{KXLG – Brookings, SD} South Dakota State University Sophomore Jakob Burckhard has received a scholarship of 2,000 US dollars for its innovative ideas for the promotion of sustainable practices within the specific industry. Burckhard, a major from the concrete industry from Brookings, was recognized by Carboncure, a Carbon Solutions technology company that serves the concrete industry.
Carboncure chose Burckhard as one of five essay winners. According to Tim Hostettler, director of the SDSU Concrete Industry Management program, his winner focused on sustainable development in concrete and impressed the Carboncure selection body.
Hostettler said: “Carboncure is one of the industry leaders in the sustainable concrete movement. Jakob's enthusiasm for sustainable development using concrete requirements is with you. He wrote an excellent essay on this topic, which was recognized by the Carboncure panel among the dozens of other essays, which they received as one of the best, one of the best. “
Hostettler also noticed the success of the program and stated that Burckhard is the second student of the concrete industry of the SDSU industry, who received this honor after winning alumna Emma Roth 2024 in 2023 and 2024.
In his award-winning essay, Burckhard outlined his interest in researching and implementing new sources for complementary cement materials that go beyond the current trust of the industry in Flugasche, Schlacke and Silica rush. He wrote: “I would like to help find new sources for complementary cement -like materials (currently mainly flight ash, slag and silica) and to find the best ways to use them in the concrete industry. This would be a continuation of some work that I do in my advanced concrete material course this semester. “
Burckhard detailed his course work in the development with low -carbon concrete mixtures and to create environmental products. He found his enjoyment in laboratory work: “In this course we are currently learning how to develop carbon mixtures with low -carbon and how to write environmental products to go with them. This is something that I found quite pleasant. I look forward to spending time in the laboratory and creating and testing mix designs, and try to optimize the design a little to achieve better results. “
Burckhard also emphasized the inherent sustainability of concrete structures due to their resistance, their low maintenance requirements and their long lifespan. He came to the conclusion: “I don't know about a perfect building material, but I know that concrete is closest to be exactly that.”
The SDSU Concrete Industry Management program was set up with the support of the National Steering Committee of the specific industrial management and its north -wire regions. SDSU is the fifth US university that offers this program, and the first in the 12-state region in the Upper Midwest in the Midwest. These groups offer SDSU 1.5 million US dollars for supporting the course. The program's first graduate was expected in May 2024 with the following graduates in December 2024 and another expected in May 2025.