GeopolymerCamp
The Geopolymer Institute organizes a “GeopolymerCamp” on every first Tuesday of July, every year, at Saint-Quentin, north of Paris, France.
The first GeopolymerCamp was held on July 1-3, 2009, and the second on July 6-7, 2010. Go to this page to watch conferences and photos of the last GeopolymerCamp in July 6-7, 2010.
Mark your calendars and plan on being in Saint-Quentin, France, on Tuesday 5.- Wednesday 6. July 2011 for the third GeopolymerCamp (registration on Monday 4. afternoon).
GeopolymerCamp Introduction from Geopolymer Institute on Vimeo.
Why?
To get geopolymer fans together, learn from each other, figure out the future of geopolymer applications and chemistry, and have a good time. You’ll have 2 days for learning, presenting, sharing, chatting, at super saver-cost of 50 euros. We have decided to break down the infernal spiral of costs that is undermining the exchanges between the scientific communities. Conferences with registration fees of 800-1000 dollars (600-700 euros) are non-sense. Apparently this is what some scientists are ready to pay because of the infamous publish or perish request from their administration. We want to change this trend into learn OR perish. It is now so easy to make a publication in a regular journal, because there are so many, that it becomes no longer accurate to spend these enormous fees just to see his conference presentation on a simple CD (Proceedings), not on paper.
Let start a new era, return to what it was, 50 years ago, when conferences and gatherings were affordable. COME TO THE GEOPOLYMER CAMP.
GeopolymerCamp: What’s this all about?
GeopolymerCamp is an ad-hoc gathering born from the desire to share and learn in an open environment. It is an intense event with discussions, demos and interactions from participants.
It is not a conference, neither a congress based on extravagant high registration fees and luxus lodging costs; there is no papers, no proceedings, no pre-established schedule or program. It is a casual, informal meeting between anyone who has something to share, to communicate, and anyone with the desire to learn, to interact, and to meet with people. Everybody is welcome and invited to join.
Who shall attend?
Students, scientists, researchers, engineers from public and private organizations, curious or long-term experienced people in their fields of expertise, professionals involved in a wide range of development, including managers, finance specialists, R&D, marketing, business decision makers, technology and products development specialists, etc.
When you come, be prepared to share with geopolymer “campers”.
When you leave, be prepared to share it with the world.
Agenda or framework?
There is no pre-established agenda or program scheduled for discussion, but there is a framework. The framework consists of short lectures (max. 15 minutes) and panels proposed and scheduled each day by attendees, mostly on-site, typically using white boards or paper taped to the wall. Language is English.
The GeopolymerCamp spans 3 days, 2011:
Monday July 04 afternoon, 16:00-18:00, Registration
Tuesday July 05:
8:30-9:00: Registration
9:00: Prof. Joseph Davidovits Keynote: State of the Geopolymer R&D, 2011.
10:00-13:00: Individual presentation of each GP Camp participant (3 min. per person). Preparation of the sessions schedule, groups of interests, themes.
13:00: Free Sandwich Lunch
14:00 – 18:00: First sessions with short workshops and panels (1) (could be in two parallel sessions if necessary). Themes: geopolymer molecular chemistry, raw materials, scientific investigations.
Wednesday July 06:
9:00 – 10:00:
- standardizations of geopolymer processes; creation of Technical Committees (2)
- Discussion on revising, editing the book: Geopolymer Chemistry and Applications (3)
10:00-13:00: Second session with short workshops and panels. Themes: industrial applications (foamed panels, ceramics, high temperature, binders, composites, toxic and radioactive waste containment)
13:00: Free Sandwich Lunch
14:00 – 18:00: Third session with short workshops and panels. (could be in two parallel sessions if necessary). Themes: building applications, LTGS, bricks, cements, concretes, CO2 mitigation, Global Warming.
Note: an archaeology session may be added and scheduled for Tuesday evening.
The rules at GeopolymerCamp:
While loosely structured, there are rules at GeopolymerCamp. All attendees are encouraged to present or facilitate a short lecture or a panel (a panel is a small session of a few lectures on the same topic). Everyone is also asked to share information and experiences gathered at the GeopolymerCamp, either live or after the event, via public web channels including (but not limited to) blogging, photo sharing, social bookmarking, forum, wiki, and chat. You can record videos, take photos, write a lecture transcript and put it on the web. This open encouragement to share everything about the event is in deliberate contrast to the “off the record by default” and “no recordings” rules at many private invite-only participant driven conferences.
Be ready to participate – come with an idea for a session you can lead. You do not have to be an expert at your topic. You can also contribute to the discussion during a session. This is a great way to participate, since it spreads knowledge from everyone, instead of just coming downwards from the leaders.
