For the 2026 Anile–ECMI Prize for Mathematics in Industry, funded by ECMI and the Fraunhofer Institute for Industrial Mathematics (ITWM, Kaiserslautern), a total of 15 applications were received, all of outstanding quality. In a first round of evaluation, the jury shortlisted the following four theses:
- Giulia Chiari (Politecnico di Torino), “Epigenetic and geometrical characterisation of cancer cell populations”, supervised by Marcelo Delitala and Federico Frascoli
- Mattia Corti (Politecnico di Milano), “Mathematical Models and Numerical Methods for Neurodegenerative Diseases”, supervised by Paula Antonietti and Michele Correggi
- Dilara Abdel (Free University of Berlin), “Modeling and simulation of vacancy-assisted charge transport in innovative semiconductor devices”, supervised by Patricio Farrell
- Maximilian Giessler (Koblenz University), “Sensor development for accurate kinematic measurements and robust assessment of balance disturbances during bipedal locomotion of humanoid systems”, supervised by Robert Rockenfeller
The jury has decided to award the 2026 Anile–ECMI Prize for Mathematics in Industry jointly to:
- Mattia Corti, for his work on the development of digital twins of the human brain and neurodegenerative diseases. His research combines rigorous mathematical foundations with advanced modeling and numerical methods, representing a significant step toward understanding both physiological and pathological brain functions. The work is of high scientific value and has considerable potential impact in areas such as neurology.
- Maximilian Giessler, for his work on the development of a novel sensor system based on the core innovation of the Inertial Measurement Cluster. His results have clear applications in humanoid robotics as well as in human health. His thesis is an excellent example of industrial mathematics, with outcomes already moving toward practical industrial implementation.
Congratulations to the winners!