Magarotto honored for her contribution to concrete research
Dr. Roberta Magarotto, Director of Development at BASF Construction Chemicals Europe, has received an award of the Committee for the Organization of International Conferences for her outstanding contributions in the area of concrete technology and chemical admixtures. The award was presented at the International Conference on Superplasticizers and Other Chemical Admixtures in Concrete in Ottawa, Canada, on July 15. The award recognizes internationally known scientists, engineers and researchers who have made significant and sustained contributions in the subject area of the current conference.
“We are very happy about this recognition – it shows that our innovations are appreciated both by our customers and by the scientific community”, says Philip Kley, Senior Vice President Construction Chemicals Europe at BASF. “Our scientific excellence is the foundation we build the good cooperation with our customers on. They benefit from the know‑how we put to use to contribute to their success.”
Roberta Magarotto started working for BASF in 1994 after her graduation in Industrial Chemistry from the University Ca’ Foscari in Venice. From the beginning her focus was on concrete additives, especially on the development of new water-reducing polymers and on new technologies for the construction industry. Her team was first to develop water-reducing additives for concrete based on polycarboxylate ether – a technology with a demand which is still growing worldwide.
Innovations for the Master Builders Solutions brand
In 2008, Roberta Magarotto became Head of Development for Construction Chemicals Europe. In research laboratories in Germany (Augsburg, Oldenburg) and Italy (Treviso), her teams work on new construction technologies for the Master Builders Solutions brand. “At the moment, we are focusing on a new generation of plasticizers: Based on an innovative technology to reduce the viscosity of concrete and to facilitate more straightforward production and application proc-esses, they will provide our customers with new possibilities to improve their concrete mix designs”, Magarotto explains.
Initially considering a career in pharmacy after obtaining her university degree, her decision for the construction chemicals sector was a change of plans. When she received an offer to work in the construction industry, she accepted, “even though the world of cement and its derivatives seemed gray and not very scientific from the outside”, Magarotto says. “But I was wrong, and it was only a short time before I realized its technological challenges, its complexities, and its importance for society. Moreover, I was intrigued by the close cooperation between experts and customers – a cooperation that enables us to understand our customers’ requirements and to develop the solutions they need.”
