Keynotes Speakers

Graduated in Mechanical and Armament Engineering from the Military Institute of Engineering – IME (1996); Master’s Degree in Mechanical Engineering from IME (2002); Doctorate in Mechanical Engineering from the Pontifical Catholic University of Rio de Janeiro – PUC-RJ (2009), Post-Doctorate in Mechanical Engineering from the University of Central Florida (USA-2014) and Post-Doctorate in Engineering Teaching (CDIO approach) from Linköping University (Sweden-2016). Works and research in the field of Mechanical Engineering, with an emphasis on Armament Development and Computational Fluid Dynamics. Works effectively in engineering education, being a representative of the Military Institute of Engineering in the CDIO International Initiative.  Leading academic group member for the implementation of the new National Curriculum Guidelines for undergraduate engineering courses at IME, through the CDIO approach. Collaborates with several Brazilian universities for the development and modernization of their respective Pedagogical Course Projects, through constructive alignment and the CDIO methodology. Currently is Professor at the Mechanical Engineering Department of the IME.

Mechanical Engineer graduated by University of Sao Paulo (USP) in 1987, post-graduated in Production Engineering Techniques by University of Campinas (Unicamp), in Foundry Engineering by Education Society of Santa Catarina University (UNISOCIESC), MBA by Getulio Vargas Foundation (FGV); Mechanical Engineering Master of Science by Federal University of Santa Catarina (UFSC), in Administration Advisor by Pontificia Universidade Catolica (PUC-PR) and in Master of Governance an New Economy by Gonew.co. Currently work as Corporate Machined Products and Process Engineering Director by Tupy S.A. participating in innovative forefronts like efficient products and processes and digital transformation, besides to have performed other roles like  Corporate Director of Innovation and Research; Product, Process and Quality Engineering Director; Machining Plant Operations Manager; Project Manager; Product and Quality Management. At Tupy and at former companies, has been collaborating and leading projects around safe and environmental, productivity, costs reductions, besides development of iron alloys with high machinability for light weight engines, new products and innovative processes within I4.0 and Digital Transformation concepts. With company other professionals has joined universities and institutions around innovations and researches, whose relationships have been one of the pilars for Tupy succeeding and being in the foundry, cast iron alloys and machining processes vanguard.

Elizabeth is currently teaching a pedagogical course for PhD students at KTH who act as graduate teaching assistants. Previously, she taught English for Specific Purposes and Portuguese as a second language for a number of years in three countries. Her present position at the Department of Learning in Engineering Sciences has given rise to opportunities to work with faculty development. Elizabeth has been involved in grassroot discussions of different areas of teaching and learning in higher education, for example, internationalisation, sustainable development, language policy. She is especially interested in all areas that concern the development of young faculty in Engineering Educaction. Elizabeth’s interest in Intercultural Communication has provided her with the opportunity to work with the topic. One example of this work is an involvement in the process of approval of KTH’s Certificate of Global Competence. In addition to academic responsibilities, Elizabeth also acts as an administrative support to the management of the departartment, where she is responsible for various tasks. She has also been involved in EU projects – UNITE! (the University Network for Innovation, and Technology and Engineering), and Nordic Engineering Hub (NordEnHub) in which she is involved in a number of tasks

Fernando Martini Catalano, Professor at the Engineering School of São Carlos, University of São Paulo – EESC/USP – Aeronautical Engineering Department, Master degree in Aerodynamics in 1988, PhD on Aerodynamics at the Cranfield University College of Aeronautics UK in 1993. Head of the Applied Aerodynamics Laboratory, Coordinator of the FINEP/USP/EMBRAER Silent Aircraft project. 

Helge Wurdemann is a roboticist and Associate Professor of Robotics leading research on soft haptics and robotics at UCL Mechanical Engineering. He is also Co-Director of the Intelligent Mobility at UCL (IM@UCL, www.im-ucl.com) lab, a full-size driving simulator. His Soft Haptics group (www.softhaptics.website) focuses on the hardware design and application of soft material robotic systems that have the ability to change their shape and stiffness on demand bridging the gap between traditional rigid and entirely soft robots. Dr Wurdemann creates and embeds innovative stiffness-controllable mechanisms as well as combine advanced Artificial Intelligence with control strategies in robotic prototypes emerging from his lab. Dr Wurdemann has authored/co-authored more than 100 peer-reviewed papers. The majority of his journal papers are in the top journals of the field, including top transactions and journals of the IEEE and ASME and proceedings of the leading national learned societies in the field, IMechE and IET. He has published his research findings in refereed conference papers in the proceedings of leading conferences in his field. He currently is Associate Editor for prestigious robotics conferences (ICRA and IROS) and serves as Associate VP within the IEEE Robotics & Automation Society Conference Activities Board and as member of the IET Robotics and Mechatronics TPN Executive Board. He is Co-General Chair of the IEEE International Conference on Robotics and Automation 2023, the premium robotics conference, which will be hosted for the first time in the UK.

