PhD Course "Hydration and Microstructure Characterisation of Cementitious Materials" – A Successful Week at TUM

Last week, Prof. Alisa Machner and her team of the Professorship of Mineral Construction Materials at the Technical University of Munich hosted this year's doctoral course on hydration and microstructure characterisation of cementitious materials. From 10 to 14 August, doctoral researchers from across Europe gathered at the Centre for Building Materials on the TUM Garching campus for an intensive week combining theory, hands-on laboratory work, and networking.

The course brought together a strong international team of lecturers, leading experts in cement chemistry and binder technology:

• Klaartje De Weerdt (NTNU, Norway)
• Frank Winnefeld (EMPA, Switzerland)
• Arezou Baba Ahmadi (Chalmers University of Technology, Sweden)
• Hoang Nguyen (University of Oulu, Finland)
• Jørgen Skibsted (Aarhus University, Denmark)
• Alisa Machner (TUM, Germany)
• Miriam Krüger (TUM, Germany)

Participants worked their way from the basics of cement hydration and phase stability through sample preparation and storage to the physical principles behind the key analytical techniques: XRD, TGA, NMR, SEM-EDS, FTIR, and calorimetry. In practical laboratory exercises and group work, they applied these methods directly and learned how to interpret their results critically and recognise their limitations.

Peer networking was an equally important part of the week. Barbecues, lab sessions, beergarden or a dinner in the munich city center gave participants plenty of opportunity to exchange ideas and build connections across institutions and countries.

We thank all lecturers and participants for a week full of expertise, engagement, and lively scientific exchange, and look forward to future editions of the course.