ACI Foundation Seeks Funding for Ramón L. Carrasquillo Honorary Fellowship
The ACI Foundation is continuing to seek funding for the Ramón L. Carrasquillo Honorary Fellowship. This Fellowship was established to honor the remarkable life, leadership, professional expertise, and contributions of ACI Honorary Member Ramón L. Carrasquillo and supports graduate students pursuing degrees in concrete-related fields, with a focus on structural, architectural, or materials engineering. It will provide an annual award of 10,000 USD to cover educational expenses and fund the recipient’s attendance at two ACI Concrete Conventions during their award year. To ensure the Fellowship’s ability to support students for years to come, the ACI Foundation has set a fundraising goal of 350,000 USD.
Carrasquillo was known for his numerous professional achievements and his profound impact on notable people in the concrete industry. Over his 40+ year career, he dedicated himself to mentoring students and sharing his wisdom to advance concrete innovation.
ACI Vice President Matthew Sherman, Principal, Simpson Gumpertz & Heger, spoke about Carrasquillo’s character and influence during his time as his student. “He was the hardest-working person I ever met. He somehow needed only about 3 or 4 hours of sleep a night and was always coming and going. Early on, he gathered all his graduate students around and said that we could get done as fast as we wanted to—he said he would never be the limiting factor, and that was true. Dr. Carrasquillo was always laughing and knew everybody. He was very in demand as a consultant and involved his students in everything. He was quite a dynamic and successful fellow and supported many causes.”
To contribute to the Ramón L. Carrasquillo Honorary Fellowship, visit www.acifoundation.org/ramónlcarrasquillohonoraryfellowship or contact Kari Martin, Fundraising Manager, at +1.248.848.3757 or kari.martin@acifoundation.org.
Registration Is Now Open for the 2026 Concrete Innovation Forum
Registration is open for the 2026 Concrete Innovation Forum. Join the ACI Foundation from August 18-20, 2026, at the Hyatt Regency Columbus in Columbus, OH, USA. The Concrete Innovation Forum is an industry-wide educational and networking event for concrete professionals organized by the ACI Foundation’s Concrete Innovation Council (CIC). To support ACI’s expanding focus on technology and innovation, the CIC collaborates with the concrete community to support innovative solutions for industry-wide challenges. The CIC works to identify and introduce new technologies to the industry and helps to nurture and support emerging and mature technologies.
The 2026 Concrete Innovation Forum will be a gateway to discovering the latest trends, emerging technologies, and groundbreaking products that are transforming the industry. Engage with industry leaders, technology experts, and regulatory agencies to discuss pivotal innovations that are reshaping the field.
Attending the forum will provide access to a diverse group of professionals, including representatives from material suppliers, architecture and engineering firms, contractors, academics, top-level executives, and regulatory agencies. This is an opportunity to build strategic relationships and network, all while gaining insights from industry experts who are at the forefront of concrete innovation.
To give an idea of the content presented at the Concrete Innovation Forum, a series of articles will be published in Concrete International based on topics from the 2025 edition of this event. The first article was featured in the January 2026 issue.
To explore the full agenda and secure a spot at this event, visit www.acifoundation.org/technology/forums. Be part of the conversation that is driving the future of the concrete industry.
Become a Sponsor for the 2026 Concrete Innovation Forum
Support the 2026 Concrete Innovation Forum. Organized by the CIC, the forum fosters education and networking and showcases new materials and products, innovative construction, design or engineering methods, and proposed quality control and test methods.
Sponsoring the Concrete Innovation Forum shows leadership in the broader concrete community when it comes to supporting and encouraging the development of innovation and technology. Sponsorship helps support programs that improve the quality and potential competitiveness of concrete in design and building. This provides a chance to connect with a diverse array of professionals, including material suppliers, architects, engineers, contractors, academics, executives, and regulatory agency representatives in a close-knit event. It also is a great opportunity to develop business relationships and create opportunities for organizations.
This event attracts a broad cross section of the concrete industry. Typical attendance is 100 people, which provides ample opportunities for meaningful interactions, conversations about future collaborations, following up in detail with presenters, and building strong connections with like-minded individuals. For more information, visit www.acifoundation.org/innovation/forums and click on “Become a Sponsor.”