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ITB’s automotive thermal conference on June 11th, will spotlight thermal innovations across internal combustion and electric drive systems, batteries, and safety systems. A central theme is innovations to reduce costs while improving vehicle thermal performance.
Register to attend to learn from your peers, connect with OEMs facing critical engineering challenges, and network with suppliers offering new technologies and solutions. This annual event fosters innovation, encourages knowledge exchange, and lays the foundation for future collaborations.
Interested to generate qualified commercial and technical opportunities and draw customers to your engineering solutions? Opportunities to join the conference as a SPONSOR and/or EXHIBITOR are available. Take a leading high-profile role to maximize your participation.
For inquiries about participation opportunities, please contact Mr. Bryan Eldredge, Program Director – Conferences, at beldredge@itbgroup.com or call +1 (248) 380-6310.
CONFERENCE AGENDA - June 11, 2026
7:30 a.m. |
Registration, Networking, and Continental Breakfast
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8:30 a.m. |
Opening Remarks and Thermal Development Insights
Sean Osborne, Vice President - The ITB Group
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8:50 a.m. |
Thermal Management Design for Distributed RESS with Swappable Modules
Xiaoling Chen, Senior Researcher - General Motors
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Thermal Materials and Fluids
9:20 a.m. |
Thick Film Heaters on Steel: A Proven and Cost-effective Innovation in Automotive Thermal Management
Dean Buzby, Heraeus Electronics, Global Product Manager, Thick Film - Heraeus Electronics
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9:40 a.m. |
Multi-Layer Tubing Systems for Thermal Management Systems
David Schmitz, Segment Manager Automotive - EVONIK
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10:00 a.m. |
Coffee and Conversations Break
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10:40 a.m. |
Graphite-enhanced Thermal Management: Strategies for low-density, highly processable and sustainable TIMs in EV battery packs
Ahmad Abdul Ghani, Application Development Scientist - Imerys Graphite & Carbon (virtual)
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11:00 a.m. |
Using Additives to Enhance Silicone-Based Thermal Management Materials
Dr. Shuyue He, Applications Scientist - Croda
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11:20 a.m. |
Enabling the Transition to TPV in BEV Coolant Hoses: Validating Long-Term Performance and Coolant Compatibility
Deck Andrejczak, Global Business Development Manager - Teknor Apex
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11:40 a.m. |
Latest Application in Thermal Management and Trends for Engine Cooling
Stephen Denny, Application Engineer - AKRO-PLASTIC
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12:00 p.m. |
Lunch
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Thermal Systems and Components
1:15 p.m. |
Digital Twin of Holistic Thermal Management for a Battery Electric Vehicle
Federico Stola, Chief Engineer of Fuel and Thermal Management Systems - Marelli
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1:45 p.m. |
Integrated Thermal Management System: Complexity Reduction Through Function Integration in BEVs
Joe Vollmer - Sr. Director, Americas - Eberspächer Catem
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2:15 p.m. |
Fluidtronics: Turning Mechatronics and Fluidics into Integrated System
Dr. Augusto Millán, Sales & Application Manager and Arnaud Hyppias, Development Manager, Mechatronic Systems - Moving Magnet Technologies
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2:35 p.m. |
Coffee and Conversations Break
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3:00 p.m. |
Thermal Management of Automotive High-Performance Compute Using Mixed Copper–Aluminum Heat Exchangers
Andrei Catuneanu, Team Leader Thermal R&D and Ben Kenney, Advanced Engineering Manager, Thermal - Dana
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3:30 p.m. |
Why Immersion Cooling Systems Behave Differently Than Expected: Hidden Physics in EV Thermal Management
Anthony Khoraych, CEO - Advanced Test and Automation
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4:00 p.m. |
ADAS Thermal Management - Waste heat recovery, storage, and reuse in ADAS Sensors
Nagender Reddy Kasarla, Engineering Manager, Sensors - Molex
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4:30 p.m. |
High-Heat Transfer (HHT) Batteries: A Structural Breakthrough for Accelerating Electric Vehicle Adoption
Alfred Piggott, Founder & CTO - Applied Thermoelectric Solutions
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5:00 p.m. |
Closing Remarks
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Note: ITB will photograph the conference for promotional purposes. By participating in the conference you grant ITB permission to use your likeness in any/all conference related promotions.
