The aim of this architectural research is to analyses material transformations of Sarajevo—the destruction and reconstruction caused by the war (1992-1996), from documents (videos, photos, and drawings) produced by citizens. Finding these documents is important in the shared process of collective memory creation by Bosnians, but also for academic research and post-war reconstructions. For EU citizens, understanding Sarajevo citizens’ experience can help them to understand the realities of life of the actual war contexts (i.e. Syria). As a citizen who experienced the war, an architect and a researcher of the war cities, my research objective is to expand architectural research methods by focusing on how war affects the transformation of cities through a process combining architecture and media research. I will apply interdisciplinary research methods used in architecture/planning (i.e. geographic information system - GIS), media studies (i.e. video) and anthropology (i.e. interviews). To use media tools is a complement to architect research and representation (i.e. video) modes because they create documents (i.e. drawings) understandable only to architects. Research will be accessible to scientific and general public through a web platform, called Evidencity, which will include map-based, multimedia research archive. Regarding to my academic career this project contributes: obtaining academic profile in the fields of architectural research methods and media for researching of different war cities; advancing my skills as an architect (i.e. analysis of the destroyed city) for working on projects related to the post-war reconstruction. The European continent is constantly dealing with states of war, on its territories (Ukraine) or on its borders (Libya-Italy). Proposal aims to contribute using research results to create interdisciplinary guidelines for architectural research to the emerging field of urban conflict studies that will be applicable to the other war cities.

Moore’s Law has dominated the trajectory of nanotechnology for the last half century; consistently pushing towards nanocomponents with decreasing size in x, y and z dimensions. It is widely predicted that Moore’s Law will eventually come to an end in 2025 when nanocomponents start to approach the size of individual atoms. Many wonder what kind of nanotechnology can we expect in the “post-Moore” world. Rather than asking how much smaller we can go, EARS will ask how big can we make nano-technology? Imagine we could manufacture extreme-aspect-ratio metamaterials which are only hundreds of atoms thick in z but extend out to meter scales in x and y. Even further, consider covering these meter-sized sheets in nanoscale patterning to give them exceptional material properties not found anywhere in nature or science.. Remarkably, these types of extreme-aspect-ratio metamaterials are increasingly at the heart of many future breakthrough initiatives ranging in functionalities from ultra-fast sails for space-exploration, to sensors that can detect the smallest fundamental forces of physics. EARS will combine my unique expertise in nanofabrication and high-precision optomechanics experiments to realize a cutting-edge platform that opens radical trajectories in unmanned space exploration. My novel approach will allow me to manufacture the highest aspect-ratio metamaterials ever produced and to reliably interface their dynamics with some of the most precise optical controls to date. EARS will herald a new frontier of nanotechnology that has the potential to revolutionize several breakthrough fields of science through metamaterials innovation.

The objective of the present proposal is to advance the state of the art of Organic Rankine Cycles (ORC) to assist Europe achieve its goal for energy sustainability. Current ORC design methods rely on numerical models that use inaccurate assumptions and neglect variable operating conditions. Hence, the specific goal, of this proposal, is to develop advance engineering tools to characterize and minimize the impact of aleatory and epistemic uncertainties during the design phase of ORC based machines. The first part of the project targets the integration of uncertainty quantification techniques with: 1) thermodynamic model of an ORC cycle and; 2) aerodynamic model of the turbine. The objective is to provide performance predictions with confidence margins that facilitate reliable design decisions. The numerical results will be validated with data from a new ORC facility at TU Delft. Additionally, innovative Bayesian inference techniques will use experimental data to infer the confidence margins of the parameters used in the model. The second phase aims to quantify the impact of a variable heat sources in the performance of the cycle and its consequent effect on the aerodynamic efficiency of the turbine. With an accurate prediction of the probabilistic density function of the turbine’s boundary conditions, robust optimization method will be developed to maximize the turbine’s performance over the complete operational range. All the tools will be developed in open access to foster academic collaboration and motivate engineers to consider and minimize uncertainties in the early design phase of energy systems.