buildings Energy storage.Heat pumps and chillers Solar energy

Rossella Alesci

Evaluation of the energy flexibility of buildings

Jacopo Famiglietti

Life Cycle Assessment method applied to Milan building stock, solutions to reduce the related potential environmental impacts

Ettore Zanetti

MPC comparisons for residential HVACs and parametric optimization of compact DEC system

materials for energy

Thesis keywords:

View all Advanced coatings Catalysis Material characterization Materials engineering Nanostructured materials Nuclear Fusion material PVD techniques Thin films

Alessandro Alleva.

Morphochemical and structural changes of battery electrodes and solid electrolytes

Elisa Emanuele.

Degradation analysis of battery materials

Sara Ghomi

Two-dimensional materials for nanotechnology

Simone Melesi

Production and characterization of electrospun polymeric smart nanocomposites based on 1D linear carbon chains

Gabriele Alberti.

Nanoscale surface morphology evolution of plasma exposed materials in linear and tokamak machines: erosion and impurity migration

Paolo D’Agosta

Synthesis and in-situ characterization of 2D materials and heterostructures

Andrea Macrelli

Nanostructured thin-film materials for next-generation batteries

Davide Orecchia

Development of nanostructured materials for high intensity laser-plasma applications

Davide Loiacono.

Development and characterization of protective coatings resistant to irradiation

Cristina Mancarella

Plasmonic and multifunctional nanostructured metamaterials with tailored electrical and optical properties

Pietro Marabotti

Carbon atomic wires: from their synthesis to the comprehension of their unique vibrational and electronic properties

Davide Vavassori

Production of nanostructured films for nuclear applications using advanced deposition techniques

physics of matter

Thesis keywords:

View all Laser-Matter Physics Optical materials Plasma Science Spectroscopy and Spectrometry Surface Science and Nanostructures

Francesco Gatti.

Development of an innovative laser-driven particle source for industrial and societal applications

Sara Ghomi.

Two-dimensional materials for nanotechnology

Simone Melesi.

Production and characterization of electrospun polymeric smart nanocomposites based on 1D linear carbon chains

Francesco Bignoli

Novel nanostructured metallic thin films with enhanced mechanical properties deposited by pulsed laser deposition

Paolo D’Agosta.

Synthesis and in-situ characterization of 2D materials and heterostructures

Marta Galbiati.

Numerical investigations of laser-driven photon sources with nanostructured materials and their applications

Alessia Motta

Sequential Infiltration Synthesis (SIS) as a novel approach in industrial applications

Davide Orecchia.

Development of nanostructured materials for high intensity laser-plasma applications

Cristina Mancarella.

Plasmonic and multifunctional nanostructured metamaterials with tailored electrical and optical properties

Pietro Marabotti.

Carbon atomic wires: from their synthesis to the comprehension of their unique vibrational and electronic properties

Davide Vavassori.

Production of nanostructured films for nuclear applications using advanced deposition techniques

Elena Tonello.

Modelling of boundary plasmas in linear devices and tokamaks

sustainable energy systems

Thesis keywords:

View all Bioenergy CO2 capture Energy storage Energy systems optimization Fuel cells and electrolyzers Hydrogen.Power cycles Renewable energies Synthetic fuels

Rossella Alesci.

Evaluation of the energy flexibility of buildings

Santiago Bernal Del Rio

Energy model of Renewable Energy Sources, including social factors, for the energy planning of Colombia

Riccardo Cremona

Process modelling, simulation and economic analysis of the hybrid CO2 capture technology applied in the cement sector

Sibilla Ferroni

A UBEM-based methodology for setting optimal Renewable Energy Community (REC) configurations in urban areas

Sebastian Andres Quevedo Parra

Decarbonization potential of the cement industry through electrification

Camilla Nicol Bonacina

Hydrogen Production and Storage for Use in Heavy Industrial Applications: The Case of Steelmaking

Alessandro de Cataldo

Process development and optimization of flexible plants for power and hydrogen production with CO2 capture and storage

Lavinia Marina Paola Ghilardi

Numerical approaches for the optimization of gas transportation networks

Matteo Martinelli

Design and Optimization of High Efficiency Supercritical CO2 Oxy-combustion Power Cycles with CO2 Capture and Storage

Tristan Leonard Merbecks

Design and operation of a binary ORC power plant for the exploitation of geothermal resources, including two-phase

Lorenzo Pilotti

Optimization of the design and operation of aggregated energy systems

Amedeo Grimaldi.