Main purposes of GeopolymerCamp:
- (1) get several workshops gathering people having same field of interests(from fundamental science up to industrial applications: composites, cements, bricks, binders, fire-resistance, waste management, molecular makeup, raw-materials, sustainable development, CO2 mitigation, geology, fly ashes, clays, metakaolin, waterglass, user-friendly systems, quality control, organo-mineral geopolymer, silicones, phospho-silico-geopolymers, foamed geopolymer, etc., etc….)
- (2) Standardization
There is a need for standardization. Industrial manufacturing of geopolymer products must rely on standards, to compare with. When scientists are working on this field, they use their own standards or copy someone else’s process. The aim of this session is to create Technical Committees, like in any other international technology driven institution, to publish standards that technicians, engineers and scientists will follow and refer to in science, applications and manufacturing. For example, present codifications and standards ruling organic-matrix fiber composites are inefficient for fire-resistant and heat-resistant geopolymer-matrix fiber composites. Same for Geopolymer cements and concretes. They are better than Portland cement and concrete and should get specific standards. The world needs this standardization to witness and measure the real progress accomplished by the geopolymer community. We must stop empirical processing. Geopolymer is a science, not witchcraft. Any new development in geopolymer technology should follow these standards or create new ones. Everyone may give his opinion, talk about his experience; it is a very open session. We will collect, review and publish these standards every year during or after the GeopolymerCamp.
- (3) Update the knowledge on geopolymers:
The GeopolymerCamp is the opportunity to prepare the new edition of the book Geopolymer Chemistry & Applications. Indeed, the Geopolymer Institute wishes to publish regurlarly a new revised edition with the most up to date information. During this GeopolymerCamp, participants will propose subjects or issues that are worthwhile to be edited or added, and the assembly will discuss about it. Prepare your arguments if you want to see your last research, data, applications be added to this reference book.
Promote:
If you would like to show your support for GeopolymerCamp and/or announce to everyone that you’re attending, consider adding the following images and link to your own blog, website, social bookmark, wiki, forum, chat, …
http://www.geopolymer.org/camp/
Sponsors:
Coffee, drinks, sandwiches, and parties for close to 100 people costs real money, and so we are more than happy to accept donations in-kind or financial gifts to help pull this off. If you would like to help out, please contact us.
In return for helping out, expect to see your company’s logo in this page, and also expect to hear profuse praise coming from the podium during announcements and much cajoling to patronize your company as one who made GeopolymerCamp a reality.
Groovy companies support GeopolymerCamp, helping us to have food, coffee, sandwiches, renting conference rooms – the essentials in life. Please visit their sites, check out their products, and give them your money.
We will be pleased to send you a formal invitation to get a visa. However, because we do not want to have any problems with the immigration authorities, you will have to book your hotel and show proof of reservation (they need to know where you will stay the first nights), and if we don’t know you or your organization, you will have to introduce yourself and give some references. We are sorry about this constricting procedure. If you have any question, do not hesitate to ask.
Where?
The GeopolymerCamp takes place at IUT, Université de Picardie, 48 rue d’Ostende, Saint-Quentin, south of the train station (see the Google Maps below). Bus Line nr 6, stop IUT.
Here you find how to come to Saint-Quentin.
Here is how to prepare your stay in Saint-Quentin.
Does all that sound like fun? We sure hope it will be. Register soon before all the seats are gone. We can only welcome a maximum of 150 participants.
Subscription Cost:
- € 50 EUROS (advance),
- € 100 cash on site
To confirm your signing-up, it is recommended to pay, in advance, your registration as soon as possible. For the payment go to FEES PAYMENT
There will be no reimbursement of the advance fees.
Please note: no registration will be definitive until we receive the full payment. It means that, we will not expect your coming, you will not get your name tag, your free lunch and other gratuities during the GeopolymerCamp. This is why it is mandatory to pay your registration before coming to France.
You may also pay on site, cash, at a higher cost, namely € 100, to get the entire services.
Deadline for advance payment:
- Paypal (Credit Card) July 1, 2011.
- Bank transfer, June 10, 2011
Register and contact form:
Your Privacy Is Important To Us.
We’ll use this information to:
- Reserve your place at GeopolymerCamp
- Provide you with a personalized nametag
- Gather demographic information about where everyone’s coming from
- To keep you informed about news, changes in venues and other plans and more
Any information gathered using this form will not be given, sold or traded to anyone outside of the organizers of GeopolymerCamp for any reason.
Table of Contents: