Teodoro Valente, Director of Institute of Polymers, Composites and Biomaterials (IPCB) – National Research Council of Italy (CNR) and a distinguished member of the International Advisory Board of the Miami Scientific Italian Community, has been appointed as the new President of ASI Agenzia Spaziale Italiana.

The Agenzia Spaziale Italiana (ASI), established in 1988, is a italian public body whose task is preparing and implementing the Italian space policy, in agreement with the Government’s guidelines.

The Agency has established itself as one of the most important global stakeholders on the scene of space science, satellite technologies and the development of tools to reach and explore the cosmos. Today, the ASI plays a primary role both at a European and at a global level. In fact, it has a close and continuous partnership relationship with the NASA, which has led the ASI to participate in some of the most interesting scientific missions in the last few years. One of the most fascinating projects has been the manufacturing and the activity of the International Space Station, where Italian astronauts are at home.

Thanks to the activity of the ASI, the Italian scientific community has obtained unprecedented success in the field of astrophysics and cosmology. As well as studying the Universe, you can observe Space from Earth to monitor and prevent – for example – environmental disasters, ensure fast interventions in crisis areas and measure the effects of climate change. Also in these fields, Italy is at the forefront with systems such as COSMO-SkyMed and PRISMA.

Prof. Valente former Deputy Rector for Research, Innovation and Technology Transfer of Rome University “La Sapienza”, is also President of the National Interuniversity Consortium on Material Science and Technology (INSTM) participated by 45 Italian Universities , Director of the Department “Chemical Material Environmental Engineering” of Rome University “La Sapienza”.

Laurea in Mechanical Engineering Cum Laude, Università di Roma La Sapienza (1989). Consultant for Snamprogetti Spa (1990-1992). Master in Business Administration (1993). Visiting Scientist at Osaka National Research Institute (Japan, 1997). Seconded National Expert at the European Commission in the framework of the COST Actions on Materials (1996-1997). Full professor since 2001.

Past President of the Italian Association on Materials Engineering (AIMAT), of the Consortium Sapienza Innovazione, of the Sapienza Commission for evaluation of spin-off and patents, and the Sapienza Commission for Innovation on Research and Technology. and of the board of Rete Ventures Scarl (company for technology transfer) He has been Vice President of the public-private research Consortium MATRIS and GRINT Scarl. Past member of the Scientific Council of the National Research Institute CNR-ISMN (Institute on Nanostructured Materials) and responsible for the INSTM Consortium of the Italian-Japanese joint lab named RIN (Research Institute on Nanoscience at Kyoto Institute of Technology) supported by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
Member of the group on “Molecular Modeling” for the preparation of the Italian National Research Plan, member of the Evaluation Panel for all the Institutes of the Italian National Research Council working in the area of Materials Science and Technology. Evaluators of Research Proposals submitted for funding to the Italian Ministry of University and Research, to the Ministry of the Economic Development, to Italian Regions (Campania, Veneto, Lazio, Piemonte, Umbria), to the European Commission in the Framework of the FP6 and FP7. Already a member of the European Evaluation Panel (IEP) for Eureka proposals and deputy of Italian MIUR for ERA-NET Materials till 2013.

Lecturer of “Materials Science and Technology” and “Aerospace Materials” in graduate and PhD regular courses of  Rome University “La Sapienza». Lecturer at the International Master on Nanotechnologies organized by “Coordinamento Interuniversitario Veneto per le Nanotecnologie”. Responsible for many research projects on materials science and technology and materials processing, funded by the Italian Ministry of University and Research, by the National Research Council, and by industrial national and international companies. Main research topics: metal alloys and metal matrix composites for automotive and aerospace applications, ceramic and ceramic matrix composites for extreme environments, degradation of materials in service, production and recycling of polymers and polymeric matrix composites, surface engineering by thermal spraying and vapor based techniques, materials/process product modeling.