Neville Centre of Excellence in Cement and Concrete Engineering
About the Neville Centre
The Neville Centre facilitates solutions for both industry and academia in cement and concrete design engineering. It focuses on developing links between current material experts working at the nano- and micro-structure scale, and those focused on long-term macroscale design performance, enhancing both traditional and innovation-led design.
The Centre maximises industrial involvement and ensures a productive dialogue between fundamental research and practical application.
A tribute to Professor Adam Neville
The Centre, created on 6 October 2017, takes its name from Adam Neville, former Professor and Head of the Department of Civil Engineering at the University of Leeds from 1968 to 1978.
Professor Neville was recognised internationally as a world-leading expert in concrete and wrote the seminal textbook, ‘Properties of Concrete’ – known as the “concrete bible” by engineering students and graduates everywhere. The Centre commemorates his second-to-none contributions to the area of concrete.
Our team
At the heart of the Neville Centre are its people. Our members help us become a centre of excellence that channels diversity, interdisciplinarity, and project expertise. We pride ourselves on a comprehensive coverage of concrete, cement, and civil engineering across both industry and academia. Our members share a common passion for enhancing our understanding and capabilities in concrete and cement, advancing materials, promoting sustainability, and adopting best practices.
Key contacts
- Professor John Forth, Director
- Dr Michal Drewniok, Deputy Director
- Dr Michele W.T. Mak, Deputy Director
2026 diary of Neville Centre events
The Neville Centre prides itself on being at the forefront of knowledge-sharing that encompasses both academia and industry. Alongside our annual National Symposium, we run regular spring and autumn webinars.
Upcoming events
- TBC September 2026 – Autumn Seminar – focusing on the theme of “Sustainable Construction Materials”
2025 events
- 24th April 2026 – Spring Seminar – focusing on the theme of “Life-Cycle Assessment”
- 28th November 2025 – Autumn Seminar (1) – focusing on the theme of “Construction Innovation – on earth & beyond!”
- 26th September 2025 – Spring Seminar (3) – focusing on the theme of “Timber-concrete composites”.
- 13 June 2025 – Spring Seminar (2) – focusing on the theme of “Self-Healing”.
- 2 April 2025 – Spring Seminar (1) – focusing on the theme of “Closing the concrete loop”.
- 31 January 2025 – Autumn Seminar Series (3) – focusing on the theme of “Reinforced concrete and corrosion”.
Please note that all Seminar Series events are free to attend and are CDP-accredited by the Institute of Concrete Technology.