GeopolymerCamp
The Geopolymer Institute organizes a “GeopolymerCamp” on every first Wednesday of July, every year, at Saint-Quentin, north of Paris, France.
Mark your calendars and plan on being in Saint-Quentin, France, on Wednesday 1st July 2009 for the first GeopolymerCamp (next year, not this year 2008).
Why?
To get geopolymer fans together, learn from each other, figure out the future of geopolymer applications and chemistry, and have a good time.
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:
Wednesday:
9:30: Registration
10:00: Prof. Joseph Davidovits Keynote
10:30: Keynotes from 2 or 3 people
12:00: Free Sandwich Lunch
13:00 - 18:00: First session with short lectures and panels
Thursday:
9:30 - 12:00: Discussion on revising, editing the book: Geopolymer Chemistry and Applications (1)
12:00: Free Sandwich Lunch
13:00 - 18:00: Second session with short lectures and panels
Evening: Free Drinks somewhere in the city center
Friday:
9:30 - 11:30: Sessions: standardizations of geopolymer processes; creation of Technical Committees (2)
11:30 - 12:00: Closing remarks and summary of GeopolymerCamp by Prof. Joseph Davidovits
12:00: Free Sandwich Lunch
Free time weekend in Paris.
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.
(1) The GeopolymerCamp is the opportunity to prepare the new edition of the book Geopolymer Chemistry & Applications. Indeed, the Geopolymer Institute wishes to publish every year a new revised edition with the most up to date information. During this session, 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.
(2) 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.
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/
http://www.geopolymer.org/camp/
Sponsors:
Coffee, drinks, sandwiches, and parties for close to 150 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.
Cost: € 50 EUROS
Either you pay in advance by credit card (Visa or MasterCard) and click on the Paypal button below, or pay cash on site when you arrive (please prepare a 50€ bill or 2×20€ and 1×10€ bills). But, you must register first. We will send you an invoice upon demand (note: for european companies, prepare to give your European Tax Number).
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 shortly explain why you want to attend the GeopolymerCamp. We are sorry about this constricting procedure. If you have any question, do not hesitate to ask.
Where?
The GeopolymerCamp will be held at INSSET, Université Jules Verne, 48 rue Raspail, Saint-Quentin, in the city center (see the Google Maps below).
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. We’ll see you in 2009.
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.
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