TEDxHSRW Talk

Grateful beyond words for the opportunity to speak at the TEDxHSRW conference in Kleve organized entirely by an incredible team of volunteers. 🙏

Sharing the stage to talk about “Why Not?” was both humbling and energizing—because that simple question has the power to challenge fear, spark curiosity, and unlock possibilities we often place limits on ourselves to avoid.

What made the experience truly special was the people. The dedication and passion of the volunteer organizers reminded me how powerful purpose-driven communities can be. They didn’t just organize an event—they created a space for ideas, courage, and creativity to thrive.

I’m equally thankful to the fellow speakers (Uzair Munir, Dr. Vanessa Maybeck, Fadi Alshalabi, Ph. D, Dr. Matic Jovičević-Klug and Marlow D. Guttmann) for their powerful stories, diverse perspectives, and generosity on stage. Each talk was a reminder that inspiration takes many forms, and learning from one another is a privilege.

A special shoutout to the young, inspiring artist Uzair Munir. Your creativity added depth to the conversations and proved that art is one of the strongest languages of ideas (Check his amazing work here: www.instagram.com/uziman/).

Thank you, TEDx team, speakers, artists, audience and everyone who made this journey unforgettable. Here’s to continuing to ask Why not?—and having the courage to act on the answers.

Thank you to the amazing TEDxHSRW team, namely: Yasmin N, Suzan Al Jaroudi, Aarthy Naguleswaran, Hanin Elkenany, @Prof. Dr. Alexander Struck, Jad Abou Saleh, Mohamad Youssef Amer, Bianca White and Mostafa Kobaisi.

#TEDxHSRW #Gratitude #WhyNot #PublicSpeaking #Volunteers #Artist #Inspiration #IdeasWorthSpreading

TEDx talk: “Metal from Space: Tetrataenite and the Future of Technology.”

🌟 Guess what? We’re talking space metal! 🌟

I’m thrilled to invite you to my upcoming TEDx talk: “Metal from Space: Tetrataenite and the Future of Technology.”

 Yes — it’s a real metal. Yes — it literally comes from space. And yes — it might just change the way we build the tech of tomorrow. 🤩✨

If you’re into cosmic surprises, futuristic materials, or just love saying the word Tetrataenite out loud (trust me, it’s fun), come join the adventure!

🗓️ 13.12.2025

 📍 evening at HSRW in Kleve

Let’s geek out about space rocks together. 🚀💫

See link below for more:

https://lnkd.in/epsCGsxu

#tetrataenite #space #technology #future #womeninsciece #womeninSTEM #materilsscience #TEDxtalk

Building a Resilient and Sustainable EU Resource System

When we talk about the EU’s serenity, resilience, and sustainability in raw materials, the data tells a challenging story.

Our circular material use rate is only 12%, and that figure includes everything—clothing, plastics, and other non-critical materials. Progress has been slow: an increase of just 0.5% in the latest reporting period.

For the materials that matter most, the situation is even more concerning:

- 🪙 Metals and metal ores: ~25% recycling rate

- 🔋 Microelectronics, batteries, magnets: often 1% or less

- ♻️ CO₂ emissions: still far from where we need to be

Meanwhile, Europe’s economy increasingly depends on strategic and critical raw materials, yet we lack effective systems for collection, recycling, and reprocessing. Too often, decisions are driven by short-term cost rather than long-term resilience.

A striking example: over 50% of EU aluminium scrap is exported, primarily to Asia and the US, instead of being recycled locally.

This is why the WEEE Directives (WEEE Forum) and similar initiatives are more essential than ever. Strong, well-designed regulation is not a burden—it’s a strategic necessity for Europe’s industrial future. If the EU wants true resilience, we must scale up circularity, invest in recovery and recycling systems of CRMs, and ensure our critical materials stay within European value chains. 

The time to act is now. ⌛ 

A quick takeaway from today’s EIT RawMaterials Circular and Green Metals Forum SIGN in Düsseldorf, where I had the privilege to participate. It was an excellent opportunity to connect science, industry, and policy.