Prof. John Provis

Talk title: Alkali-activated materials – from talk to action?

There has been an enormous growth in the volume and scope of technical analysis of alternative cements, including alkali-activated materials, during the past decade. Some of this growth has been accompanied by “real-world” actions in terms of commercialization, trials, and deployment. However, there are a very large number of lines of investigation – some of which appear extremely promising from environmental and technical perspectives – that have not yet been translated into reality. This presentation will address some of the key drivers for innovation in cement technology, with a particular focus on alkali-activated materials, including comments on the pathways by which some of the evident potential of these materials can be unlocked for the benefit of society.

Short CV

John was awarded the 2013 RILEM Robert L’Hermite Medal “in recognition of his outstanding contribution to the research and development of geopolymers and other construction materials”, and was awarded an honorary doctorate (Dr.h.c.) by Hasselt University, Belgium, in 2015 to recognise his leadership in the development of geopolymers and other novel cementitious materials. His research has been funded by the European Research Council (starting grant 2013-8), as well as UK Research Councils, industry, and international sources. He is Deputy Chair of RILEM Technical Committee 283-CAM, an invited TAC Expert of RILEM, a Voting Member of committees of BSI, ASTM and ACI, Associate Editor of the leading journals Cement and Concrete Research and Materials and Structures, and Speciality Chief Editor for the Structural Materials section of Frontiers in Materials.