Clarkson Professor Receives Professional Achievement Award from the American Concrete Institute

Robert J. Thomas, Assistant Professor of Civil Engineering, was awarded the American Concrete Institute (ACI) Young Member Award for Professional Achievement. This award recognizes ACI members under 35 who have attained outstanding achievements including active participation at the national/international level, service to the advancement of the concrete industry, mentorship of students and young professionals, and other evidence of merit that advances the Institute's objectives.

The Institute reports that Thomas was nominated "for research to advance resilient, durable, and sustainable concrete; for supporting the development of young professionals in the concrete industry; and for dedicated service to ACI committees and convention sessions."

Thomas' research mission is to engineer concrete solutions for the next generation of resilient and sustainable civil infrastructure. His research on alternative cements and advanced cementitious composites has resulted in 35 publications and more than 2000 total citations to date.

He has been an active member of ACI since 2014. He chairs the subcommittee on educational outreach for ultra-high-performance concrete, is the secretary of the committee on research and current developments, and is a voting member of the committees on alternative cements and lunar concrete. He has organized more than a dozen technical sessions at ACI conventions, and he was featured in the October 2022 episode of Engineering Greatness, the Institute's podcast for young professionals.

Thomas was previously recognized as an ACI Emerging Leader in 2019.

He will receive the award at the Spring 2023 ACI Convention in San Francisco, CA, where he and his research associates will deliver four presentations on topics related to concrete sustainable and high-performance concrete materials.

Founded in 1904 and headquartered in Farmington Hills, Michigan, USA, the American Concrete Institute is a leading authority and resource worldwide for the development, dissemination, and adoption of its consensus-based standards, technical resources, educational programs, and proven expertise for individuals and organizations involved in concrete design, construction, and materials, who share a commitment to pursuing the best use of concrete.