ENTREPRENEURSHIP CMN and finalists in the ENCOUNTER TF PROGRAM
On December 1st, the awards ceremony and presentation of certificates to students from the University of Murcia and the Polytechnic University of Cartagena took place at the CIM building of the Polytechnic University of Cartagena. They were recognized as finalists in the "ENCOUNTER TF PROGRAM" awards and for their participation in the "ENTREPRENEURSHIP CMN" project call. During this ceremony, the project "Characterization of lignin and bitumen" was awarded. It was carried out by Isabel María Pérez Artigao, a former CTCON scholar, and co-directed by Víctor García Rabadán, a colleague from the Terrestrial Infrastructures Area of this center.
Lignin, a product extensively studied in this project, is a biopolymer found in varying proportions in plant residues. It can be used in the production of bio-components for bitumen and asphalts. The development of components for bituminous mixtures from waste is one of the current research lines of the Terrestrial Infrastructures Area.
This award is the result of close collaboration between CTCON and other major generators of knowledge and R&D such as universities, both in our region and in other parts of Spain. The synergistic relationships developed over the trajectory of CTCON are manifested in various ways, from the possibility for students to undertake internships at our center, as was the case with Isabel, to collaborations in our research lines. This cooperation is reflected in projects of different scopes.
In terms of calls for research centers, we have the example of the BIOREPAV project, where collaboration is currently ongoing with the Jade University (Germany) and the Construction Engineering Laboratory of the University of Granada. This project aims to develop bio-materials obtained from the valorization of waste to integrate them into the process of producing asphalt mixtures, contributing to increased sustainability in the sector.
On the other hand, as expert support to companies, we are working on projects such as ACUSPRE with Aglomerados Los Serrano, also collaborating with the University of Alicante. The main objective of this project is the development and implementation of a predictive model for the mechanical and acoustic performance of asphalt pavements.
In this way, with the support of universities, CTCON accompanies construction companies in various stages of implementing R&D+i, from initial forays to becoming significant innovators in this sector.
