LATEST: Early booking of hotels in the Cardiff area is highly recommended, as demand (and therefore prices) will rise due to a high profile concert taking place in the Principality Stadium on the night of the 16th June.

3rd International Explosives Conference

Days
Hours
Minutes
Seconds

16th June to 18th June 2026.

The Parkgate Hotel Cardiff

Emerging Technology in Energetics

Watch IEC-2024 video
Attend Exhibit

"An international conference on emerging technology in energetics."

Emerging Technology in Energetics

IEC-2026 will accept papers in theoretical and experimental research, modelling and industrial applications in the following themes:

  • Alternatives routes to synthesis, formulation and fabrication of energetics
  • Characterisation, testing, evaluation, diagnostics and qualification of energetics
  • Artificial Intelligence and Machine Learning to support energetic capabilities
  • Environmental impact and sustainability
  • Other related topics will be considered
The UK's Centre of Excellence for Energetic Materials (CoEEM), in conjunction with the Explosives Sector Strategy Group (ESSG) and Cranfield University, is hosting the third International Explosives Conference 2026 (IEC-2026).

This event is for all professionals involved in the fundamental science of explosives and energetic materials. If you are interested in the science that underpins deeper understanding of explosives, propellants, pyrotechnics and gas generators, this is the event for your consideration. We invite all, from early careers through to subject matter experts to be involved.

By design the conference is unclassified to accommodate a broad international participation. The style of the event is keynote and other presentations, interactive plenaries and poster sessions.

Exhibitors

We are delighted the following exhibitors are attending and supporting the conference.

Institute of Explosive Engineers
Stoli Chem
Propex


Become a exhibitor

Keynote Speakers

There will be a number of keynote presentations to be announced over the coming months.

Philip Cheese

Defence Equipment & Support, MOD: UKs explosives capability for Defence

Holly Winter

Defence Equipment & Support, MOD: UKs explosives capability for Defence

Dr Adam Michalchuk

Dr Adam Michalchuk

University of Birmingham: Mechanochemistry

Dr Terry Salyer

Los Alamos National Laboratory: Shock physics and diagnostics

Helge Stadheim

NAMMO: Environmental and sustainability

Professor Kit Windows-Yule

Professor Kit Windows-Yule

University of Birmingham: Artificial Intelligence

Programme

Day 1 | Day 2 | Day 3

Tuesday 16 June 2026 - Day 1

0900 - 1000Registration & Coffee
1000 - 1010Facilitation & Welcome
1010 - 1020Opening Address
Session 1: Synthesis | Session Chair: TBC
1020 - 1100 Opening Keynote: Title TBA Phil Cheese and Holly Winter, Defence Equipment and Support, MOD
1100 - 1120 Synthesis and characterization of difurazanopyrazine-based explosives: another step further using in silico design Dr Eric Pasquinet, CEA, DAM, LE RIPAULT
1120 - 1140 Condensing the Cage: Novel Insights into the Reaction Pathway of Isowurtzitane Cage Formation Campbell Wolfe, Cardiff University
1140 - 1210Morning Tea & Coffee
1210 - 1230 An Evaluation of Polyvinyl Nitrate as an Energetic Polymer Stephen Spice, University of Edinburgh
1230 - 1250 Preparation of Polyoxetane Binders Using Selective Nitration and Living Polymerisation Natasha Boulton, University of Edinburgh
1250 - 1400Lunch
Session 2: Synthesis (cont.) | Session Chair: Dr Adam Michalchuk
1400 - 1440 Afternoon Keynote: Atomistic insights into the mechanochemistry of energetic materials Dr Adam Michalchuk, University of Birmingham
1440 - 1500 Continuous Flow Manufacture of Propellants using Continuous Oscillatory Baffled Reactor Ruaraidh Wells, NiTec
1500 - 1520 Optimization of PBXN-5 with VI-HMX: comparative evaluation with commercial HMX Dr Virginie Goetz, ISL
1520 - 1550 Nitrated Exopolysaccharides as Novel Energetic Binders: A Biosynthetic Route to Consistent, Tunable Propellant Formulations Dr Edmund Morris, University of Edinburgh
1550 - 1610Afternoon Tea & Coffee
1610 - 1630 Copper-based lead-free initiatory explosives Dr Peter Portius, University of Birmingham
1630 - 1650 Small-scale continuous production of energetic materials and/or their precursors Dr John Zevenbergen, TNO
1650 - 1710 Impact Induced Reactivity of Intermetallic Forming Fragments Fabricated Using Alternative Manufacturing Techniques Dr Hayleigh Lloyd, TNO
1715 - 1830Drinks Reception with canapes