Conference Chairperson
Sean Osborne
Vice President - The ITB Group
Mr. Osborne leads vehicle efficiency, thermal and fluid management initiatives at The ITB Group. He has been developing and implementing strategic visions as a executive in several organizations for 25 years. Over the past 35 years he has accumulated extensive experience in automotive development, including experience working in Europe and China as well as the United States. Areas of his automotive specialization are vehicle efficiency, thermal and fluid management, fuel systems, and communications networks. Mr. Osborne holds Master’s degrees in Engineering and Management from MIT and a Bachelor’s degree in Electrical Engineering from General Motors Institute.
Dr. Xiaoling Chen
Senior Researcher - General Motors
Dr. Chen is a Senior Researcher in Battery & System Architecture at General Motors, where he focuses on advanced rechargeable energy storage system design, battery thermal management, extreme vehicle efficiency, and fast-charging technologies for electrified vehicles. He earned a Ph.D. in Mechanical Engineering from The Pennsylvania State University and previously served as a Research Associate Engineer at The Ohio State University’s Center for Automotive Research from May 2021 to December 2022. His work spans thermal systems, battery architectures, controls, and experimental validation for next-generation EV applications, and he has authored 11+ technical papers and holds 14+ patents in related areas.
Dean Buzby
Global Product Manager, Thick Film - Heraeus Electronics
Mr. Buzby is a Global Product Manager at Heraeus Electronics and has over 20 years of experience in product development and commercialization across the electronics, chemical, and renewable energy industries. He has extensive expertise in precious metals and thick film materials, and has led cross-functional teams covering engineering, operations, sales, and marketing to successfully launch and scale new technologies. Mr. Buzby’s deep technical knowledge combined with strategic insight enables him to address evolving industry challenges and deliver solutions that drive performance and long-term value.
David Schmitz
Segment Manager Automotive - EVONIK
Mr. Schmitz is currently the Segment Manager for Automotive & Mobility at the Evonik Corporation. Here he oversees the sales and marketing team for the long-chain polyamide business in the Americas region. Prior to this role, he held various positions in R&D, application technology, technical marketing and key account management in Germany and in the U.S. Mr. Schmitz holds a bachelor’s degree in Chemistry and master’s degree in Polymer Chemistry from the University of Applied Science in Aachen.
Ahmad Abdul Ghani
Application Development Scientist - Imerys Graphite & Carbon
Mr. Abdul Ghani earned dual master’s degrees in Chemical Engineering and Polymer Engineering from the European School of Chemistry, Polymers and Materials and the University of Strasbourg in 2023. He immediately joined Imerys Graphite & Carbon as an Application Development Scientist within the Conductive Polymer R&D team. Here he specializes in integrating high-performance graphite and carbon black solutions into advanced polymer technologies to drive product innovation and market expansion. He has spearheaded the commercial launch of three high-performance graphite grades and a specialty conductive carbon black which have resulted in several pending patent applications.
Dr. Shuyue He
Applications Scientist - Croda
Dr. He is an Applications Scientist at Croda where she supports the Industrial Specialties business in North America. Here her work focuses on the development and application of additives for advanced materials, with a particular emphasis on thermal management systems, battery materials, and high-performance formulations involving dispersants, surfactants, and rheology modifiers. Dr. He received her Ph.D. in Materials Science and Engineering from Stevens Institute of Technology in 2022. Prior to joining Croda, her research focused on nanostructured materials and structure–property relationships in functional systems. Dr. He has authored several peer-reviewed publications and serves as a reviewer for multiple international journals.
Deck Andrejczak
Global Business Development Manager - Teknor Apex
Mr. Andrejczak is New Business Development Manager at Teknor Apex, supporting growth initiatives across automotive and industrial markets. With extensive experience in business development, account management, and distribution leadership at organizations including BASF, Honeywell, and Teknor Apex, he brings a strong commercial perspective on material innovation, supply chain dynamics, and evolving mobility trends. Mr. Andrejczak holds a bachelor’s degree in Plastics Technology from Ferris State University.
Stephen Denny
Application Engineer - AKRO-PLASTIC
Mr. Denny has a background in chemistry and material science, and has 11 years of business development and technical service experience in the engineering polymers industry. For the past six years he has been focused on automotive application engineering.
