Ioana Monica Sas-Boca | Engineering | Best Researcher Award

Ioana Monica Sas-Boca | Engineering | Best Researcher Award

Mrs. Ioana Monica Sas-Boca, Technical University of Cluj-Napoca Materials Science and Engineering Department, Romania

Dr. Ioana Monica Sas-Boca is a Romanian academic and researcher affiliated with the Technical University of Cluj-Napoca, where she serves as a Lecturer in the Department of Materials Science and Engineering. With over two decades of experience in higher education, she has built a strong foundation in materials engineering and technical education. Known for her active role in didactic and research activities, Dr. Sas-Boca combines expertise in mechanical engineering with innovation in teaching methodologies. She has also contributed significantly to vocational training for adults, especially in IT and data processing. Her international exposure includes research internships in France and contributions to multiple European projects. Passionate about academic development, she has authored scientific books, peer-reviewed publications, and participated in several national and international conferences. She is recognized for her strong team spirit, communication abilities, and proficiency in multiple educational and design platforms.

Publication Profile

orcid

๐ŸŽ“ Education

Dr. Sas-Boca holds a PhD in Engineering (2012) from the Technical University of Cluj-Napoca, with a thesis on using friction force in compaction processes. She earned a Master’s degree in Solid State Physics (2006โ€“2008) from Babeศ™-Bolyai University, where she specialized in magnetic and superconducting materials and conducted research in France. Her educational path also includes a postgraduate specialization in Energy Auditโ€“Construction (2010), a certificate in Innovation Management (2012), and Advanced Studies in Special Procedures in Manufacturing Engineering (2002โ€“2003). Earlier, she graduated with a degree in Materials Processing Engineering (1996โ€“2001) and also completed a teacher training program in 2000. Her secondary education was at George Coศ™buc Nฤƒsฤƒud National College in mathematics and physics. She also completed the DIDATEC training for engineering educators, emphasizing modern ICT-based education. Dr. Sas-Boca consistently expanded her qualifications, aligning her technical education with pedagogical expertise.

๐Ÿ’ผ Experience

Dr. Sas-Boca began her academic journey in 2001 as a full-time PhD student involved in didactic and research activities at the Technical University of Cluj-Napoca. She later served as Assistant Lecturer (2004โ€“2016) in the Department of Materials Processing Engineering before becoming a Lecturer in 2016. Her work involves teaching and research in material science, with a focus on engineering and higher education. Additionally, she contributed significantly to professional retraining through her role as a Lecturer-Trainer at SC Profag SRL (2004โ€“2008), where she taught unemployed individuals in IT-based skills, such as data entry and processing. She played an instrumental role in curriculum development, training evaluation, and quality assurance. Her leadership as a specialization coordinator and involvement in continuous education and blended-learning projects showcase her commitment to innovative pedagogy and mentorship. Dr. Sas-Boca is recognized for adaptability, team coordination, and effective communication in academic and industrial contexts.

๐Ÿ† Honors and Awards

Dr. Ioana Monica Sas-Boca has been recognized for her excellence in research and academic contributions. She has authored three books, including two as the sole author, and published 26 scientific papers indexed in Web of Scienceโ€”five of which are in top-tier Q1 and Q2 journals. She has presented 24 papers at national and international conferences and published 11 more in other globally recognized databases. Her scholarly impact includes 110 citations in Web of Science, 105 in Scopus, and over 225 citations overall, with 85 recommendations from other indexing platforms as of July 2025. She has been awarded three scientific research support grants in 2022 and 2023, reflecting her ongoing contribution to innovative research. Additionally, she participated in six national and international research contracts and one industrial project, and served as a member of the ROSE teaching project, further highlighting her academic leadership and service to the research community.

๐Ÿ”ฌ Research Focus

Dr. Sas-Bocaโ€™s research focuses on materials science and engineering, with a particular emphasis on friction-based compaction processes, mechanical properties of advanced materials, and energy-efficient construction practices. Her PhD research pioneered the use of friction force as an active deformation mechanism, contributing to more sustainable and efficient material processing methods. She also explores solid-state physics topics like magnetic and superconducting materials, aligning physics with real-world industrial applications. Her interdisciplinary interests extend to data processing, innovation management, and energy audits for constructionโ€”indicating a holistic approach that blends materials engineering with environmental and sustainability concerns. Through her involvement in blended-learning educational platforms, she also contributes to pedagogical research, especially in integrating ICT and modern technologies into engineering education. Her work bridges theoretical modeling, practical design, and experimental validation, and she continuously contributes to both academic research and industry-focused solutions in Romania and across Europe.

๐Ÿ“š Publications

๐Ÿ“˜ Friction Force as an Active Deformation Mechanism in Compaction Processes
๐Ÿ“— Innovative Methods in Materials Engineering Education
๐Ÿ“™ Practical Guide to Material Processing Technologies
๐Ÿ“ Investigation of Friction-Based Compaction Mechanisms in Engineering Alloys
๐Ÿ“„ Magnetic Properties of Superconducting Thin Films: An Experimental Study
๐Ÿ“„ Energy Audit Methods Applied in Construction Sector
๐Ÿ“„ Use of ICT Platforms in Technical Education: A DIDATEC Project Review
๐Ÿ“„ Solid-State Phenomena in Metallic Systems: A Simulation-Based Approach
๐Ÿ“„ Advanced Characterization of Friction-Induced Compaction in Powders
๐Ÿ“„ Blended Learning in Engineering: Implementation and Challenges
๐Ÿ“„ Thermomechanical Behavior of Compacted Metallic Powders
๐Ÿ“„ Materials Engineering Approaches to Energy Efficiency in Buildings
๐Ÿ“„ Evaluation of Stress-Strain Distributions during Powder Compaction
๐Ÿ“„ Microstructural Changes in Friction-Compacted Powder Materials
๐Ÿ“„ A Review on Superconducting Ceramics for Energy Applications
๐Ÿ“„ Finite Element Analysis of Powder Consolidation under Friction Forces
๐Ÿ“„ Digital Literacy for Engineering Students through Blended Platforms
๐Ÿ“„ Thermal Behavior of Engineered Composite Powders
๐Ÿ“„ ICT Training for Engineering Educators: A National Perspective
๐Ÿ“„ Design and Optimization of Compaction Tools for Powder Metallurgy
๐Ÿ“„ Material Behavior under Uniaxial vs. Friction-Based Compression
๐Ÿ“„ Teaching Engineering Concepts Using Simulation and Modeling Software
๐Ÿ“„ Comparative Study of Magnetic Properties in Soft and Hard Materials
๐Ÿ“„ Building Energy Efficiency: Tools, Methods, and Implementation

