The ageing, breakdown and life estimation of insulators are ancient problems though of outmost importance issues in many domains of electrical engineering and electronics. The evolution in power electronics technologies makes evolve the threats on insulations, e.g. high frequency stresses, direct current issues, challenges in thermal endurance, etc.  At the same time, material compounding and processing is becoming more and more flexible, and new design possibilities are offered through functionalization, nanocomposites, etc.

The present thematic school proposes to make the bridge between the old theories and new technological opportunities, in direction of scientists and engineers in the field of electrical engineering and, most importantly beyond, opening our field and challenges to materials scientists and physicists.

• Issues and challenges related to insulation materials
• Manufacturing processes and new materials
• Theoretical basis on dielectric properties of materials
• Physico-chemical phenomena in ageing of insulators
• Classical models for ageing and life expectancy
• Insulation characterization techniques
• New applications, technologies and stresses
• Materials and sustainable development
• Prospects and future developments

The Thematic School is supported by the French National Centre of Scientific Research (CNRS) and the IEEE Dielectrics and Electrical Insulation Society (DEIS). The School is in the spirit of the Electrical Ageing Workshop, Autrans, France, organized in 2005 & 2008 with IOP support.

• Prof Petru NOTINGHER, Univ. Montpellier, France ;
• Dr Gilbert TEYSSEDRE, CNRS, LAPLACE, Toulouse, France ;
• Dr  Sombel DIAHAM, Univ. Toulouse, France.