Dr. Assia Kasdi is a materials scientist and sustainability advocate who has made it her mission to address the critical shortage of rare earth materials. Her interdisciplinary approach combines advanced materials science with environmental consciousness to create sustainable alternatives to scarce resources. Academic Background Assia has a PhD in Materials Science from University of Oxford, specialising in nanomaterials. Her research in Physical Chemistry has focused on new materials that could be used to reduce the costs and the rare-earth elements intensity of solar panels. The Founding Story Assia founded Milvus Advanced after witnessing firsthand how rare earth scarcity was limiting technological progress and creating geopolitical tensions. Her breakthrough came when she developed a new class of materials that could replicate the magnetic properties of rare earth elements using abundant materials, opening up new possibilities for sustainable technology.