Federico Stola
Chief Engineer of Fuel and Thermal Management Systems - Marelli
Mr. Stola has been working at Marelli Propulsion Headquarters in Italy since 2006, holding various roles in the development of engine and vehicle management systems. He currently serves as Chief Engineer for fuel and thermal management systems. Mr. Stola holds a degree in Mechanical Engineering from the University of Bologna and a postgraduate master’s degree from Politecnico di Torino. He is the author or 17 SAE technical papers.
Joe Vollmer
Senior Director, Americas - Eberspächer Catem
Mr. Vollmer is Senior Sales Director at Eberspaecher Controls responsible for the Automotive Controls Division as well as the Electric Heater Business Unit of the Climate Controls Division in N.A. Here he works collaboratively with customers to develop and manufacture technologies that advance passenger and commercial vehicles in all architectures including BEV, Hybrid, ICE and Autonomous. With decades of automotive industry experience, his career has included positions at General Motors, Bosch, and Eberspaecher in the fields of engineering, sales, marketing and government affairs. Mr. Vollmer holds a BSME degree from the University of Michigan.
Augusto Millán
Sales & Application Manager - Moving Magnet Technologies
Mr. Millan is the Sales and Application Manager at Moving Magnet Technologies where he leads business and application development across the North American region. Prior to joining MMT he held multiple roles at Bosch and SEG Automotive, including sales manager, sales & application engineer, and project manager. Mr. Millan graduated from MEMA’s Emerging Leadership Council in 2023 where he served as a member of the Board of Governors. He is also a published author. Mr. Millan has a bachelor’s degree in mechatronics and a master’s in automotive engineering from the Monterrey Institute of Technology and Higher Education.
Dr. Andrei Catuneanu
Team Leader Thermal R&D - Dana
Dr. Catuneanu is Advanced Product R&D Team Lead at Dana, focusing on the conceptualization and development of advanced automotive thermal products and corresponding manufacturing processes. With over seven years of automotive thermal management experience, he has expert knowledge of single- and two-phase cooling solutions spanning automotive power electronics, battery, oil, and refrigerant coolers. Dr. Catuneanu holds a Ph.D. from the University of Toronto in Condensed Matter Physics, and has established industrial expertise in heat transfer, furnace brazing, automotive materials, and electrochemical plating. He is also the author numerous publications and patents.
Anthony Khoraych
CEO - Advanced Test and Automation
Mr. Khoraych is the Founder and CEO of Advanced Test & Automation (ATA), a specialized engineering and validation company focused on complex fluid and thermal systems. Under his leadership, ATA has developed proprietary technologies automated test software, thermal platforms, and next-generation fluid aeration measurement technology. Mr. Khoraych holds a degree in Mechanical Engineering with a specialization in Mechatronics from the University of Waterloo, along with an MBA in Innovation and Technical Entrepreneurship from Wilfrid Laurier University.
Nagender Reddy Kasarla
Engineering Manager, Sensors - Molex
Mr. Kasarla is currently an Engineering Manager at Molex, where he leads a global engineering team developing advanced sensing technologies for automotive applications. Over the past 15+ years, he has worked across several leading companies including Magna, Veoneer, ZF TRW, Honda, where he contributed to the development and launch of ADAS systems for major OEMs such as GM, Ford, BMW, Honda, and Hyundai-Kia. Mr. Kasarla holds a master’s degree in Mechanical Engineering from Bradley University and is the inventor and co-inventor of multiple granted patents in automotive sensing and ADAS technologies.
Alfred Piggott
Founder and CEO - Applied Thermoelectric Solutions
Mr. Piggott is Founder and CTO of Applied Thermoelectric Solutions LLC and has more than 30 years of engineering experience in thermoelectrics, battery thermal management, advanced thermal systems, and energy conversion. Prior to founding Applied Thermoelectric Solutions, he held engineering and advanced development roles at FCA, Gentherm, DENSO, and General Motors. He is the inventor or co-inventor on 18 issued U.S. patents. Mr. Piggott holds an M.S. in Mechanical Engineering from Michigan Technological University and a B.S. in Mechanical Engineering from the University of Michigan-Dearborn.
