Published:
Civil engineer Professor Gabriela Medero, inventor of the K-Briq – a sustainable building brick made almost entirely of construction waste – has been named a Fellow of the Royal Society of Edinburgh.
Professor Medero is Associate Principal for Business and Enterprise at Heriot-Watt University and a Professor in Geotechnical and Geoenvironmental Engineering at the University’s School of Energy, Geoscience, Infrastructure and Society.
I am deeply honoured to be elected as a Fellow to the Royal Society of Edinburgh and humbled to be joining such a prestigious group of great minds
The Royal Society of Edinburgh was established in 1783 to deploy knowledge for public good, including helping to tackle the world’s toughest challenges. Its Fellowships recognise individual excellence in fields including physics, chemistry, informatics, literature, law, social sciences, and business.
Professor Medero will join a cohort of 1,800 Fellows described as “among the most distinguished in their fields.”
“I am deeply honoured to be elected as a Fellow to the Royal Society of Edinburgh and humbled to be joining such a prestigious group of great minds,” Professor Medero said. “I am also excited for the further recognition this brings to our important work in sustainable construction.”
Originally from Brazil, Professor Medero started exploring sustainable construction materials almost 15 years ago.
“So much waste was being produced in the construction industry, I started to look at whether some of it could be recycled and reused,” she explained.
This led to the creation in 2019 of KENOTEQ, a clean tech spin-out company based at Heriot-Watt’s Edinburgh campus and with a factory in East Lothian. Its first product is the K-Briq, an unfired construction brick made from 95% recycled material that produces less than a tenth of the CO2 emissions of a traditional clay brick. The product has received worldwide acclaim, including international design awards, and is being incorporated into a growing number of statement projects. More than 200,000 K-Briqs have been produced so far, recycling 440 tonnes of construction and demolition waste.
Professor Medero has Master of Engineering and Master of Science degrees in Civil Engineering from the Federal University of Rio Grande do Sul in Brazil and joined Heriot-Watt University in 2006 as a Lecturer in Civil Engineering.
Her new Fellowship is one of 57 being announced today by the Royal Society of Edinburgh.
Other recipients include satirist Armando Iannucci; journalist and charity founder Sally Magnusson; entrepreneur and philanthropist Dr Michael Welch OBE; Leonie Bell, Director of the V&A Dundee; public health advocate Professor Jason Gill and Professor Elham Kashefi, a world leader in the field of quantum computing.
President of the Royal Society of Edinburgh, Professor Sir John Ball PRSE, said: “It is an immense honour to extend a warm welcome to each of our distinguished new Fellows.
“Individually, they embody exceptional dedication and accomplishment spanning multiple sectors and disciplines. Collectively, they demonstrate a profound commitment and determination to make meaningful contributions through their endeavours.
“From groundbreaking research that redefines our understanding to the creative pursuits that inspire and enrich our cultural landscape, the RSE proudly embraces the brightest minds, leveraging their unique expertise and perspectives for the betterment of society.
“As Scotland’s National Academy, we remain committed to mobilising a diverse array of expertise to confront society's most pressing challenges, and I am certain that our new Fellows will prove invaluable assets to the RSE.”