Shay Rutenberg, a civil engineering student at the University of Texas at
Austin, attended the spring AASHTO/NSBA Steel Bridge Collaboration
Meeting in Providence, R.I. thanks to a Student Travel Grant from the
AISC Education Foundation.

We're in the lazy days of summer, but that doesn't mean our students and educators get a break from the invaluable (and ever-expanding!) networking, industry immersion, and career development opportunities the AISC Education Foundation offers--thanks to you!

As a new academic year approaches, I want to take a moment to update you on what the Foundation has been up to and express my thanks for your continued support.

Our Chicago headquarters are abuzz with collaborative spirit! This month, we welcomed our inaugural cohort of Innovation Scholars to the office to get an up-close and engaging look at the structural steel industry at work and take part in our summer research. We're thrilled to host associate professors Joshua Schultz, PE, PhD (Gonzaga University) and Ashley Thrall, PhD (University of Notre Dame) in Chicago through August 16.

We'll dive deeper into their experiences in the next Impact Update, but I couldn't pass up an opportunity to share my excitement about this new program.

And that's not all the news we have to share!

We recently brought Shay Rutenberg, a civil engineering student at the University of Texas at Austin, to the latest AASHTO/NSBA Steel Bridge Collaboration Meeting in Providence, R.I., where he had the opportunity to engage closely with steel industry leaders, representatives from state DOTs, and other professionals. Shay spent three days asking questions, providing input, and making impactful industry connections, all while cultivating his passions.

"I wanted to attend the AASHTO/NSBA Collaboration because this is where the country's best engineers work toward innovating and revitalizing America's bridges," Shay said. "This event is more than passionate debates and the drafting of new specifications--it's also a reminder that America's infrastructure is built on the shoulders of the people who continue showing up to improve it."

Shay's mentor, Russo Structural Services' Frank Russo, PE, PhD, guided him throughout the event and helped him feel welcome, Shay said.

"The Collaboration is full of people like Frank, who bring their expertise to the table and have no problem getting into the weeds and pulling them out," Shay said. "I looked forward to recapping my experience with him and hearing his advice. I got the sense that he--like every person in the room--wants to grow this collaboration and open it up to anyone who shares his dedication to improving the practices of this industry."

Shay's trip to Providence was fully funded through our Student Travel Grants program, which continuously makes a difference in students' lives and helps propel their careers post-grad. We wouldn't be able to make these grants happen without you!

Student Travel Grants are important to both the sustainability of our committees and the future of our industry, said NSBA Chief Bridge Engineer Christopher Garrell, PE. They provide candidates like Shay the opportunity to engage with a diverse array of topics and tap into the incredible depth of knowledge our volunteers bring to the Collaboration.

"We were fortunate to have someone like Shay at our meeting--he was both engaged and engaging," Garrell said. "Our aim was to provide him the freedom to explore his interests and give him a mentor who could explain topics in more detail and act as a familiar face. Hopefully, we have won him over as a future steel bridge engineer or researcher!"

Your support means so much to us and to the students and faculty we serve. I look forward to updating you on the real and meaningful impacts your donations make.

More in November!

Best,

Maria Mnookin
Director of Foundation Programs
American Institute of Steel Construction
mnookin@aisc.org