News and Articles

Attend the 2025 Concrete Innovation ForumThere is still time to secure a spot at the ACI Foundation’s 2025 Concrete Innovation Forum, taking place August 12-14, 2025, at Hotel Clio in Denver, CO, USA. This event offers an opportunity for concrete professionals to connect directly with innovators, researchers, and industry leaders in a focused setting, with attendance limited to just 100 participants.An afternoon tour of the National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL) in nearby Golden, CO, ...

[Farmington Hills, MI] – [July 1, 2025] The ACI Foundation is now accepting applications from graduate and undergraduate students for the 2026-2027 academic year. A total of 48 annual awards are available in this award cycle.ACI Foundation fellowships are offered to both undergraduate and graduate students pursuing a concrete-related degree at an accredited institution in the US, Canada, or Mexico. Students in eligible countries can apply for the ACI Foundation MENA Student Excellence Awar...

Amplifying Industry Impact Through Dynamic Innovation and Research Funding IntroductionOne pillar of the ACI Foundation’s Strategic Plan is to increase industry impact through concrete research and innovative initiatives. Because the ACI Foundation has limited resources to use, the Trustees desire a proactive and strategic approach in identifying, prioritizing, and funding critical items that help solve industry challenges and update ACI work products. Additionally, the ACI Foundation Trus...

Foundation Honors 2025 Personal Award RecipientsThe ACI Foundation recognizes and congratulates the 2025 ACI Foundation personal award recipients. These four individuals have made outstanding contributions to the concrete industry.Aali R. Alizadeh, recipient of the Jean-Claude Roumain Innovation in Concrete Award. ACI member Alizadeh is a licensed professional engineer in Ontario, Canada. His research interests include nondestructive testing of concrete, concrete sensors, cement and concrete nan...

The ACI Foundation is pleased to announce the election of new Trustees and the re-election of an existing Trustee to its Board. The Trustees elected new Trustee— Michael J. Schneider, who will serve as Chair of Trustees, and re-elected Trustee— Khaled Awad. New ACI Vice President, Matthew R. Sherman, also joins the Trustees as part of his new role. They join Jeffrey Coleman, Scott M. Anderson, Frederick Grubbe, Keith Kesner, David Lange, and Brett McMahon on the ACI Foundation Board ...

The ACI Foundation is excited to announce its 2025-2026 fellowship and scholarship recipients. The ACI Foundation is a non-profit subsidiary of ACI that promotes progress, innovation, and collaboration in the concrete industry through strategic investments in ideas, research, and people to create the future of the concrete industry.All Fellowship recipients receive a $10,000 (USD) educational stipend; and paid travel expenses and attendance fees to two ACI Concrete Conventions. All Scholarship r...

[Farmington Hills, MI] – [April 9, 2025] New chairs have been announced for the ACI Foundation’s Concrete Innovation Council, Concrete Research Council, and Scholarship Council.Lesley S.C. Ko, chair of the Concrete Innovation Council. Ko serves as the Director for Cementitious and Sustainable Materials at Structural Technologies LLC, a part of Structural Group Inc. that is the largest concrete repair and maintenance provider in the US. Previously, she held a manager position for Prod...

Donor Spotlight: Keith Kesner’s Commitment to the Concrete Industry and the ACI Foundation In the realm of concrete advocacy and innovation, Keith Kesner emerges as a distinguished figure, renowned for his role as a committed donor and Trustee of the ACI Foundation. Currently working as a Project Director with Simpson Gumpertz & Heger, his career exemplifies the impact of mentorship, community involvement, and educational advancement within the concrete industry. Recently, the ACI...

[Farmington Hills, MI] – [April 1, 2025] – The ACI Foundation is excited to announce a significant transformation in its approach to funding and supporting research and innovation within the concrete industry. This new format aims to provide balanced support for both defined and undefined research, ensuring a broader engagement to identify critical industry needs, and prioritizing essential solutions for challenges that affect the entire sector.The ACI Foundation invites members of t...

CIC-Hosted Technical Session at the ACI Concrete Convention Hosted by the Concrete Innovation Council (CIC), the session “Innovations in Concrete” will be held on March 30, 2025, from 1:00 to 3:00 p.m. at the ACI Concrete Convention – Spring 2025 in Toronto, ON, Canada. The theme is “Implementing Low Carbon Concrete – From Innovation to Reality.” Presenters will share their experiences to benefit others who are invested in the future of sustainable constr...