A concept that would use structural steel to reinvent the gas station experience for the EV age has won AISC’s 2023 Forge Prize.

LVL (Level) Studio collaborators Jeffrey Lee, Christopher Taurasi, and Lexi White won the $10,000 grand prize in a YouTube live stream Thursday afternoon. They worked with Schuff Steel Senior Vice President Christian Crosby to refine their Electric Oasis vision and make the process of bringing it to life in steel more efficient.

The project team will give an encore presentation at Architecture in Steel at NASCC: The Steel Conference in Charlotte, N.C. at 11:30 a.m. on Wednesday, April 12.

The AISC Education Foundation is pleased to announce that Cristopher Montalvo will receive the first-ever Reidar Bjorhovde Outstanding Young Professional Award.

Montalvo is a structural engineer for Dekker Perich Sabatini (DPS)--and he's already well on his way to forging connections to industry and education for his local community in New Mexico!

"Cristopher is just the type of remarkable leader the AISC Education Foundation aims to support through its programs," said AISC Director of Foundation Programs Maria Mnookin. "We are thrilled to have the opportunity to connect Cristopher to our activities, resources, and networks for future career development and mentorship opportunities."

The new bipartisan Infrastructure Investment & Jobs Act (IIJA) is expected to increase infrastructure investment by nearly 40% – and this year’s NASCC: The Steel Conference keynoter will tell us what the Federal Highway Administration's (FHWA) priorities are and how this public/private partnership will deliver a once-in-a-lifetime generational investment to meet our infrastructure needs today and in the future.

FHWA Administrator Shailen Bhatt will also provide valuable insights into the FHWA’s ongoing research and technology programs.

“This is a great opportunity to hear first-hand about the impact the IIJA will have on the steel design and construction industry,” said Charles J. Carter, SE, PE, PhD, president of AISC. “Shailen Bhatt is a dynamic speaker with a lot of keen insight, and I look forward to hearing what he has to say.”

A new report by the National Center for Construction Education & Research (NCCER) highlights strategies for increasing participation and expediting the success of women in the trades to improve project outcomes.

To tell a fuller story beyond the existing research on women in the construction industry, typically centered around numbers and statistics, the NCCER interviewed 176 tradeswomen and analyzed 770 responses to a survey directed to women in the industry. By asking women about their experiences working in construction, the NCCER focused on the unique benefits women bring to the construction industry, the obstacles they encounter entering and staying in the industry, and their advice on what contractors can do to recruit and retain more women in the craft workforce.