Innovative design, modelling and control of a flexible fuel cell system for transport sector

Giorgia Lombardelli

Development and techno-economic analysis of biogas-to-liquid fuels processes

Ettore Morosini

Development of Innovative Power Cycles based on CO2 Blends applied to CSP Plants

Michele Ongis

Catalytic membrane reactors modelling for process intensification

Riccardo Rinaldi

New Biofuels for mobility

Syed Ali Zaryab

Design, process integration and optimization of adsorption-based processes for post-combustion CO2 capture

Elena Crespi.

Electrical grid balancing with fast-ramping Fuel Cell and electrolysis systems: analysis, modelling and optimization

Nicolò Stevanato

Demand-Needs Nexus in Off-Grid Energy Planning, the undervalued driver of development

reliability, safety and risk analysis

Thesis keywords:

View all Artificial intelligence Diagnostics and prognostics Nuclear systems Reliability Engineering Risk analysis Safety analysis

Ehsan Sheikhasadi

Optimization of Energy Networks Equipped with Prognostics and Health Management Capabilities

Weijun Xu

Novel Uncertainty-Aware Methods for Remaining Useful Life Prediction of Complex Systems

Chenyang Lai

Development of physics-informed deep learning methods for prognostics and health management of industrial equipment

Liu Lanxiang

Investigation on bounce characteristics and contact reliability of relays

fluid and thermal engineering

Thesis keywords:

View all Computational fluid dynamics.Heat and mass transfer Heat Exchangers Machine learning Multiphase phenomena Physical modelling Rheologic and Thermal properties Turbulent flows

Martina Di Gennaro.

Multi-scale and multi-physics modelling of fuel pin behaviour in the MYRRHA reactor

Diego Jaramillo Sierra.

Advancements in Modeling High-Enriched Pu MOX Fuel for Gen-IV Liquid Metal Reactors

Stefano Riva.

Development of data-driven Reduced Order Modelling with application to MultiPhysics system

Francesco Toja.

Local experimental and modelling analysis of transport phenomena in Vanadium Redox Flow Batteries

Stefano Passoni.

Experimental and Numerical analysis of Compact Plate Heat Exchanger for modern Small Modular Reactors

Andrea Notaristefano.

Combustor-turbine interaction in gas-turbines

Igor Matteo Carraretto

Experimental characterization of air-water foamy flows

Alessio Magni.

Advancements in modelling the thermal-mechanical behaviour of MOX-fuelled pins and application to liquid-metal fast reactor conditions

catalysis

Thesis keywords:

View all CO2 conversion e-fuels Electrified Reactors Electrocatalysis Hydrogen Carriers Hydrogen Production Synfuels

Michele Pagliari.

Investigation of the effect of carbon dioxide on cathodes of Solid Oxide Fuel Cells for applications in blue power production cycles

Alessandro de Cataldo.

Process development and optimization of flexible plants for power and hydrogen production with CO2 capture and storage

Giorgia Lombardelli.

Development and techno-economic analysis of biogas-to-liquid fuels processes

Michele Ongis.

Catalytic membrane reactors modelling for process intensification

Riccardo Rinaldi.

New Biofuels for mobility

PhD stories

Our PhD students work in supportive, peer-based groups and together with the faculty as well, in a stimulating and rich environment, where they are encouraged to play an active role in the life of the School. See their stories to gain insight into their research and life experience at STEN!

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Bringing great minds together

We believe in creating knowledge with enduring impact

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