Abdulmaliq Alawode Wins Student Poster Competition

Conference: 15th Advances in Cement-Based Materials, June 11–13, 2025, Boulder, Colorado.

This annual technical meeting, organized by the American Ceramic Society’s Cements Division, highlights cutting-edge research and innovation in cement and concrete materials.

As part of the conference, a Student Poster Competition was held, attracting over 45 student presenters from leading U.S. universities and national laboratories. Among the participants, the top three posters were selected for awards based on the quality, originality, and impact of the research.

Abdulmaliq, a Ph.D. student under the supervision of Dr. Jialai Wang, won the first place of the poster competition. In his poster, he showcased an eco-friendly method for fully recycling both calcium and silica from end-of-life concrete. In his work, the recovered calcium was used to recapture CO₂ released from limestone during cement production, forming a high-value product known as vaterite. By precisely tuning the structure of the recycled silica gel, he successfully doubled its reactivity. This reactive silica can be used to partially replace cement in new concrete, resulting in a nearly 50% improvement in compressive strength.