Claudio Roncoli is an Associate Professor at the KU Leuven Faculty of Engineering Science , Department of Mechanical Engineering. His research focuses on traffic management and urban mobility, particularly in connected and automated vehicle systems, multimodal transport networks, and environmental impact analysis. Institution: KU Leuven Academic Rank: Associate Professor Department: Mechanical Engineering Recent publications highlight his work in: Trajectory reconstruction algorithms Network congestion control CO2 emission quantification Transit signal priority systems Geospatial emission modeling Cyclist route integration in demand models His projects emphasize intelligent transportation systems and equitable urban mobility solutions.
Prof. Bart Blanpain leads the High Temperature Processes (HiTemp) research group at KU Leuven's Institute for Sustainable Metals and Minerals. With over 20 years of pyrometallurgical expertise, he specializes in ferrous/non-ferrous metallurgy and slag processing. His group maintains strategic partnerships with industrial leaders: Aperam ArcelorMittal Sidmar Umicore MetalloChimique Campine Group Machiels His research focuses on sustainable metallurgical ecosystems through slag/residue valorisation, refractory wear mitigation, urban mining, and optimized flow sheets. Key initiatives target bauxite residue ("red mud") processing, lithium extraction from battery recycling streams, hydrogen-based reduction techniques, and freeze lining engineering for nonferrous operations. This work drives circular economy solutions for critical material recovery and resource efficiency in metals production. Analysis of 2024-2025 publications reveals dominant trends in hydrogen metallurgy for sustainable metal recovery and computational modeling of inclusion behavior. Significant emphasis on battery recycling, antimony recovery, and slag engineering demonstrates alignment with industry decarbonization goals and critical raw material security imperatives. The research portfolio bridges fundamental thermodynamics with industrial process optimization. Scientific Awards: No awards were mentioned in source materials. Prof. Blanpain's group secures substantial industrial funding for applied R&D, evidenced by active collaborations with major metals producers. Project descriptions indicate strong focus on slag valorisation and process optimization for resource recovery. Student advising occurs within these research frameworks, though specific advisees aren't documented in available materials. The HiTemp group operates advanced high-temperature facilities including plasma reactors for slag fuming, hydrogen reduction setups, and comprehensive slag characterization laboratories. As part of KU Leuven's Institute for Sustainable Metals and Minerals, the team integrates process engineering, materials science, and sustainability analysis to develop next-generation metallurgical solutions addressing industry's decarbonization challenges.
