Laura De Lorenzis received her Engineering degree and her PhD from the University of her hometown Lecce, in southern Italy. After some years as Professor and Director of the Institute of Applied Mechanic of the TU Braunschweig, Germany, she is since 2020 Professor of Computational Mechanics at the ETH Zürich. In 2022 she was elected Solid Mechanics Fellow of the European Mechanics Society (EUROMECH) "in recognition of her outstanding and influential contributions to computational solid mechanics including in particular phase-​field approaches to fracture and fatigue, variational collocation methods, and data-​driven mechanics". She authored or co-​authored more than 140 papers on international journals, delivered over 20 plenary lectures at international conferences and is editorial board member or associate editor of over 15 international journals. Since 2023 she is Editor of Computer Methods in Applied Mechanics and Engineering.

Prof. Dr. Laura De Lorenzis / ETH Zurich

 

What made you decide to join the Scientific Advisory Board of our research centre?

I decided to join the Scientific Advisory Board of RhySearch because I see it as a unique opportunity to contribute to applied research while bringing in the perspective of a fundamental researcher. My background is rooted in basic research, and I strongly believe that meaningful innovation happens when fundamental scientific insights interact with real-world applications. RhySearch’s mission to bridge academia and industry aligns with this vision, and I am excited to engage in discussions that connect theoretical understanding with practical challenges. By contributing my expertise in material modeling, AI-driven discovery, and high-performance simulations, I hope to help shape strategic research directions that enhance both scientific excellence and industrial impact.

 

How do you see your role in the strategic development of RhySearch? What goals would you like to achieve as a member of the Scientific Advisory Board of RhySearch? What are your priorities?

As a member of the Scientific Advisory Board, I see my role as to provide strategic guidance on research directions, ensuring that RhySearch remains at the forefront of applied research and innovation. This entails bridging fundamental scientific advancements with industrial applications, and fostering collaboration between academia, industry, and technology partners. My goals and priorities will be to strengthen RhySearch’s expertise in computational and experimental mechanics, promote data-driven and AI-assisted methods for material modeling, manufacturing, and reliability assessments, and enhance international collaborations and funding opportunities to increase RhySearch’s visibility and impact.

 

Which trends and developments will be relevant for RhySearch in the future? What topics are you most excited about? How can these be turned into opportunities?

A modern and pervasive trend is the attempt to leverage AI and, more in general, data-driven approaches to accelerate scientific discovery, computational simulations, and ultimately product and process optimization. A connected trend is the boost of digital twin technologies, i.e smart combinations of high-fidelity and reduced-order models, physics-based and data-driven approaches that integrate real-time data in a feedback loop. They can be key e.g. to improve manufacturing processes. Another exciting topic is sustainable and smart manufacturing, i.e. the exploration of new materials and energy-efficient processes to align with sustainability goals. All these topics can be turned into opportunities e.g. by establishing joint research initiatives with industry partners to translate emerging technologies into practical applications.

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