Solid and Structural Mechanics Group
Marco Amato
Postdoctoral researcher
Marco was born in Bologna on 11 January 1993. He completed his education at the Istituto Tecnico per Geometri Pier-Crescenzi Pacinotti, a technical high school for surveyors, where he was first introduced to structural mechanics. He earned both a bachelor's and a master's degree in civil engineering from the University of Bologna. During his master's studies, he spent a research period as a visiting scholar at Florida Atlantic University in the United States. Marco also obtained a doctorate from the University of Trento and is currently working as a postdoctoral researcher at the Czech Technical University in Prague.
Research interests
His research interests are primarily situated within the field of solid and structural mechanics, with a focus on the complexities that arise when nonlinearity is involved. Within this area, he has concentrated his efforts on exploring configurational forces and the interactions between magnetic and elastic phenomena commonly referred to as magnetoelasticity. His work involves both the development of analytical models and the application of numerical simulations to verify these models, aiming to deepen the understanding of material responses and instabilities under multiphysics loading.
News:
April 2025
Marco’s PhD thesis, Elastic Solids Under Frictionless Rigid Contact and Configurational Force, has been selected as one of the finalists for the 2024 GMA-AIMETA Best Doctoral Thesis Award in Mechanics of Materials. While not the winner, being selected as one of the best national candidates is an honor and a recognition of his contributions to the study of configurational forces in nonlinear elasticity.
April 2025
Marco has been invited to present his doctoral work, Elastic Solids Under Frictionless Rigid Contact and Configurational Force, at the Nečas Seminar on Continuum Mechanics, organized by the Faculty of Mathematics and Physics, Charles University. His presentation focused on the extension of the J-integral to frictionless rigid contact problems in nonlinear elasticity, exploring how configurational forces influence the mechanical response of elastic solids under such conditions.
April 2025
Marco was awarded funding from the prestigious Iniciační Fond FSv, a competitive program dedicated to supporting early-career researchers, fostering international collaboration, and advancing high-impact scientific projects. This grant will enable Marco to host Prof. Luis Dorfmann, a leading expert in magnetoelasticity, for an intensive research collaboration focused on developing both analytical and numerical models to better understand magnetoelastic interactions. By facilitating this exchange, the fund not only strengthens Marco’s research but also reinforces the faculty’s commitment to scientific innovation and global academic partnerships.