Vilia Elena Spiegel-Ciobanu achieved her Master of Science Degree (M.Sc.) as Processes Engineer in
the field of Technology of Oil and Gases Processes at the Institute of Oil and Gases in
Bucharest/Romania in 1977. After ten years’ experiences in the chemical and petrochemical
Industries (Oil Refineries) she changed her field of occupation and continues her activities in the field
of Health and Safety at the department of prevention of a liability accident insurance in Germany as
Chairman of the Section Hazardous Substances in Welding and allied Processes till the End of 2017,
when she retired. All this time she was involved as Expert in the European and in the International
Standardization (CEN and ISO) concerning Health and Safety in Welding and allied Processes. Since
1993 she joined the Commission VIII “Health, Safety and Environment” of the International Institute
of Welding (IIW) and she served as Expert during all these years till today. 2009 she received the
Doctor Degree in Engineering Technology at the Faculty of Mechanical Engineering of the University
of Technology Aachen. Focus of her dissertation was “The Matrix of Assessment of the Hazardous
Substances Pollution by Welding Fume”. Today she continues her activities as expert in IIW,
Commission VIII and in German Association of Welding and allied Processes E.V. (DVS), in Health and
Safety.
Luca COSTA graduated in Mechanical Engineering in 1998 at the University of Genoa, joined the
Italian Institute of Welding (IIS) in 2000. He carried out training, research and technical assistance
activities and is certified European / International Welding Engineer. Since 2002 he has held the
position of Head of the Quality, Environment and Safety Courses Area of the Training Department at
IIS. He participated to several projects and activities devoted to Health of welding and related
activities. He Joined the Commission VIII “Health, Safety and Environment” of the International
Institute of Welding (IIW) in 2003 and he served as Chairman in the period 2008 - 2016. He got the
position of Manager at IIS 2012 and afterwards he became director at IIS PORGRESS. From 2020 he
was appointed CEO (Chief Executive Officer) of the International Institute of Welding (IIW). He was
also the Italian delegate to the meetings of the European Welding Federation (EWF) and participated
in numerous other national and international working groups active in the field of standardization
and research.
Wolfgang Zschiesche graduated as a Medical Doctor at the University of Erlangen-Nuremberg,
Germany. He then specialized in Occupational Medicine and worked for a long time as a research
worker at this Institute. Later, he changed to the department of prevention of a liability accident
insurance in Germany and works now for the Institute for Prevention and Occupational Medicine of
the German Social Accident Insurance as a Senior Lecturer. For over 30 years he has been involved in
research work on diseases from welding fumes and gases. He is a member of several national and
international committees on health and safety in welding and on hazards from electric current and
EMF. He is also a long-time member of Commission VIII “Health, Safety and Environment” of IIW and
is a former chairman of this Commission.
