We currently live in the Age of Plastics, but the recent push to produce and consume materials more sustainably means a new materials age is up for grabs. Trudy Kriven, the Donald Biggar Willett Professor of materials science and engineering at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign, shares how her passion for research led her on a globetrotting adventure from Australia to Illinois, describes how she now focuses that passion on advancing the development of geopolymers, and explains how she transitions this technology into commercialization through her company Keanetech.

View the transcript for this episode here.

About the guest
Trudy Kriven is the Donald Biggar Willett Professor of materials science and engineering at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign. Her research involves phase transformations in inorganic compounds and their applications in structural ceramic composites, geopolymers, and low-temperature synthesis of oxide ceramic powders. Since 2004, she has run a company called Keanetech to transition technologies her group developed at the university into commercialization.

About ACerS
Founded in 1898, The American Ceramic Society is the leading professional membership organization for scientists, engineers, researchers, manufacturers, plant personnel, educators, and students working with ceramics and related materials.

Update 10/03/2024 – Episode updated to better reflect historically accurate information.