Ana Blanco Alvarez.
Engineering

Ana Blanco Alvarez

Member since 2023

Occupation: Reader in Advanced Construction Materials and Methods at Loughborough University

Joining the UK Young Academy is a chance to inspire change, collaborate across disciplines, and help build a more sustainable and resilient future.

Bio

Ana Blanco is a Reader (Associate Professor) in Advanced Construction Materials and Methods at Loughborough University. Her research focuses on advanced and multi-functional cementitious composites, with an emphasis on low-carbon alternatives, dematerialisation of structures, and innovative construction and repair techniques for resilient infrastructure.

She studied Civil Engineering at the Universitat Politècnica de Catalunya in Barcelona, completing a PhD on fibre-reinforced cementitious composites. Ana has been a visiting researcher at Delft University of Technology, co-founded a spin-out company in Spain, and joined Loughborough University in 2018. She is a Chartered Engineer, member of the Institution of Civil Engineers, the Institute of Concrete Technology, and the Women’s Engineering Society, and serves as an Editor of Construction and Building Materials.

Her recent work includes developing novel rail repair technologies with Network Rail, exploring self-healing concrete with EPSRC funding, and studying RAAC for the NHS. She also collaborates internationally to advance sustainable construction practices.

Roles

  • At-Risk Project Team
  • Communications Working Group
  • Membership Selection Committee

Interests

  • ‘Green’ energy
  • Better funding for early career researchers
  • Climate change
  • Critical thinking skill development in education
  • EDI process improvements
  • Holistic approach
  • Human migration
  • Interdisciplinary research opportunities
  • International research opportunities access
  • Lifelong learning
  • Research culture
  • Research translation
  • Societal impact of research
  • Sustainability
  • Young women in STEM
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