The PCI Foundation is dedicated to ensuring  precast/prestressed concrete design and construction is taught in universities with graduate and undergraduate degrees in 

architecture, engineering and construction management.

 

To support educators, the Foundation offers grants, awards, design competitions, student scholarships, travel grants to attend the annual PCI convention (which is full of events for educators and students) and an annual professor seminar to keep you informed, learn what's new and is an opportunity to meet other professors from universities across the country.  When you are accepted to receive a PCI Curriculum Development Grant, you become part of almost everything we do.

 

At the center of our relationship with educators is the PCI Foundation Curriculum Development Grants, which provide schools with the resources they need to develop new programs, (which we call studios) in coordination with local industry. 

 

Each grant is individual in amount, timing and content.  The only goal is to teach precast while fitting your education model. Here is a link to the history of PCI Foundation Studios.

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You have just one contact from start to finish, Mr. Ray Clark, Executive Director of the PCI Foundation.  You can easily reach Ray at ray.clark@pci-foundation.org.

 

Here is an overview of the PCI Foundation programs and resources for educators - see links:

 

PCI Curriculum Development Grants / Studios: The PCI Foundation has provided grants to 35+ universities to develop new precast/prestressed “studios” based on the curricular needs of the school and the local industry. The Foundation has provided about $1.6 million in funding and educated more than 6000 students about precast design and construction.

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A professor often first starts with our program by attending the PCI Foundation Professors Seminar. The Professors Seminar takes place in May or June of each year and focuses on best practices in precast pedagogy, new developments in precast concrete design, and practical how-to tips. The seminar is free, and the PCI Foundation will also pay for lodging for qualified professors.

PCI Convention

The annual PCI Convention offers many opportunities for professors involved with the PCI Foundation:

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• Travel Grants: Once a school is awarded a PCI Foundation grant, travel grants for the PCI Convention automatically become available, allowing professors and students from the school to attend the PCI Convention each year. The PCI Foundation strongly encourages participation in the convention.

• Poster Sessions: Students and professors are invited to bring a poster with their current or recent work

• Education/Roundtable: Professors are able to share best practices and learn about new trends in precast research and education that they can take back to use in their own educational setting

• Studio Reports: Each grant program reports on his or her program for the year and provides insights into how their curriculum development grant is progressing.

• Student Party: Students have an evening to hang out together from different schools and have some fun at a local club

 

Project Precast - click here to learn more

The PCI Foundation and the Precast/Prestressed Concrete Institute host an innovative design competition called “Project Precast.” The competition is designed for students and recent graduates of PCI Foundation-sponsored education programs, think of this as a cross between the TV shows “Project Runway” and “Shark Tank.”

 

​The goals of this competition? To introduce students to the many uses of precast/prestressed concrete, to interact with students from other majors and to showcase the availability of design assist by the precast industry. And to do the competition in the course of two days during the PCI Convention.

 

At the end of the competition, each team will own its design solution and one team will be the winner of a cash prize of $3000. An audience choice award will also be presented.

 

Student Scholarship

Alan Mattock Scholarship: The Alan Mattock Scholarship is tied to the Jenny Fellowship Application. One $4,000 graduate scholarship in memory of Dr. Alan Mattock may be awarded each year. The student will be selected from the group of fellowship awardees to enhance the benefit provided with the fellowship. Students interested in this award must provide additional information as outlined in the attached scholarship rules document.

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Alan Mattock was a professor at the University of Washington and was a driving force in the precast/prestressed concrete industry, particularly in the area of research. He was an active participant in the PCI Research and Development committee. Mattock retired in 1990 after a career filled with awards, high-profile committee work, and many published papers. He passed away on June 6, 2014. After his death, some of his contemporaries and others who worked with him on PCI projects over the years felt that a memorial scholarship that recognized scholars interested in research would be appropriate in his name.

 

PCI Foundation Awards

 

Partner of the Year: The success of every PCI Foundation program is grounded in the dedication and support by local precast industry partners working in collaboration with engaged universities. The PCI Foundation Partner of the Year Award recognizes an individual who has shown exemplary leadership by facilitating experiential learning opportunities for students, who has built a relationship with a university, its professors and students by virtue of his or her work, and who serves as a model to other partners in the benefits of collaboration.

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To be eligible for this award, the precast industry partner must have worked with one or more universities during the previous academic year and must have facilitated programs with students in PCI Foundation-funded or previously funded programs - either on or off campus. For this award, the successful partner should have displayed significant effort, made a meaningful contribution, and have supported students and professors.

 

Community Engagement Award: Some of the most successful university programs that use a PCI Foundation grant include an element of Community Engagement - either by bringing a student project into the community or bringing the community into the school for further educational opportunities.

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To be eligible for this award, the professor or professors must have worked with one or more community or constituent groups during the previous school year to provide community engagement opportunities for students.