Confirmed Plenary Speakers:
Prof. Alejandro A. Franco
Prof. Alejandro A. Franco is a Full Professor at the Université de Picardie Jules Verne, an Honorary Member of the Institut Universitaire de France and Affiliate Professor at University of Washington (Seattle, USA), with over 25 years dedicated to the multiscale modeling of electrochemical energy devices, and batteries in particular. His pioneering work, recognized by two ERC grants, integrates physics-based simulations, AI, and mixed reality to optimize battery manufacturing. He was honored with the 2019 French Prize for Pedagogy Innovation for his use of Virtual Reality in battery education, and is the recipient of the 2025 Battery Division Whittingham Mid-Career Award of the Electrochemical Society. Prof. Franco published more than 180 publications, 12 book chapters, 23 patents, and has delivered more than 230 invited lectures. He also coordinates the Erasmus+ i-MESC MSc. programme, at the crossroads between battery science, engineering and digitalization. He is the co-founder and CSO of Aikemics, a startup providing unique digital solutions for the battery industry.
Prof. Curtis P. Berlinguette
Prof. Curtis P. Berlinguette leads an interdisciplinary team that designs and builds electrochemical reactors to accelerate decarbonization. Dr. Berlinguette is a Distinguished University Scholar at the University of British Columbia, where he is a Professor of Chemistry and Chemical & Biological Engineering. He is also a Fellow of the Royal Society of Canada, CIFAR Program Director, and Principal Investigator at the Stewart Blusson Quantum Matter Institute (SBQMI). His academic group has advanced a range of clean energy applications including CO2 utilization, membrane reactors for decarbonizing the chemicals industry, and lower-temperature fusion.
Acknowledgements
Special thanks to Prof. Priscilla Caliandro for her generous help of abstract review.
Prof. Priscilla Caliandro
Priscilla Caliandro is Professor for Electrochemical Energy Storage and Conversion and Head of the Energy Storage Research Centre at the Bern University of Applied Sciences. She obtained her PhD in Energy from the École Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne (EPFL), where her research focused on Solid Oxide Cells operating in both fuel cell and electrolysis modes, combining analytical modeling, numerical simulations, and advanced experimental diagnostics to elucidate degradation mechanisms through Electrochemical Impedance Spectroscopy (EIS) and Distribution of Relaxation Time (DRT) analysis. Her work bridges physics-based modeling and experimental characterization of batteries and hydrogen systems, with particular emphasis on lithium-ion battery degradation, advanced battery testing and diagnostics, second-life battery systems, and the development of algorithms for Battery Management Systems. Since 2019, she has served as Co-Director of the Energy Storage Research Centre at BFH and, in 2023, was appointed Professor, assuming full leadership of BFH’s Energy Storage Research Centre and Battery Systems Laboratory. Prof. Caliandro coordinates and contributes to several national and international research initiatives, including collaborative projects with industry partners such as Swiss Federal Railways (SBB), as well as European Union projects, Innosuisse innovation programs, and Swiss Flagship initiatives, strengthening the transfer of advanced electrochemical diagnostics and battery technologies into real-world applications.
Conference Program
For 20-minute oral talks, it is recommended to have 17 minutes presentation and 3 minutes Q&A.
Link for download: ModVal2026 Program
Conference Proceeding
Link for download: ModVal2026 Proceeding