Dr. Nesma Aboulkhair

Director of Additive Manufacturing

Technology Innovation Institute (UAE)

Additive Manufacturing at the Technology Innovation Institute: current state-of-play and opportunities

United Arab Emirates

Dr. Aboulkhair is the Director of the Additive Manufacturing team at the Technology Innovation Institute’s Advanced Materials Research Centre TII-AMRC (UAE). Prior to joining TII, she was an assistant professor at the University of Nottingham (UK), where she stills holds a visiting academic role. Since 2013, She has been working on Materials Manufacturing Research; with active projects spanning across several metal additive manufacturing (AM) processes (powder based and drop-on-demand). Coming from a mechanical engineering background and holding a PhD in Materials Engineering and Materials Design, she specialises on developing new materials, materials processing, manufacturing, and characterisation for metallurgy and mechanical properties. As an early career researcher, she has an excellent track record of scientific publications (49, h-index 25, Field Weighted Citation Impact 5.29 – Materials Science, source: SciVal), funding (in excess of £3M), and invited and keynote talks at international conferences and reputable institutions. At TII, she set up a state-of-the-art AM laboratory with facilities for manufacturing, post-processing, and characterisation, which is now completed and fully operational. She works closely with the UAE’s local industries, providing them with support and business solutions for advanced manufacturing needs. She manages a team of researchers, training them to become AM specialists. She is also involved in a range of outreach activities to raise the public’ awareness about Materials & Manufacturing. She has been awarded numerous awards and honours, including the prestigious Anne McLaren Fellowship (UK), Dean of Engineering Scholarship for International Research Excellence, Stanford’s World Top 2% Scientists (3 years in a row), among others. She was the Chair of the Early Career Researchers committee for the Association of Industrial Laser Users (AILU) and serves as an editor and reviewer for various reputable scientific journals.

Matthias Schmidt

Managing Partner

AMPOWER (Germany)

Discover best practices from leading global users and learn new technological approaches

Germany

Matthias is the Managing Partner at AMPOWER, the leading boutique consultancy in Additive Manufacturing. Since 2013, Matthias has specialized in go-to-market and implementation strategies for both machine suppliers and users of Additive Manufacturing. In 2017 he co-founded AMPOWER together with 2 leading AM experts. Known for his strategic insights and innovative approaches, Matthias has been instrumental in advancing the capabilities and applications of Additive Manufacturing, making him a sought-after expert in the industry.

Dr. Christian Leinenbach

Deputy Head

Empa-Swiss Federal Laboratories (Switzerland)

Additive Manufacturing of Oxide Dispersion Strengthened (ODS) Alloys

Switzerland

Dr. Leinenbach earned his MSc in Materials Science and Engineering from the Universities of Saarbrücken/Germany and Luleå/Sweden in 2000 and a PhD from the University of Kaiserslautern/Germany in 2004. Since 2005, he has worked at Empa, the Swiss Federal Laboratories, where he is currently Head of the Advanced Processing and Additive Manufacturing of Metals Group and Deputy Head of the Laboratory for Advanced Materials Processing in Dübendorf/Zürich and Thun, Switzerland. He also serves as an adjunct faculty memeber at École Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne (EPFL), teaching courses on advanced metallurgy, metal processing, and additive manufacturing.

His research focuses on the development, processing, and characterization of novel alloys and metal-matrix composites in the context of advanced 2D and 3D manufacturing technologies such as additive manufacturing, laser cladding etc.. Dr. Leinenbach has over 200 peer-reviewed publications and is active in various professional societies, including the Swiss Association for Materials Science and Technology and the Swiss Academy for Technical Sciences.

Dr. Federico Bosio

Lead - Additive Manufacturing

Technology Innovation Institute (UAE)

Design, development, and scale-up of AMALLOY3D, the next-generation aluminium alloys for Additive Manufacturing applications

United Arab Emirates

Dr. Bosio is the Additive Manufacturing Lead for Materials in the Additive Manufacturing team at the Advanced Material Research Centre (AMRC) in Technology Innovation Institute (TII, Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates). He holds a BSc, MSc, and PhD in Materials Engineering from Politecnico di Torino (Italy). As a PhD researcher, he has been involved in Additive Manufacturing projects by joining international collaborations since 2017. He has also been part of the Monash Centre for Additive Manufacturing (Melbourne, Australia) research group, creating a network with relevant material scientists, academics, and additive manufacturing specialists. His efforts are currently channelled into the development of a novel aluminium alloy class – AMALLOY3D – for targeted applications in the AM industry.