Vasileios Laitsos | Engineering | Best Review Article Award

Mr. Vasileios Laitsos | Engineering | Best Review Article Award

Mr. Vasileios Laitsos, University of Thessaly, Greece

Mr. Vasileios Laitsos is an accomplished researcher and electrical engineer from Greece, currently pursuing a PhD at the University of Thessaly, Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering, Volos. His research focuses on developing innovative forecasting models for electricity demand and wholesale electricity prices using artificial intelligence, particularly leveraging Python and the TensorFlow platform.

Education:

PhD in Electrical and Computer Engineering (July 2020 โ€“ Present)
University of Thessaly, Volos
Research Focus: AI-driven forecasting models for electricity demand and pricing.

Masterโ€™s in Smart Grid Energy Systems (October 2019 โ€“ February 2021)
University of Thessaly, Volos
Graduated as Valedictorian with a GPA of 9.63/10.
Thesis: “The Modern Power System from a Different Approach: Impact of Demand Side Management Methods.”

Diploma in Electrical and Computer Engineering (October 2011 โ€“ June 2017)
Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, Thessaloniki
GPA: 7.43/10.
Thesis: “Wind Power Forecasting using Support Vector Machines and Artificial Neural Networks.”

Professional Profiles:

ORCID Profile

Professional Experience:

Mr. Laitsos has a diverse professional background, with extensive experience in both research and industry. He currently serves as a Research Associate at HEDNO S.A. in Volos, where he contributes to European Union scientific programs such as ENFLATE and CENTAVROS, which focus on optimizing energy distribution systems. Concurrently, he is a Machine Learning Researcher for the ELVIS Research Project, working on developing a prototype integrated tool for managing the smart charging of electric vehicles by an EV Aggregator.

Previously, Mr. Laitsos served as a Technical Manager at Hellenic Dairies S.A., overseeing the electrical and electronic maintenance of the packaging department, leading a team of seven technicians, and managing two major projects. His earlier roles include Electrical Maintenance Engineer at Hellenic Halyvourgia S.A., where he gained hands-on experience with electrical circuits, AC/DC motors, and PLC systems, and an Electrical Engineer Internship at VIS S.A., where he familiarized himself with industrial electrical panels and machinery.

Skills and Achievements:

Mr. Laitsos possesses a comprehensive skill set, including expertise in machine learning, Python programming, TensorFlow, electrical circuit design, PLC systems, and energy system optimization. His leadership skills, team management experience, and ability to bridge the gap between theoretical research and practical implementation have been instrumental in his career. He is fluent in English and Greek and holds a valid driving license.

Publications:

1. The State of the Art Electricity Load and Price Forecasting for the Modern Wholesale Electricity Market

Journal: Energies

Publication Date: November 2024

DOI: 10.3390/en17225797

Contributors: Vasileios Laitsos, Georgios Vontzos, Paschalis Paraschoudis, Eleftherios Tsampasis, Dimitrios Bargiotas, Lefteri Tsoukalas

Source: Multidisciplinary Digital Publishing Institute

2. Enhanced Sequence-to-Sequence Deep Transfer Learning for Day-Ahead Electricity Load Forecasting

Journal: Electronics

Publication Date: May 2024

DOI: 10.3390/electronics13101996

Contributors: Vasileios Laitsos, Georgios Vontzos, Apostolos Tsiovoulos, Dimitrios Bargiotas, Lefteri Tsoukalas

Source: Multidisciplinary Digital Publishing Institute

3. Estimating Spatio-Temporal Building Power Consumption Based on Graph Convolution Network Method

Journal: Dynamics

Publication Date: May 2024

DOI: 10.3390/dynamics4020020

Contributors: Georgios Vontzos, Vasileios Laitsos, Avraam Charakopoulos, Dimitrios Bargiotas, Theodoros Karakasidis

Source: Multidisciplinary Digital Publishing Institute

4. State-of-the-Art of Electricity Load and Price Forecasting for the Modern Wholesale Electricity Market

Type: Working Paper

DOI: 10.20944/preprints202411.0165.v1

Source: Multidisciplinary Digital Publishing Institute

Conclusion:

Mr. Vasileios Laitsos is a highly promising researcher with significant contributions to the field of electricity load and price forecasting. His review article in Energies demonstrates a deep understanding of the subject and provides valuable insights for advancing the state of the art in energy forecasting. With minor improvements in scope and quantitative analysis, Mr. Laitsos’s work has the potential to be a benchmark for future research in the field. Given his multidisciplinary expertise, collaborative spirit, and impactful research, he is a strong candidate for the Best Review Article Award. Recognizing his work would not only honor his individual achievements but also encourage further advancements in energy forecasting and smart grid technologies.