idw – Informationsdienst Wissenschaft
Nachrichten, Termine, Experten
Nachrichten, Termine, Experten
idw - Informationsdienst
Wissenschaft
Dr. Filofteia-Laura Toma Recognized for Outstanding
Achievements in Thermal Spray Technologies and International
Leadership
(Dresden, 05/15/2025) Dr. Filofteia-Laura Toma, Senior Research Scientist at the
Fraunhofer Institute for Material and Beam Technology IWS in Dresden, has
been named the recipient of the 2025 “TSS President’s Award for Meritorious
Service”. Presented on May 7 by the U.S.-based Thermal Spray Society (TSS), the
award honors her scientific excellence and her long-standing leadership within
the international materials engineering community.
Dr. Toma is widely regarded as one of the world’s well-known experts in thermal spray
processes for high-performance ceramic and hardmetal coatings. At Fraunhofer IWS,
she leads the development of advanced coating technologies for functionalizing fiberreinforced
composites and lightweight structures – key to applications in aerospace,
energy, and mechanical engineering. Her current research focuses on combining laser
structuring with high velocity oxy-fuel spraying (HVOF) and suspension plasma spraying
(SPS). She also investigates suspension-based laser cladding to develop customized
coatings for TBC and hydrogen-related applications.
Global Influence through Scientific Leadership
Beyond her lab work, Dr. Toma plays a vital role in shaping the global thermal spray
community. She serves on the Thermal Spray Society's board of directors. Furthermore,
she has actively contributed to the Journal of Thermal Spray Technology (JTST) and
ASM-TSS events for over a decade. Her editorial responsibilities have grown steadily,
including roles as co-editor and guest editor for the Proceedings of the International
Thermal Spray Conferences (ITSC) and JTST special issues. She also supports the TSS
organizing committees and co-founded the TSS initiative “Women in Thermal Spray”
(WiTS). In addition, she serves on several national and international advisory and
scientific boards.
“This award recognizes not only an outstanding scientist but also a dedicated bridge
builder between research, application, and professional networks,” says Prof. Christoph
Leyens, Director of Fraunhofer IWS. “We are proud to have Dr. Toma among us, a colleague who is continuously advancing thermal coating as a key technology for nextgeneration engineering.”
Prof. Dr.-Ing. Christoph Leyens
Fraunhofer Institute for Material and Beam Technology IWS Dresden
Phone +49 351 83391-3242
Winterbergstraße 28
DE-01277 Dresden
www.iws.fraunhofer.de
christoph.leyens@iws.fraunhofer.de
https://www.iws.fraunhofer.de/en/newsandmedia/press_releases/2025/press-release_...
https://www.iws.fraunhofer.de/en/newsandmedia/press_releases/2025/press-release_...
Dr. Filofteia-Laura Toma was honored with the TSS President's Award for Meritorious Service.
© Fraunhofer IWS
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Materials sciences, Mechanical engineering
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Contests / awards, Personnel announcements
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