Humna Khan & Jonathan

CEO

ASTRO Mechanical Testing Laboratory, USA and MIMO Technik

USA

Humna Khan is the CEO and Founder of ASTRO Mechanical Testing Laboratory, specializing in the characterization of 3D-printed metal alloys and composites. She is also COO and Partner at MIMO Technik, where she leads the development of production flight hardware for major aerospace companies and emerging space ventures. With over 20 years in the Aerospace & Defense industry, Humna has extensive experience in payload development, vehicle engineering, launch operations, and failure analysis. She has held leadership roles at SpaceX, guiding quality engineering for Falcon 9, Falcon Heavy, and Dragon programs, and at NASA, where she managed critical process control initiatives. Humna is also a Six Sigma Black Belt and serves as an advisor to ASTM International, SME, and other industry bodies. Her strategic focus is on streamlining the Qualification, Validation, and Certification processes to advance additive manufacturing and democratize production capabilities in aerospace.

Prof. Christopher Tuck

Director & Co-founder

Added Scientific Ltd & Reactive Fusion Ltd. (UK)

United Kingdom

Prof. Chris gained his BEng (Hons) in Materials Science and Engineering from Brunel University in 1998 before going on to complete an Engineering Doctorate (EngD) with the Sensors and Composites Group at Cranfield University in Novel Manufacturing Methods of Optical Fibre Sensors. During his EngD Chris also undertook the part of the Cranfield Executive MBA programme. Chris joined the Additive Manufacturing (AM) Research Group at Loughborough University in 2003 and became Lecturer in Innovative Design and Manufacturing in 2008 Chris became a at Loughborough University and was promoted to Senior Lecturer in 2011. In 2016 Chris became an Professor of Materials Engineering in the University of Nottingham's Faculty of Engineering. Chris is Director of the EPSRC Centre for Doctoral Training in Additive Manufacturing and 3D Printing, a training and research programme for 66 PhD students co-sponsored by industry. Chris has been an Executive Member of the ASTM F42 AM standards committee and a participant in the BSi initiative of AM standards development. Chris is a regular presenter at international conferences, a panel member for EPSRC and a reviewer for European, Middle East, Asia and North American funding agencies including NASA. Chris is also a reviewer for numerous international journals in the fields of Additive Manufacturing and 3D printing materials. In 2018 Chris was appointed Faculty Associate Pro-Vice Chancellor for Research and Knowledge Exchange in the Faculty of Engineering.

Hadeel Alnahdi & Shaima Albedwawi

Senior Associate Researcher

Technology Innovation Institute (UAE)

United Arab Emirates

Hadeel Alnahdi is a Senior Associate Researcher at the Propulsion and Space Research Center at the Technology Innovation Institute (TII). She is dedicated to research and development in aerospace and materials science. Holding a Master's degree in Mechanical Engineering from Khalifa University, she has specialized in the fabrication and characterization of high-strength thermoplastic composites. Her professional experience includes work in the oil and gas industry. Currently, Hadeel is contributing to cutting-edge research and technological advancements in the field of space propulsion.

Shaima Albedwawi is a Senior Associate Researcher at the Propulsion and Space Research Center at the Technology Innovation Institute (TII). She is responsible for the research and development of catalysts and materials for space applications. She holds a MSc degree in Materials Science and Engineering from Khalifa University and has an experience in writing and publishing scientific papers. Shaima has published articles in high impact factor journals on the catalysis topic and she has an extensive experience in characterizing the materials by SEM, XRD, BET, TEM, Raman spectroscopy, TGA and DSC.

Nameer Syed

Partner Manager

EOS (Germany)

Germany

Nameer is currently working as a Partner Manager for EOS overseeing MENA and Eastern Europe, managing sales for the region. He gained a bachelor’s degree in mechanical engineering and a master’s degree in management at ESMT Berlin, which led to his interest in new technologies. Nameer brings a wide diversity of experience along with him together with a passion for data-driven decision making when consulting clients. He has been working with EOS over the past 5 years. Nameer started off as a consultant for EOS consulting arm AdditiveMinds. In his time at AdditiveMinds Nameer has consulted numerous customers over the past years in developing their journey towards adopting additive manufacturing. His expertise lies in determining business cases and financial feasibility for customers planning to enter additive manufacturing.

