News and Articles

For over 25 years, the ACI Foundation has hosted Technology Forums to support ACI’s expanding focus on advancing the concrete industry. These gatherings have been popular, innovation-focused educational and networking events featuring presentations by researchers, ACI committee representatives, and developers of new technologies for design, construction, and inspection. This article is the last of three articles that summarize the presentations made at the 2024 Technology Forum. These Foru...

Celebrating the Success of Our 2024 Annual AppealThe ACI Foundation is overjoyed to announce the resounding success of our 2024 Annual Appeal! We extend our heartfelt gratitude to all the generous donors who have made this achievement possible. Your contributions are vital for advancing our mission and fostering innovation and growth within our community.Your collective efforts and generosity enable the ACI Foundation to continue investing in groundbreaking ideas, cutting-edge research, and tale...

The ACI Foundation is pleased to announce the opening of registration for the much-anticipated 2025 Concrete Innovation Forum, formerly known as the Technology Forum. Scheduled from August 12-14, 2025, at the modern and inspirational Hotel Clio, centrally located in Denver, Colorado, this event is a pivotal gathering for inventors, early adopters and other professionals within the concrete industry. This year’s forum invites you to immerse yourself in the stories of those who have invented...

Happy New Year to Our Concrete CommunityI am always excited for the end of the year, wrapping up projects, closing the loop on tasks, and taking stock of all we accomplished in the past year. At the same time, I look forward to a fresh start in the New Year.This may be your first time reading about the ACI Foundation, or you might be a long-time advocate, a dedicated donor, a steadfast volunteer in our programs and councils, or a beneficiary of one of our programs. As a reader of Concrete Intern...

For over 25 years, the ACI Foundation has hosted Technology Forums to support ACI’s expanding focus on advancing the concrete industry. These gatherings have been popular, innovation-focused educational and networking events featuring presentations by researchers, ACI committee representatives, and developers of new technologies for design, construction, and inspection. This article is the first of three articles that summarize the presentations made at the 2024 Technology Forum. Reco...

Kaid Nygren Promising Journey with the ACI Foundation Elmer Baker Fellowship The ACI Foundation Elmer Baker Fellowship has long been recognized as an incubator for budding talents in the field of concrete construction, and the 2024-2025 recipient, Kaid Nygren from Texas State University, San Marcos, TX, USA, exemplifies this tradition of excellence. Nygren’s summer internship with Baker Construction, a key component of his fellowship, offered him a rich tapestry of experiences that am...

Maya Cottongim’s exposure to the construction industry started from the time she could walk. “My dad is an ironworker in Chicago, IL, so I’ve been going on site since I could walk,” Cottongim said. “I was always going with him to bring your child to work day.” Maya Cottongim was the recipient of the ACI Foundation’s 2020-2021 Baker Student Fellowship. However, wanting to try something different for herself, Cottongim first applied to universities wi...

A Summer of Growth and Achievement: Austin Mizen’s Internship Journey with Baker Construction The ACI Foundation’s 2024-2025 Baker Student Fellowship recipient, Austin Mizen from Bowling Green State University, Bowling Green, OH, USA, had a remarkable opportunity to intern with Baker Construction during the summer of 2024. Diverse portfolio of projects Throughout his internship, Mizen’s work spanned several high-profile projects, primarily based in Cleveland, OH,...

by Victoria K. Sicaras, on behalf of the ACI FoundationAs the global construction industry intensifies focus on sustainable infrastructure and rapid construction, structural engineers are turning to alternative cements for their environmental characteristics and specialty properties. While alternative cement concretes are allowed in design under ACI 318-19(22), “Building Code Requirements for Structural Concrete and Commentary,” they must first be proven to conform to the existing de...

ACI Foundation Fellowship and Scholarship Virtual Information Session The ACI Foundation, along with its Scholarship Council, will be conducting a free virtual information session on the ACI Foundation fellowship and scholarship application process. Meet with ACI Foundation staff and Scholarship Council members for an open discussion on the process and an opportunity to ask questions about the application. The free information session will take place on October 3, 2024, from 2:30 to 3:...