The Innovandi Nanocem PhD prize 2024
The Innovandi Nanocem PhD prize – formerly the Nanocem PhD Prize – recognises the best PhD on cementitious materials from around the world. It is open to all applicants, with or without direct relation to Nanocem or the Innovandi GCCRN.
The competition called for PhD theses defended in the years 2021, 2022, and 2023, and one finalist has been chosen from each of the following 3 regions:
- Europe and Africa
- Asia and Oceania
- Americas
This year’s competition closed on 15 May 2024, and after an extensive judging process, we are now delighted to announce the winner and honourable mentions.
The winner of the Innovandi Nanocem PhD prize receives $5,000 dollars.
Our next competition will open early 2026 for those defended in 2024/2025.
The Winner (recipient of $5,000 prize)
Shiva Shirani Tak Abi
Cement Science Research Group, University of Malaga
Thesis: Advanced quantitative synchrotron x-ray imaging of cement micro- and meso-structures
“Winning the Innovandi NanoCem PhD Prize 2024—the Best Global PhD Award in Cementitious Materials—is an incredible honour. My work focuses on understanding cement hydration. Using advanced X-ray nanotomography at the synchrotron, I study how cement particles evolve over time in 4D, providing insights that help accelerate the hydration process of low-carbon cement. This research is crucial to making low-carbon cement competitive, and thanks to GCCA, I can share it with the world to promote sustainable construction.”
Honourable Mentions (in no particular order)
Keshav Bharadwaj Ravi
Oregon State University
Thesis: Towards the Development of Performance Based Concrete Mixtures using Modern Cementitious Materials
“I am humbled and honoured to have been chosen as an honourable mention for the Innovandi NanoCem PhD Prize 2024 from among several high-quality candidates. I thank my PhD advisors, Prof. Jason Weiss and Prof. Burkan Isgor, for their guidance; this recognition is only possible because of their support. My research helps lower the carbon footprint of concrete by developing a modelling framework based on thermodynamics to predict the strength, durability, and service life of concrete. This helps us scientifically design performance-engineered concrete mixtures and minimize its carbon footprint. Thank you, GCCA, for this honour!”
Xin Liu
School of Materials Science and Engineering, Southeast University
Thesis: Mechanism of calcium silicate hydrate (c-s-h) degradation under aggressive media and strategies for improvement
“I am incredibly honoured to receive this recognition as one of the honourable mentions in this prestigious competition. My Ph.D. project focused on understanding the degradation behaviors and developing improvement strategies for calcium silicate hydrate, the main cement hydrate, with the goal of providing deeper insights to extend the service life of concrete from the bottom up. This award is a great encouragement for me to continue pushing the boundaries of innovation and contributing to meaningful advancements in cement and concrete research. I am deeply grateful for this opportunity and the support of the GCCA and its global community.”
Zhanar Zhakiyeva
Université Grenoble Alpes
Thesis: Structure and dynamics of water in ordinary Portland and low CO2 cements
“I feel happy and honoured to have won the Innovandi Nanocem PhD Prize 2024! In my research I used the state-of-the-art neutron, X-ray, and computational methods to understand the structure and dynamics of nanoscale water in the main binding phase of Portland and low-carbon cements. It was an international collaborative project between the European neutron source – Institut Laue-Langevin, University of Grenoble-Alpes, French Geological Survey, and Princeton University. I am excited about showcasing the power of neutrons to study water in cementitious materials. This is just the beginning!”