In the frame of the event organized in collaboration with Confindustria Lecco e Sondrio and Politecnico di Milano, Lecco Campus, we are really proud to announce that yesterday, 19th of June, Physics Nobel Prize laureate Arthur McDonald visited our Headquarters. Professor McDonald collaborated with Elemaster on the Milano Ventilatore Meccanico (MVM) project, a device for assisted breathing, developed in Italy during pandemic period in just over two months through a broad international scientific collaboration.
The MVM project tackled the urgent challenge of designing, developing, building, and certifying a safe and powerful ventilator for COVID-19 patients. One of the key features of the MVM was its simple mechanical design, which together with a sophisticated control system, allowed both for quick production and ease of use for medical personnel.
Cristiano Galbiati, Professor of Princeton University, was in lockdown in this hard-hit area. He recognized the desperate need for additional ventilators early in the pandemic and went to work. He quickly reached out to an international team of physicists and engineers he was already collaborating with.
A call to Professor McDonald led to expansion in Canada, with support from national laboratories: Canadian Nuclear Laboratories (CNL) Chalk River, TRIUMF, SNOLAB and the McDonald Institute.
Synergy between research institutions, medical doctors and industry from the beginning of the project with basic ideas and contributions from leading research institutions: INFN, GSSI, Princeton University, TRIUMF, FNAL, CNL Chalk River, McDonald Institute, SNOLAB, UNIMIB, APC, CIEMAT, Astrocent.
The implementation needed substantial industry contribution: starting from the baseline designs made by INAF (National Institute for Astrophysics), Elemaster began the industrialization phase. In detail, Elemaster provided industrialization competences and the laboratory facility for developing the first units. The FDA certification was obtained in less than three months.
“We responded with enthusiasm to the request of collaboration received from the international scientific community coordinated by Professor Cristiano Galbiati and Professor Arthur McDonald, Physics Nobel laureate 2015. Elemaster put at disposal a full-time team of over 40 specialists involved in project management, engineering design and process technologies control, printed circuits boards development and production, with the aim to develop, industrialize and manufacture in record time first protypes batches of MVM, coordinating other involved companies, too. This product was the result of the full contribution of the international scientific community with the world of industry. Elemaster continues its collaboration with the scientific community through various projects. The latest partnership is the SKAO Project, where we have been awarded by the international SKA Observatory (SKAO) to industrialize and build a sophisticated digital processing system. This system will power the world’s largest and most capable radio telescope, further cementing Elemaster’s role at the forefront of technological innovation and scientific advancement” explains Valentina Cogliati, President & CEO of Elemaster. “I’m proud that Elemaster has cooperated in the past to MVM project and is cooperating today with SKA organization. These high technology projects, that join creativity, technical competences and worldwide cooperation, for a scope that is the amelioration of human condition and a step forward in our knowledge of the universe, makes me feel a sense of our daily work in the company that exceeds the financial results. I hope that all our management team and all our employees, all over the world, can share with me the same feeling of pride and passion for what we do every day together and for the role that our company plays for the territory and for our Country.”
Professor Arthur McDonald’s visit to Elemaster Headquarters began with a warm greeting from the company’s board members. Following this, Giovanni Cogliati, Elemaster CCO e Vice President, presented an overview of the Company’s ongoing projects. Ensuing to his presentation, Gualtiero Magni, Elemaster Chief Project & Business Management Officer, and Eng. Jader Monari from INAF (National Institute for Astrophysics) shared their insights on the SKAO project. Finally Dr. Arthur McDonald’s gave the audience its invaluable contribution with regard to applied research, retracing also the main steps that led to the development of the MVM project. The visit then continued with a comprehensive tour of the various departments at the Headquarters. This tour provided Professor McDonald and the delegation with a closer look at Elemaster’s advanced facilities.
Welcome guests in this first part Dr. Marco Tardocchi (UNIMIB), Dr. Doug Hallman (Laurentian University), Dr. Aksel Hallin (University of Alberta) and Dr. Filippo Maria Zerbi, Scientific Director of INAF – National Institute for Astrophysics. The event was also further enriched by the presence of the Mayor of Lomagna, Dr. Cristina Citterio, who attended to show his support for Elemaster’s achievements and its positive impact on the local community.
Following his visit of Elemaster HQ, Dr. McDonald moved to the next part of the event at the Politecnico di Milano – Lecco campus.
The first stop was the COSMOS, COmb assiSted MOlecular Spectroscopy. COSMOS lab research activity is in the field of high-precision and high-sensitivity molecular spectroscopy. Following this, the group moved on to the CHROME (Coherent H2 Raman Metrology) laboratory, located within the CNR – National Research Council’s Lecco branch. The focus of the CH2ROME laboratory is the experimental study of the physics of the simplest and at same time the most abundant molecule in the universe, namely molecular hydrogen.
After the Labs’ tours, it was time for the round table discussion, formed by a distinguished group of speakers, including: Prof. Arthur Bruce McDonald, Professor Emeritus, Queen’s University, Prof. Cristiano Galbiati, full professor of Physics Department Princeton University (Princeton, New Jersey), Dr. Filippo Maria Zerbi, Scientific Director of INAF – National Institute for Astrophysics, Prof. Marco Marangoni, full Professor of Experimental Physics, Politecnico di Milano.
To introduce the discussion Prof. Manuela Grecchi (Vice Rector for Lecco Campus), Eng. Marco Campanari (President of Confindustria Lecco e Sondrio), and Elemaster President & CEO Valentina Cogliati.
To close the proceedings Dr. Mauro Piazza, Undersecretary with responsibility for Autonomy and Relations with the Regional Council of the Lombardy Region.
Attending the event, an esteemed representative from the world of the Research and Universities (Politecnico di Milano, CNR Lecco, Univerlecco, UNIMIB, University of Alberta, Laurentian University), industry associations (Giulio Sirtori, Confindustria Lecco e Sondrio General Manager and Eng. Ezio Vergani, Como-Lecco Chamber of Commerce President) and authorities (Dr. Mauro Gattinoni, Major of Lecco, Dr. Anna Leuci, Vicar of the Quaestor, and Dr. Adamo Castelnuovo, Territorial School Office of Lecco).
“We are honored to have met Prof. McDonald and to have host such an important guest in our Headquarters” concluded Valentina Cogliati “His visit highlights Elemaster’s commitment to fostering international scientific collaboration and advancing technological innovation, reaffirming our dedication to integrating fundamental research with practical application. My wish is that these international relationships that we are celebrating today can grow and lead to new projects, new journeys to achieve extraordinary technological advancements. Elemaster will be always ready and proud to be part of them”.
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