METALLICO Young Researchers: Stefano Antonini

Recovering valuable raw materials, demonstrating sustainable production or developing innovative technologies: Many young researchers are doing their part to achieve the goals of the METALLICO project. They are highly motivated and passionate about their work. One of our "METALLICO Young Researchers" is Stefano Antonini. He is a research fellow at Politecnico di Torino. Currently, he is working on the sustainability dimension of the project. Mostly, he is conducting the LCAs of the processes, but he is also exploring broader topics such as decarbonization and circularity in the mining and metals industry. Read more about Stefano and his motivation.

What is your motivation and what excites you the most about your work?

As an environmental engineer specialized in climate change, I’m motivated by the ambition to develop practical solutions that can help us address one of the biggest challenges of our time. METALLICO is particularly inspiring in this sense, as it focuses on recovering essential metals needed for the energy transition, which is crucial to achieving climate goals. What excites me most is the innovative nature of the project and the opportunity to collaborate with experts from diverse backgrounds — from academia to industry — who bring complementary perspectives and skills to tackle complex challenges together.

 

Which impact do you think your research will have on the future? What do you hope to achieve with your research?

I hope my research will contribute to making METALLICO’s processes more sustainable by providing insights into their environmental performance. By conducting LCAs and exploring decarbonization and circularity strategies, we can identify where improvements are most needed and guide decision-making to reduce impacts. In the long term, I hope this work will support the development of metal recovery processes that are not only efficient but also aligned with climate and sustainability goals, helping to ensure that the energy transition relies on responsibly sourced materials.

 

What opportunities does the research project METALLICO offer you as a young researcher in your early career?

METALLICO offers a great opportunity to grow as a young researcher by working in a large European project that connects academia and industry. It allows me to collaborate with experts from different fields and countries, which is both inspiring and stimulating. The project also provides valuable chances to present our work at conferences and to publish scientific papers, which is an important step before applying for a PhD. Above all, being part of METALLICO has sparked my curiosity and given me a deeper understanding of the challenges and opportunities in developing sustainable metal recovery technologies.

 

What is the best thing about your job as a scientist in the METALLICO project?

The best thing about my job in METALLICO is the chance to constantly learn by discussing with highly qualified experts from different disciplines. Every meeting feels like a small masterclass in areas I wouldn’t otherwise be exposed to. As for a funny moment, I once spent hours trying to fix a Python code only to realize the problem wasn’t in the code but in a misplaced decimal point in the input data — a classic reminder that even in cutting-edge research, small details can cause big headaches. Moments like that keep us humble and often become good stories to share with colleagues.