Alumni Impact Stories
Our PhD graduates work across academia, industry, and research-driven companies, contributing to innovation in science, engineering, and applied research.
This section highlights selected examples of their activities after graduation, including research projects, industrial collaborations, and technology transfer initiatives.
Each story is based on publicly available information shared by the alumni or their organizations.
Sara Aquilia
SPINPET – Research & Development (Bioeconomy & Materials), PeptLab - Interdepartmental Research Unit of Peptide and Protein Chemistry and Biology and RUIC- Research Unit of Industrial Chemistry
PhD in Chemical Sciences (2023-2025), University of Florence
Impact story
In her research activity, Sara Aquilia has been working on circular bioeconomy approaches applied to agricultural by-products from the rapeseed oil supply chain. The PON-supported project, developed within the laboratory of RUIC- Research Unit of Industrial Chemistry and PeptLab - Interdepartmental Research Unit of Peptide and Protein Chemistry and Biology of the University of Florence, in collaboration with the company SPINPET, explores how waste streams such as rapeseed meal can be transformed into functional materials through an integrated design of process, formulation, and end-of-life management. Rather than focusing on a single material innovation, the work critically evaluates scalability and system-level feasibility, testing whether circular solutions remain robust beyond laboratory conditions. This “system stress-test” approach aims to bridge the gap between academic research and industrial implementation in the context of end-of-waste strategies. The methodology is part of a broader effort to apply circular economy principles to real industrial matrices, with potential transferability to other bio-based feedstocks.
Key themes: circular bioeconomy, upcycling, process design, scale-up
Source: Sara Aquilia Linkedin update
Ultimo aggiornamento
15.05.2026