Dr. Recep Kahraman

Technical Fellow

Reaction Engines Limited (UK)

Benefits and Challenges of Additive Manufacturing in Thermal Management

UK

I hold a PhD from the University of Southampton and have authored around 20 publications and three book chapters. My background is in Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD) and Heat Transfer, with 20 years of experience in thermal management, including a decade specializing in additive thermal management. I have worked with AUDI AG, Parker Meggitt, and Hieta Technologies, and I have served as a lecturer in thermo-fluidics and advanced computational fluid dynamics at Exeter University. Currently, I am a Technical Fellow in Heat Transfer and Heat Exchanger Aerodynamics at Reaction Engines.

Mehmet Cetinkaya

Founder

Alloy Additive (Turkey)

Investigation and Applications of TIG (Tunsgten Inert Gas) Based WAAM (Wire Arc Additive Manufacturing) Technology

Turkey

Mehmet Çetinkaya, Founder of Alloy Additive, is an innovative entrepreneur with a strong background in material science and aerospace. He holds a B.S. in Metallurgical and Materials Engineering from METU (2015) and an M.S. in Mechanical Engineering from Koç University (2018). During his master’s program, Mehmet conducted solidification studies on the International Space Station (ISS) as part of a project supported by the European Space Agency (ESA) and managed by the German Aerospace Center (DLR). This experience, along with a five-year tenure as Lead R&D Engineer in a hybrid rocket company, fueled his passion for solving critical challenges in material manufacturing, particularly the long lead times for exotic materials.

Driven by a desire to innovate, Mehmet founded Alloy Additive in 2020 with a goal to change the 3D printing industry for large-scale metal parts. The success of this unconventional approach marked a turning point, laying the groundwork for his future company. Mehmet's persistency led to the development of Alloy Additive's first prototype, converting a basic polymer 3D printer into a metal printing machine. Securing funding from a TUBITAK project and collaborating with ABB Robotics. His innovative vision and dedication have positioned Alloy Additive as a significant player in the additive manufacturing field, driving progress and setting new standards in the industry.

Dr. Mohsen Seifi

Vice President

ASTM (USA)

USA

 Dr. Mohsen Seifi serves as the Vice President of Global Advanced Manufacturing Programs at ASTM since May 2022, having begun his tenure with the organization in September 2016 as Director of Additive Manufacturing Programs. Boasting over 13 years in advanced manufacturing and business development, Seifi has shown outstanding leadership and expertise. Before ASTM, he significantly contributed to research and business projects, many government-funded, underscoring his technical skill and business acumen. Currently, he leads vital programs, including Additive Manufacturing, Robotics & Autonomous Systems, and Wohlers Associates at ASTM. He directs a team to advance ASTM’s initiatives in advanced manufacturing and is instrumental in standardization efforts across various technical committees, fostering partnerships, and developing standards-related programs. Additionally, Seifi is an Adjunct Faculty at Case Western Reserve University, participates on advisory boards, and has co-authored over 50 peer-reviewed publications with more than 5,150 citations. He has delivered over 150 invited and keynote lectures and chaired numerous events, earning him wide recognition and several awards in his field.

Dr. Mandana Moshiri

Senior AM Manager

The LEGO Group (Denmark)

Denmark

Dr. Mandaná Moshiri is at the forefront of metal additive manufacturing research and development at the LEGO Group, where she drives innovation in materials and technologies. She earned her BSc and MSc from Politecnico di Torino in Italy and has been deeply involved in additive manufacturing since 2015. Mandaná holds an industrial PhD in this field from the Technical University of Denmark, conducted in the LEGO Group and funded by Marie Curie Innovative Training Network (ITN). A passionate innovator, she actively collaborates with universities and research centers and contributes to the scientific community through her publications. Beyond her professional work, Mandaná channels her love for exploration as a tour leader coordinator, guiding groups of travelers around the world.

Alejandro Lázaro Martínez

Process and Materials Manager

MELTIO (Spain)

Spain

I am currently the manager in the Materials and Printing Processes Department at Meltio, where I focus on improving manufacturing processes, characterizing materials, and providing solutions for industries like defense, naval, and aerospace.

Previously, I worked at AIMEN Technology Center as a materials engineer, supporting European project research in additive manufacturing. 

I hold a degree and a dual master’s in materials engineering from the Polytechnic University of Madrid and Beihang University in Beijing.

Franck Mouriaux

Director

EDGE (UAE)

Space Program

United Arab Emirates

Mayez Kabbara

Director

Archireef (UAE)

United Arab Emirates

Prince Juneja

Professor

Phillips Machine Tools (India)

Head, Additive Manufacturing Solutions

India