Wednesday 17 June 2026 - Day 2

0830 - 0900Arrival and Refreshments
0900 - 0905Admin Notices
Session 3: Characterisation and Diagnostics | Session Chair: TBC
0905 - 0945 Keynote: Title TBA Dr Terry Salyer, Los Alamos National Laboratory
0945 - 1005 A comparative study of stabiliser depletion in model propellant systems containing lead-based and lead-free ballistic modifiers Megan Tierney, Chemring Energetics and University of Edinburgh TBA
1005 - 1025 Commonality in Functional Groups on Trace Compounds in High Explosives Dr Keith Coffee, LLNL
1025 - 1045Poster Session
1045 - 1115Morning Tea & Coffee
1115 - 1135 NMR acidimetry Dr Christopher Jones, The Falcon Project Ltd
1135 - 1155 The role of pressure in thermal ignition of explosives Dr Michael Hobbs, Sandia National Laboratories
1155 - 1215 Temperature-dependent Ignition and Growth Modelling for application in Smart Qualification of Energetics Mr Jack Williams, BAE Systems
1215 - 1235 The role of furazans during thermal decomposition of LLM-105 Dr Keith Morrison, LLNL
1235 - 1345Lunch
Session 4: Machine Learning and Artificial Intelligence | Session Chair: Professor Kit Windows-Yule
1345 - 1425 Keynote: Rapid virtual prototyping and AI optimisation of process systems for energetics manufacture Professor Kit Windows-Yule, University of Birmingham
1425 - 1445 Alternative Products Equation of State Testing Elizabeth Francois, LANL
1445 - 1505 Modelling Powder Compaction in Granular Explosives Mr Dimitrios Samaras, Imperial College London
1505 - 1530Afternoon Tea & Coffee
1530 - 1550 A new hypothesis test for comparing sensitivities of energetic materials Dr Dennis Christensen and Dr Geir Petter Novik, Norwegian Defence Research Establishment (FFI)
1550 - 1610 Characterising the mesostructure of composite explosives by mining CT-scan data Dr Jonathan Miller, Cranfield University
1610 - 1630 Artificial Intelligence and the Inverse Problem in Post Blast Analysis: Hype, Help or Horizon? Dr Emma Burke, Army Reserves
1630 - 1645Pre-Dinner Brief
1930 - 2300Dinner

Thursday 18 June 2026 - Day 3

0830 - 0900Arrival and Refreshments
0900 - 0905Administration Notices
Session 5: Environmental and Sustainability | Session Chair: TBC
0905 - 0945 Keynote: TBA Helge Stadheim, NAMMO
0945 - 1005 TNT Persistence in Marine Environments: Environmental Management and Risk Assessment Bhumika Sharma, Cranfield University
1005 - 1025 ResonantAcoustic® Continuous Processing as an Alternative Route for Safer, More Sustainable Energetic Materials Manufacturing Dr Joseph Mayne, Resodyn Corporation
1025 - 1045 High Speed Optical Pyrometry of a Wire Explosion Lewis Warner, AWE
1045 - 1115Morning Tea and Coffee
1115 - 1135 Making the Invisible Visible: Flash X-Ray Cinematography Esme Hayes, MBDA
1135 - 1155 Stability Testing of Nitrocellulose - A New Test for Old Professor Ian Wallace, Cranfield University
1155 - 1210Awards and Presentations
1210 - 1220Closing Address
1230 - 1330DEPART

Key Dates

30 April 2026: Early Bird registration has been extended to the 30 April 2026 (N.B. the delegate fee will increase to £660 from 1st May 2026)

Editorial committee

Professor Jackie Akhavan Cranfield University
Associate Professor Peter Portius Birmingham University
Dr William Proud Imperial College London
Professor Colin Pulham Edinburgh University
Professor Andy Tyas Sheffield University
Dr David Williamson Cambridge University
Professor Thomas Wirth Cardiff University


