The first CGCA international conference held from November 28 to 30, 2023 at the Faculty of Sciences of the University of Yaounde 1, Cameroon.

Organized over three working days at the Faculty of Sciences of the University of Yaounde 1 and one day at the Lacal Materials Promotion Authority, the program of conference activities included.

– An opening ceremony

– A plenary conference

– Keynotes

– Oral presentations on various themes

– Poster sessions

– CACerS General Assembly

– Round table

– Workshops at MIPROMALO

– Excursion

– Gala dinner

The proceedings of this conference, on the theme of “Ceramics and geomaterials for water treatment, energy transition”, were organized around 9 themes:

ST1: Geomaterials: prospections and characterization

ST2: Ceramics and Geomaterials processing

ST3: Sintering and consolidation and consolidation mechanism

ST4: Characterisation-properties-correlation

ST5: low carbon materials, environmentally friendly materials and sustainability

ST6: waste valorization and recycling

ST7: porous ceramics

ST8: Properties of use and industrial applications

ST9: Modelling and artificial intelligence for materials science

In terms of attendance, we recorded

– 150 participants from 13 countries (Cameroon, Senegal, Gabon, Bukina-Faso, Ivory Coast, Central-Africa Republic, Congo, Benin, Niger, France, Spain, England, Russia),

– 87 oral presentations,

– 31 posters registered, 25 of which were presented,

– 16 keynotes presented,

– 4 plenary lectures,

– Around ten video presentations.

The CACerS General Assembly, chaired by Prof. Gisèle LECOMTE-Nana, was held in the multimedia room of the Faculty of Science, University of Yaounde 1, from 6 to 8 pm. She presented the background to the creation of CACerS, the statutes, the activities carried out to date, and the executive board.
During discussions on the functioning of CACerS, some participants expressed the wish of the rotation of CGCA conferences between different countries of Central and West Africa.

With regard to collaborations with learned societies, GFC membership forms were handed out to students, together with membership conditions.

Three prizes were awarded for the best presentations:

– Imerys prize: “Artificial intelligence and the circular economy” theme

– ACERS prize: Potabilization of water

– GFC Award: Energy Transitions

The winners will be announced at the Gala evening, to which registrants are warmly invited.