Solid Foundation: New Concrete Technology and Management Degree is a National First

Lawrence Technological University is continuing to build out the curriculum and industry partnerships for its newest degree, a Bachelor of Science in Concrete Technology and Management (BSCTM).

The degree is based on strong industry demand for concrete industry staff who understand not only the complex science and engineering behind concrete, the world’s most-used building material--but who also understand the complex management and logistics requirements of getting the right concrete to the right place at the right time.

The degree, combining concrete engineering, technology, and business management, is the first of its kind in the nation.

Applications for the program, which will begin in the fall 2024 semester, are now being accepted. For more information, email caechair@ltu.edu. Enrollment is limited to 25 students, ensuring personal attention in instruction in keeping with LTU’s motto, “Theory and Practice.”

LTU President Tarek M. Sobh said the new degree will provide technical and managerial leadership in sustainable, complex concrete projects, ranging from buildings to major civil engineering projects like roads and bridges.

“Graduates of this program will have the skills needed to succeed in the multi-billion-dollar concrete industry,” Sobh said.

Added Nishantha Bandara, BSCTM program director and LTU associate professor of civil and architectural engineering: “This program will fill a critical need for the education and training of concrete industry professionals, who are in ever‐increasing demand within the concrete and construction industry.”

Bandara is a specialist in pavement design and sustainable use of materials. He joined Lawrence Tech in 2012 after working as an engineer-manager for the Michigan Department of Transportation. Earlier, he was a pavement engineer for Dynatest, a Denmark-based manufacturer of pavement evaluation equipment, software, and services. He is director of the Lawrence Tech Transportation Institute.

The new program is built on a partnership between Lawrence Tech and the Michigan Concrete Association, which will provide funding for the program, $5,000-a-year student scholarships, and internships for program students.

“There’s a huge need for this,” said Steve Waalkes, executive director and CEO of the Michigan Concrete Association. “There are a lot of different pathways into the concrete industry—civil engineering, construction management—but those train you for general industry and go to all parts of engineering, design, construction and materials. We see a need for a direct degree into the concrete industry that provides internships and scholarships.”

Added David Diedrick, general manager of North Central cement for Holcim US, the American branch of the Swiss building materials giant, and an LTU alumnus: “I think it’s a very exciting time right now in this industry. I don’t think the industry has ever moved faster than it has in the last five years, especially with respect to new topics like sustainability and continuing topics like durability. I think there’s a tremendous amount of opportunity for individuals who can combine an understanding of concrete technical issues with business and management principles. It’s rare to find someone in our industry who has a good handle on the business and technical sides of our industry, which is why this degree is perfect for that—you get both. This industry has also seen a substantial amount of retirements, and I think it’s really ripe for new entrants and new thinking.”

Also supporting the program is Fessler & Bowman Inc., a Grand Blanc-based concrete contractor with offices in Kentucky, North Carolina, and Tennessee. The company is providing scholarships of $6,000 per year per student.

Bandara said the program also grew out of LTU’s longtime offering of basic industry certification through the American Concrete Institute.

“The industry knows the value of our offerings, and our ‘Theory and Practice’ orientation,” Bandara said.

The first-year curriculum begins with an introductory course in concrete management, plus foundational courses like composition, economics, computer graphics, chemistry, and precalculus. Sophomore year brings more advanced courses like concrete mix design and testing, concrete construction methods, and concrete construction for heavy infrastructure projects, along with courses in financial accounting and management.

By junior year, students will study concrete applications in building, concrete facilities management, and management of concrete products, along with business law, human resources management, and marketing. In the senior year, students will take on construction project problem-solving, construction law, and choose from several concrete electives, including decorative concrete, concrete rehabilitation, and construction quality management.

The management component of the degree senior year includes project and safety management. And throughout the curriculum, students will take humanities courses in history and literature, technical and professional communication, and leadership and professional development for engineers.

“There will be a lot of work in the lab in this program, testing concrete formulations,” Bandara said. “But our students will also get an understanding of how large infrastructure projects come together, how they’re laid out.”

Added Elin Jensen, chair of the LTU Department of Civil and Architectural Engineering: “That’s the beauty of this program. It has the engineering applications, but it also has the management aspects, as these graduates are expected to move into management positions.”

She added: “The logistics (of concrete) can be a nightmare. You have to formulate the concrete so it doesn’t begin to react and cure until it gets to where it’s supposed to be. And then there’s the logistics of transportation.”

by Matt Roush