Stephen Stacey

June 5, 2014

Stephen Stacey, who recently received his BS in civil engineering in spring 2014, and Professor Kevin Folliard have been awarded the Portland Cement Association (PCA) Education Foundation JP Gleason Fellowship for 2014.

The support provided by the Education Foundation is used to identify and attract outstanding candidates in the field of engineering and the physical sciences and provide them with the necessary support to complete their studies. Additionally, this support is intended to provide them an opportunity for productive work in the cement and concrete industries. Each fellowship includes a stipend paid to the university to cover tuition, residence, research materials, equipment, study materials, and related educational expenses.

Stephen’s fellowship will help to support research related to the development of a new laboratory test method for evaluating the resistance of concrete to alkali-silica reaction (ASR). ASR is one of the leading causes of concrete deterioration worldwide and has been a major issue in the state of Texas. The goal is to develop a test method that is rapid and reliable and that best predicts the actual field performance of concrete structures.

Although CAEE graduate students have received this prestigious fellowship in the past, Stephen is the first undergraduate award recipient. The fellowship will help support his research when he begins pursuing his master’s degree in fall 2014 under the Dr. Folliard’s supervision.