Main research activities include but are not limited to the application of information and communication technologies to support co-operative processes and environments with a specific focus on product development (smart/intelligent products engineering), IoT, collaborative robotics, product and systems lifecycle management, collaborative process chains. He has more than 25 years of experience in co-ordination and management of European as well as nationally funded research projects including EU funded Networks of Excellence and large IPs (Integrated Projects). Prof. Thoben is active on various levels and with different roles in various national and international scientific as well as professional communities such as DFI e.V. (Deutsches Forum für Interoperabilität (Vice chairman)), IFIP (International Federation of Information Processing): TC5: Representative for Germany; WG 5.7; WG 5.1 (Member)), WiGeP (Wissenschaftliche Gesellschaft für Produktentwicklung), VDI (Verein Deutscher Ingenieure), etc. Prof. Thoben is a member of various advisory boards of international conferences such as ICE (International Conference on Concurrent Enterprising), APMS (Advanced Production Management Systems, ProVE (Working Conference on Virtual Enterprises), PLM (Product Lifecycle Management).

Lisa is the CEO at NIRA Dynamics, a world-leading provider various software
systems for the automotive industry. She is now determined to continue the
expansion of NIRAs connected products in new markets. Using connected vehicle
data to improve safety within vehicles is very important to Lisa, but maybe even
more, understanding how the vehicle data also can affect the society as a whole,
both from a safety perspective, as well as an environmental perspective. Lisa has 20
years of experience in leading R&T/R&D organizations in various high-tech
companies, with experience as a top executive from both the automotive industry
and (defence) aerospace. Management roles has ranged from pure
research/development organizations to large design organizations as well as project
management offices. She also has experience from various board positions and is
currently engaged as a board member in Science Park Linköping. Her education is a
master’s degree in Physics and Applied Electronics and a PhD in materials physics
(both from Linköping University), and she also has an executive MBA from
Stockholm School of Economics.

Education: Mechanical Engineering (UFSC – Brazil), M. Eng. in Industrial Engineering (UFSC – Brazil) and MBA (FGV – Brazil). Key Development programs: Total Quality Management (JUSE – Japan), Black Belt 6 Sigma (FDG – Brazil), Leadership Development (Kellogg – USA) and Advanced Management Development Program – APG (Amana-Key, Brazil).  Work Experience: experienced executive (C-level) in mechanical industry, B2B, working in different areas such as Manufacturing, Quality Assurance, Human Resources, Strategy Management, Research & Development, Marketing, Sales and Business Management.  28 years of experience in leadership positions, including international assignment in Europe for 5 years. Broad experience in leading global teams, frontline experience with customers, developing and managing businesses in several countries worldwide. Experience in leading transformational, change management & turn around projects. Job Positions: since 2020 – Vice President of Commercial Appliance Refrigeration Business Unit, 2016-2019 – Sales & Marketing Vice President, 2014-2015 – Marketing Director, 2009-2014: R&D Director. 1994 – 2008: leadership positions in different areas such as Manufacturing, Quality Assurance, HR and Strategy Management.

Petter Krus is since 2010 a full professor in Fluid and Mechatronic Systems at Linköping University. He also holds the Endowed Swedish Chair in Aeronautics at ITA. Before that he was also a full professor in Machine Design from 2001-2010. He got his PhD at Linköping University in 1988 in the field of Fluid Power.

Graduated in Mechanical Engineering from the Universidade Federal de Santa Catarina (UFSC) with extension in Germany (TU Freiberg), has a Lean Manufacturing Specialization, MBA in Business Management from Fundacao Getulio Vargas and Innovation Insights from Steinbeiss Institute. At WEG since 2002, has been worked in several Engineering divisions from small motors to large electric machines. Also worked in the Industrial gearbox business in 2012 in Austria and, from 2015 to 2020, held the position as Engineering Director at WEG China. In 2020, started acting as Global Engineering and Technology Director for Industrial Motors and Energy, having teams in headquarters (Brazil) and in the branches of Mexico, United States, Portugal, Austria, Germany, India and China, being responsible for the development of new technologies, processes of product customization, quality control and digital technologies applied to electrical rotating machines