2013 Robert L'Hermite Medallist

The Jury for the 2013 Robert L'Hermite Medal was composed of Prof. Ravindra Gettu (Jury President and Chair of the RILEM Technical Activities Committee), Prof. Jason Weiss (Editor in Chief of the journal Materials and Structures), Prof. Nele De Belie and Prof. Manfred Partl (Technical Committees conveners).

The Jury examined the list of authors who met the criteria for the award, being under 40 years of age in 2012 and having performed high level scientific research in the field of ‘Building Materials and Structures’, and published at least one original paper in an international scientific journal, preferably the RILEM journal Materials and Structures during the last two years, in general as main contributor.

“The author selected for this award was Prof. John Provis in recognition of his outstanding contribution to the research and development of geopolymers and other construction materials.”

John Provis joined the Department of Materials Science and Engineering, University of Sheffield in 2012 with a Chair in Cement Materials Science and Engineering. He took a combined BE(Hons)/BSc in Chemical Engineering and Applied Mathematics from the University of Melbourne, Australia, in 2002, followed by a PhD in Chemical Engineering from the University of Melbourne in 2006.

From 2006 to May 2012 he was research fellow then senior research fellow, manager (2006-8) and leader (2009-12) of the Geopolymer and Minerals Processing Group and holder of APD and DORA fellowships, in the Department of Chemical & Biomolecular Engineering at the University of Melbourne, before joining the University of Sheffield.

His research centres on the development, characterisation and exploitation of advanced and non-traditional cement and concrete technology. Many projects involve alkali-activated and geopolymer binders, for use in infrastructure and waste immobilisation applications.

Prof. John Provis is Secretary of RILEM TC 224-AAM - Alkali activated materials, chaired by Prof. Jan S. J. VAN DEVENTER , and member of RILEM TC 238-SCM - Hydration and microstructure of concrete with supplementary cementitious materials, chaired by Prof. Nele DE BELIE. Since the last year, he also chairs the new committee TC-DTA - Durability testing of alkali-activated materials.