Clay Conference, Davos, 2017 7th International Conference on Clays in Natural and Engineered Barriers for Radioactive Waste Confinement

24th-27th September 2017

With thanks for the student bursary received from the Clay Minerals Group, of the Mineralogical Society of Great Britain and Ireland, I attended the Clay Conference in Davos, Switzerland. This international conference had over 400 participants from many different countries across the globe. Therefore, the conference programme was diverse, allowing for many aspects of clay behaviour to be examined. Bentonite, and host-rock clays including the Callovo-Oxfordian clay and Opalinus Clay, were all discussed in detail, and ideas and techniques were shared by all.

I gave my first talk at a conference, and presented a poster, entitled ‘Evolution of bentonite deformability and permeability in response to changing salinity and temperature’. The oral platform allowed me to engage with a variety of different scientists who were able to visit me at my poster for further discussion. In particular, experimentalists approached me to explore the techniques I had used in permeability measurements, and modellers also were interested in discussing the implications of my results.

In addition to the plenary and parallel sessions, the networking breaks and poster sessions were particularly useful to introduce myself to prominent members in the fields of clay mechanics, and clay minerology. These opportunities allowed me to informally discuss my work, and future plans for my PhD. Ideas and advice I received will be invaluable for the progression of my work.

Blaise Winnard, PhD Student, UCL