Sessions & Events

 

All sessions and events take place in Central Daylight Time (CDT).
All events take place at the Hyatt Regency New Orleans.

On-demand sessions will be available for viewing in the convention platform/event app under "On-Demand Content" within 24-48 hours of the session premiere. Please note, on-demand sessions are not available for CEU credit. *Denotes on-demand content.


Best Practices for Incorporating Research into Concrete Education

Monday, March 25, 2024  1:30 PM - 3:30 PM, Strand 10A

The objective of this session is to present best practices for incorporating research into concrete education. The scope of the session is not limited to higher education and the audience will benefit from hearing how research and concrete related topics can also be incorporated into K-12 curricula. The main learning objective is to take home creative ways to establish meaningful research opportunities for students in the field of concrete materials and structures. The session should be attended by students, educators, designers, builders, and code/specification authorities.

Learning Objectives:
(1) Identify various ways to incorporate research into concrete education;
(2) Identify innovative approaches used to incorporate undergraduate research into national-level research proposals;
(3) Identify meaningful ways of incorporating undergraduate students into graduate research projects;
(4) Identify state-of-the-art approaches used to integrate research into student experiencing using existing national-level resources such as NSF REU programs.

This session has been approved by AIA and ICC for 2 PDHs (0.2 CEUs). Please note: You must attend the live session for the entire duration to receive credit. On-demand sessions do not qualify for PDH/CEU credit.


Incorporating Undergraduates and Educational Philosophies into Research Proposals

Presented By: Matthew Bandelt
Affiliation: New Jersey Institute of Technology
Description: This presentation will discuss meaningful ways to integrate educational programs and undergraduate research in sponsored research proposals. Educational programs discussed will include K-12, undergraduate, and graduate opportunities. Perspectives on best practices to directly integrate ideas in proposal writing will be presented.


Incorporating Undergraduates into Research with Meaningful Outcomes

Presented By: Tara Cavalline
Affiliation: University of North Carolina At Charlotte
Description: Undergraduate research assistants can be used to support a range of concrete research projects, with highly useful benefits secured for both the project and the students involved. This presentation will discuss an approach used to recruit, engage, and retain undergraduate research assistants in funded research studies. It will describe approaches used to support mentoring, to ensure quality of work, and to engage the student in different phases of research. It will also discuss strategies to leverage undergraduate research experiences to support retention of these students as graduate research assistants after completion of their undergraduate degree.


Turning Undergraduate Class Projects into Successful Graduate Research Projects

Presented By: Jacob Henschen
Affiliation: University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign
Description: There is no question that 3D printed concrete is a rapidly expanding field of research. Despite its growth, most civil engineering graduate students have minimal background with any type of 3D printing when starting related research. To better support new graduate students, we have modified a course project in a concrete materials course to introduce and develop skills related to 3D printed concrete. Some of these skills include developing an experimental design, 3D modeling and slicing software, and the mechanical operation of the printer and extruder. Several of the students who have completed the project as an undergraduate have continued to develop their ideas into graduate research.


Undergraduate Student Success in NSF REU Summer Programs

Presented By: Jovan Tatar
Affiliation: University of Delaware
Description: Concepts of sustainability, climate change, and resilience have become increasingly important in undergraduate education across all engineering disciplines. Solutions to climate change require interdisciplinary efforts and it is important to engage undergraduate students in these topics to develop a workforce that can tackle these challenges. Many studies report on the positive learning outcomes that result from engaging in undergraduate research experiences. In 2021, an REU Site in Sustainable Resilient Transportation Systems was established at the University of Delaware (UD) with support from the NSF Division of Engineering Education and Centers. This program aims to provide participants with interdisciplinary research experiences in electric and autonomous vehicles; green construction materials and structures; and resilient infrastructure. Over the past two years, the site has hosted a diverse cohort of undergraduate researchers. In addition to the individual research experiences, REU participants engaged in cohort experiences including workshops and seminars that addressed sustainability topics and support the development of students’ research, communication, and collaboration skills. In the summer of 2023, ten students from across the US participated in the program. All participants completed a pre- and post-program surveys that included sustainability-related questions. The survey included open-ended and Likert-scale questions that measured the knowledge of sustainability among the REU participants. This talk summarizes these findings, which can be used to inform similar future programs that aim to engage undergraduate students in sustainability topics. Moreover, the presentation will highlight best practices that ensure students' success in NSF REU and similar undergraduate research programs.


Implementing the SciREN Framework to Develop K-12 Concrete-Oriented Lesson Plans

Presented By: Armen Amirkhanian
Affiliation: University of Alabama
Description: The session introduces educators to the transformation of advanced college-level topics on concrete materials into accessible, age-appropriate curricula for K-12 students. Attendees will learn about the practical application of the Scientific Research and Education Network (SciREN) framework. The speaker will guide participants through a dynamic process of curriculum development, highlighting strategies for distilling higher-level content into foundational concepts that resonate with K-12 learners. Attendees will learn to utilize hands-on activities, demonstrations, and real-life applications that align with educational standards while sparking curiosity and understanding of concrete materials science. By bridging the gap between advanced research and primary education, the session aims to pave the way for a future generation of engineers and scientists, well-versed in the fundamentals of materials science from an early age.

Upper Level Sponsors

ACI Northern California and Western Nevada Chapter
Baker
Conseal
Euclid Chemical
FullForce Solutions
Master Builders
Natural Resources Research Institute - University of Minnesota
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