The top prize of €10,000 was awarded to Paulina Szołdra from the AGH University of Science and Technology in Krakow, Poland, for her outstanding work, 'Functionalisation of Aluminosilicate Microspheres with TiO2 Thin Film'.
Paulina was selected by an international jury of leading academicians in construction materials from Germany, Poland, and the Czech Republic, who were present at the ceremony to celebrate her achievement.
Upon receiving her award, Szołdra expressed her gratitude, saying: "I am deeply honoured to receive this year's award. This recognition is a testament to the hard work and dedication that goes into advancing concrete technology. I hope this award inspires other young scientists to explore the potential of concrete as a building material and contribute to the future of our industry."
In addition to the first-place prize, Cemex presented awards to the second and third-placed finalists for the first time, following positive feedback and recommendations from the jury in previous years. The second-place prize of €3,000 was awarded to Mari Kobayashi from the Technical University Bergakademie Freiberg, Germany, for her study on the "Durability of Cementitious Materials under Deep-Sea Conditions." Receiving the third-place prize of €2,000 was Fabian Diwald from the Technical University of Munich, Germany, for his study, "The Impact of Microstructural Changes in Concrete on Coda Waves."
The other finalists at Förderpreis Beton 2024 were Maciej Kalinowski from the Warsaw University of Technology, Michał Wieczorek, also from the AGH University of Science and Technology in Krakow, and Michal Kovářík from the Czech Republic.
Förderpreis Beton, which has been held in Germany since 1984 and expanded in 2020 to include participants from Poland and the Czech Republic, aims to support the development of young professionals in the industry and promote advancements in the production, processing, and application of cementitious materials, concrete, and concrete structures. Participants were required to propose improvements in material-specific properties, quality, cost-effectiveness, and ecological and technological aspects of concrete and concrete structures. The competition was open to professionals and scientists from construction companies, building material production, research institutes, universities, and material testing institutes.
Rüdiger Kuhn, VP Materials for Central Europe, commented: "It is a privilege to present this award to Paulina Szołdra and other finalists. Their innovative work exemplifies the spirit of the Förderpreis Beton competition. We are proud to support the next generation of scientists and technologists who are driving the evolution of our field. Their relentless pursuit of excellence and innovation is crucial for the future of construction materials".
Förderpreis Beton is highly regarded among concrete technologists in Germany and is the country's leading distinction in building materials research. Cemex has been awarding prizes to the competition's winners every two years since its first ceremony in 1984.
