Giovanni Straffelini graduated in Materials Engineering at the University of Trento in 1989 and received his PhD in Metallurgical Engineering from the University of Padova in 1993. He currently teaches courses on ‘Metallic Materials Engineering’ and ‘Steelmaking and Foundry Technologies’ at the University of Trento. His research activity mainly concerns the sectors of tribology, mechanical metallurgy, plastic working of Al-alloys, powder metallurgy, topics on which he has published more than 200 scientific publications, mostly in international journals. He is also included in the World Ranking of Scientists, developed by Stanford University.