American institute of steel construction teaching faculty award

AISC Launches New Award Celebrating Exceptional Educators

Topics: News

Great professionals start in the classrooms of great teachers. And nowhere is that more true than in AEC, where the most outstanding educators must blend technical knowledge with inspiration.

The American Institute of Steel Construction and the AISC Education Foundation’s newest award is designed specifically to recognize the best AEC faculty out there–the ones who give their students a huge boost in understanding structural steel as a sustainable, economic, and resilient building material.

“You could approach just about anyone in our industry, and they’d be able to tell you about that one teacher who gave them the foundation they needed to do what they’re doing now,” said AISC Senior Director of Education Christina Harber, SE, PE. “There is no substitute for the impact of an extraordinary educator.”

The Teaching Faculty Award honors a faculty member whose primary responsibility at the university is teaching structural steel design and/or a materials course that features steel as part of a civil engineering, architectural engineering, architecture, construction engineering, or construction management curriculum.

The recipient will receive an honorarium of $2,500 and reimbursement of travel expenses to attend NASCC: The Steel Conference, where they’ll also be recognized during the opening session. Nominations are due September 15.

Applications must include a nomination letter, a brief biography, and a teaching portfolio. More information about the nomination process is available here.

Related Resources: Events

Free Webinar: Designing Stream Crossings to Improve Fish Passage and Flood Resiliency (April 23)

Join SSSBA member Contech Engineered Solutions for a webinar on Aquatic Organism Passage (AOP) and stream simulation design. Learn how properly sized bridges and culverts improve fish passage, strengthen flood resilience, and support long-term infrastructure performance.

Attend the AISI Corrosion Advisory Group Meeting (April 17)

Join technical experts at the AISI Corrosion Advisory Group (CAG) meeting in Lancaster, Pennsylvania, to review recent developments in steel corrosion research, protective coatings and structural durability practices. The day includes a tour of High Steel Structures and a hybrid meeting session – attend in person or virtually – to share insights, discuss emerging technologies and collaborate with industry peers on practical corrosion mitigation strategies.

Free Webinar - Galvanize It! Duplex Systems: Coating Galvanized Steel (March 26)

Free Webinar – Galvanize It! Duplex Systems: Coating Galvanized Steel (March 26)

The American Galvanizers Association invites you to attend a free, one-hour webinar on hot-dip galvanized steel and the synergistic benefits of combining galvanizing with paint or powder coatings.

SSSBA to Present at 2026 Purdue Road School in West Lafayette, Indiana (March 17)

SSSBA to Present at 2026 Purdue Road School in West Lafayette, IN (March 17)

Join the SSSBA at the 2026 Purdue Road School on March 17 (11:00–11:50 AM) to explore free tools for designing short span steel bridges. Hear a contractor’s perspective on simplifying construction, improving efficiency, and reducing costs.

Free Virtual Steel Bridge Plate Girder Design 6-Part Live Lectures Series (Starts Sept. 29)

Free Steel Bridge Plate Girder Design Course: 6-Part Live Webinar Series (Starts Feb. 24)

Take your bridge design skills to the next level in this free six-part webinar series led by Dr. Michael Barker, University of Wyoming. Learn step-by-step how to design a composite plate girder bridge and earn a certificate of completion in this course from the SSSBA.

SSSBA Steel Playbook Webinar Series

Free 4-Part Quarterly Webinar Series: Steel Bridge Playbook (Next Webinar May 7)

This free, four-part quarterly webinar series delivers expert insights on steel bridge design, preservation, and innovation. Explore essential design resources, corrosion protection through galvanizing, accelerated construction methods, and real-world case studies to gain practical guidance for every steel bridge project. Sponsored by SSSBA and AGA.