SAT is proud to welcome Dr Jean-Pascal Planche, one of the best-respected global experts in asphalt and bitumen science, as the keynote speaker at our SATBinderrr conference on 2 and 3 September 2026.

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JP, as he is known, was Chief Executive Officer of Western Research Institute (WRI) in Laramie, Wyoming, USA, until mid-2024. He has worked across industry on polymer-modified bitumen (PMB), binder chemistry, rheology, and pavement durability and materials performance. His work has contributed to research, product development, and international binder specification initiatives.
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JP has previously worked in the asphalt field for Elf and then TOTAL, French oil majors, as research engineer, project leader, and later as research coordinator for TOTAL Bitumen worldwide. During his years with WRI, he was PI for the NCHRP 9-60 project on developing new specifications regarding binder cracking contribution in North America, and Project Manager of the Asphalt Industry Research Consortium, an initiative he launched with WRI to help the partners understand and address asphalt binder variability worldwide.
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JP has worked in asphalt characterisation, formulation and modification for more than 30 years. In 2011 he was inducted into the Association of Modified Asphalt Producers Hall of Fame for lifetime achievement in the development of polymer-modified asphalts (PMAs), and in 2023 into the Roll of Honour of the Asphalt Institute. He is also honorary member of the Association of Asphalt Paving Technologists (AAPT).
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He has a chemical engineering degree from the Chemistry National School of Mulhouse and a PhD in Macromolecular Science from the University of Lyon, both in France. He has co-authored more than 150 publications and co-invented more than 30 patents.
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Dr Planche is currently consulting to help innovators of the asphalt industry develop new binder solutions through JP InnovAsphalt.
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HONOURS & AWARDS

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• Walter J. Emmons Award (2022): Awarded by the Association of Asphalt Paving Technologists (AAPT) for the “best of the best” paper presented at the annual meeting, recognising his co-authorship on the paper “Effect of Binder Chemistry and Related Properties on Low Temperature Performance Parameters of Asphalt Binders”.
• AMAP Paving Hall of Fame Inductee (2011): Inducted by the Association of Modified Asphalt Producers (AMAP) for his lifetime achievement in the technical development of polymer-modified asphalts (PMA’s).
• Asphalt Institute Roll of Honor (2024): Honored for his outstanding contributions and advancements to the transportation industry as a leader, researcher, and expert.Dr. Planche has also served in several distinguished leadership roles, including Chairman of the Board of Directors for the International Society for Asphalt Pavements (ISAP) and elected board member of the AAPT.