About the lecture
In his inaugural lecture, Professor Sergio Cavalaro will trace his professional and intellectual journey toward redefining “Concrete Thinking.”
Beginning with a deep technical mastery of concrete – the world’s most ubiquitous manmade material – he will show how a granular focus evolved into a passion for transforming the built environment by reshaping the construction industry.
He will reflect on the successes, failures and crucial lessons learned from high-stakes ventures that have shaped his views. Drawing on three key projects – the world’s first 3D printed concrete bridge, pioneering automated repair systems for critical rail tunnels, and leading national RAAC research for the NHS – he will outline a clear methodology for accelerating transformation cycles.
Finally, he will share his perspective on the past, present and future of research and innovation – arguing for a more agile, collaborative and impactful approach to tackling some of modern society’s most pressing infrastructure challenges.
In essence, the lecture is a candid exploration of academia’s evolving role and mindset.
About the lecturer
Professor Sergio Cavalaro is a civil engineer who has studied and worked in Brazil, Spain, the Netherlands and UK.
His career has been dedicated to fast-tracking the journey from research to innovation and real impact, confronting some of the most pressing challenges in the built environment through highly collaborative and multidisciplinary initiatives.
His work underpins advanced and more sustainable construction materials, novel construction and maintenance processes, durability models and life-extension approaches used worldwide in the critical rail, road and water infrastructure that we all rely on.
He has a leading role in national academic consortia seeking to transform how academia, industry and government work together to solve these challenges in innovative ways and develop the talent pipeline of the future.
Landmark projects – including the world’s first 3D printed concrete bridge, automated repair systems for UK rail, and critical RAAC research for the NHS – exemplify his passion to collapse innovation cycles and deliver rapid, transformative impact.
For further information on this lecture, please contact the Events team.