Costs and Concessions

Delegate

Early Bird Delegate until 30th April 2026
Three days, lunch and refreshments, networking drinks and dinner: £560

Delegate from 1st May 2026
Three days, lunch and refreshments, networking drinks and dinner: £660

Spouse
Attendance at the drinks reception and dinner: £200

Students and Early Careers
All Students (including CU) and Early Careers are welcome to register for a bursary, but you will need to provide a statement of support from your supervisor and give an oral presentation or display a poster to qualify. Early Careers is defined as the first ten years of education or employment: £250 (max 20)

Register

Exhibit

Exhibition space is limited and will be available on a first come, first served basis. We are delighted that the Institute of Explosives Engineers will exhibit alongside the Centre of Excellence in Energetic Materials.

Single Space 2 Metres x 2 Metres - 1 Person - £1010

Extra person for display - £400 (Maximum of 2)

Sponsorship

Sponsorship

Terms and Conditions



Venue - The Parkgate Hotel, Cardiff

Located in the heart of Cardiff’s city centre, The Parkgate Hotel is one of Wales’s most stylish and sought-after venues for conferences, events, and business gatherings. Just a short walk from Cardiff Central Station and directly adjacent to the iconic Principality Stadium, this landmark hotel places delegates in the very centre of the Welsh capital’s civic, commercial, and cultural life.

Housed in a beautifully restored former Post Office and County Court, the hotel blends Victorian grandeur with a contemporary finish that sets a distinctive tone for professional events. From the moment guests arrive beneath its elegant stone façade, The Parkgate creates a sense of occasion—ideal for delegates and speakers alike.

At the heart of the hotel’s offering is a purpose-built suite of premium event spaces, designed to meet the demands of modern conferences while preserving the building’s historic charm:

  • >> The Postmaster Suite: A grand, pillar-free function room that can host up to 432 guests, with flexible configurations for plenary sessions, exhibitions, and gala dinners. A private bar and dedicated entrance offer a seamless experience for attendees.
  • >> Breakout & Meeting Rooms: Smaller spaces such as The Mail Room and The Telegraph Room offer stylish, high-spec environments for workshops, roundtables, and private meetings—each equipped with the latest AV technology for hybrid and in-person formats.
  • >> Event Support: On-site coordination teams, full AV services, and integrated catering ensure a smooth delivery from start to finish.



Prime Location for Access and Entertainment.

Cardiff is a compact and accessible capital, and The Parkgate places everything within reach:

  • >> 2 minutes from Principality Stadium
  • >> 5 minutes from Cardiff Castle
  • >> 7-minute walk from Cardiff Central railway station
  • >> 30 minutes from Cardiff Airport (with direct airport shuttle or taxi services)
  • >> Surrounded by the best of Cardiff’s shopping districts, cultural venues, and green spaces like Bute Park.

Accommodation

We can offer you a discount code, this will offer a discount off the best available rate online. The code is PGHEV5 and can be used in the Promotional section of the The Parkgate Hotel

Leonardo Hotel Cardiff

Located in a stunning Victorian building at the vibrant heart of Cardiff, Leonardo Hotel Cardiff stands out as the ideal destination for both leisure and business travellers. Just off Queen Street, our hotel is a beacon of comfort and convenience, featuring 142 well-appointed rooms ranging from standard doubles to our luxurious Junior Suite.

Each room at Leonardo Hotel Cardiff is equipped with free, fast WiFi, air conditioning, and a flat-screen LCD TV with Freeview, ensuring all the comforts of home are at your fingertips. For guests requiring wheelchair access, our hotel offers specially designed rooms with extra wide doorways, accessible bathrooms with emergency alarms, and ample floor space to manoeuvre,

An Advance purchase discount of 20% is available to book on the best available rates for 15th & 17th June (NOT 16th June). This is applicable 30 days prior to the arrival date. All bookings are to be pre-paid and are non-refundable.

"Booking is simple, just click on the link to the website and enter DACU in the promotional code section". Online Booking

Contact us

Contact our Symposia event organiser


+44 (0)1234 862640

Lynn at Symposia

International Explosives Conference 2026

IEC-2026