IRTC 2023
Organizing Committee
ESM Foundation
ESM is dedicated to support research and development activities in the field of Rare and Critical Elements, focussing on their industrial applications. The Foundation sponsors and organises conferences and workshops, publishes studies and surveys, coordinates related projects, and provides scholarships and educational grants. ESM is operating within a national and international network of experts, partner institutes and organisations. Alessa Hool of ESM Foundation has been the coordinator of the IRTC project since 2018 and has succeeded in bringing representatives from industry, policy, and academy together in various live, online, and hybrid IRTC events.
WeLOOP
WeLOOP is a start-up in the field of Raw Material Criticality Assessment and Life Cycle (Sustainability) Assessment, represented by Dieuwertje Schrijvers and Naeem Adibi. Dieuwertje Schrijvers has been the lead researcher in the IRTC project, first in her position at the University of Bordeaux, now at WeLOOP. WeLOOP CEO Naeem Adibi is an expert in the field of Life Cycle Management and is chair of the organization committee of the 11th International Conference On Life Cycle Management, also organized in Lille in 2023.
Fraunhofer
Luis Tercero and his team from Fraunhofer ISI are deeply involved in the European criticality exercises since 2009. He was the leader of the team that assisted the Ad-hoc Working Group on defining and implementing the EU criticality methodology in 2009-2010 and 2013-2014. After that, he joined the AHWG as an observer and continues to be actively involved in the process. He is a member of the SCRREEN Expert Network on Critical Raw Materials, and key content provider for the CRITICALC project which developed training courses on criticality for MSc and PhD students as well as professionals.
REIA
Rare Earths Industry Association (REIA) is a global association, managed by Nabeel Mancheri, with a European foundation which aims to enable sustainable, responsible, collaborative and transparent Rare Earth Value chains, from mine to recycled sources. REIA provides a platform for stakeholder networks, conducts research and develops strategies, and supply chain standards. REIA’s global network with 40 active and committed members on REE sustainability represents the complete spectrum of the value chain along with a large network of stakeholders downstream.