Short Span Steel Bridges 
Ronnie Medlock Selected to Receive 2025 T.R. Higgins Lectureship Award
The American Institute of Steel Construction announced Ronnie Medlock, PE, of High Steel Structures, LLC, has been selected to receive the American Institute of Steel Construction’s 2025 T.R. Higgins Lectureship Award for his contributions to the Federal Highway Administration’s Bridge Welding Reference Manual.
An ‘Icon’ in Steel Bridge Fabrication and Construction
“Simply put, Ronnie Medlock is an icon within the bridge fabrication and construction world, and the impact of his contributions to the standards that guide the industry cannot be overstated. Ronnie Medlock has changed the way bridges are fabricated and constructed in the U.S.,” said AISC Vice President of Engineering and Research Christopher H. Raebel, SE, PE, PhD.
“Ronnie Medlock is without a doubt the face of steel bridge fabrication, period,” wrote Purdue University Jack and Kay Hockema Professor in Civil Engineering and Director of CAI and S-BRITE Robert J. Connor, PE, PhD. Connor underscored Medlock’s crucial role in developing first the Texas Steel Quality Council (an interdisciplinary group that became the model collaborative innovation) and then what is now the AASHTO/NSBA Steel Bridge Collaboration. “It is not an overstatement to say that the documents he has led the development of and/or shepherded through publication touch every aspect of steel bridge design, fabrication, and erection.
Medlock to Deliver Final Keynote at 2025 NASCC: The Steel Conference
Medlock will give the final keynote address at the 2025 NASCC: The Steel Conference, where he will also receive the $15,000 honorarium. He will present his work on request throughout the country over the course of the year, as well.
AISC would like to thank the members of the 2025 T.R. Higgins Lectureship Award jury:
- Jordan Jarrett, Colorado State University
- Mike Kempfert, CSD Structural Engineers
- Brett Manning, Schuff Steel Company
- Jason McCormick, University of Michigan
- Thomas Murphy, Modjeski & Masters, Inc.
- Brian Volpe, Cives Steel Company
About Ronnie Medlock
Ronnie Medlock is vice president of technical services at High Steel Structures LLC in Lancaster, Pa. He is responsible for quality control and for fabrication and inspection technology advancements at High Steel, which produces fabricated steel for steel railroad bridges and other types of steel bridges.
Prior to joining High Steel in 2006, Ronnie worked for TxDOT, starting in 1988. Originally from El Paso, Texas, Medlock is a licensed professional engineer in Texas, and earned bachelor’s and master’s degrees from the University of Texas at Austin. He received an AISC Lifetime Achievement Award in 2020.
About the T.R. Higgins Lectureship Award
AISC’s T.R. Higgins Lectureship Award recognizes an outstanding lecturer and author whose technical paper or papers, published during the eligibility period, are considered an outstanding contribution to the engineering literature on fabricated structural steel.
The award is named for Theodore R. Higgins, former AISC Director of Engineering and Research, who was widely acclaimed for his many contributions to the advancement of engineering technology related to fabricated structural steel. The award honors Higgins for his innovative engineering, timely technical papers, and distinguished lectures.
Medlock Winner of the Richard S. Fountain Award
Ronnie Medlock received the Steel Bridge Task Force Richard S. Fountain Award.
In 2013, Ronnie Medlock was the recipient of the Steel Bridge Task Force Richard S. Fountain Award.
Named for the founder of the Steel Bridge Task Force, the Richard S. Fountain Award was established in 2001 to recognize leadership in steel bridge research and outstanding efforts to advance AASHTO specifications.
Does the SSSBA offer educational opportunities?
Yes! The SSSBA offers educational opportunities to students and professionals:
Professionals: The SSSBA provides complimentary half-day or full-day workshops on short span steel bridge design to states, counties, and design firms. Topics covered include practical and cost-effective steel bridge design and fabrication with eSPAN140, press-brake-formed steel tub girders, steel buried bridge design, galvanized coating solutions, and economical design with case studies, and more. The workshops can take place virtually or in-person, compliments of the steel industry. Learn more.
Students: The University of Wyoming and the Short Span Steel Bridge Alliance created a free 6-part live-lecture educational series to cover the many aspects of designing, fabricating, and constructing steel bridges. All students who successfully complete the education series will receive a Certificate of Completion from the University of Wyoming. Learn more.
Speakers: The SSSBA provides expert speakers to present topics of interest on the cost-effective design and construction of short span steel bridges. If you need a speaker for your next event, contact the SSSBA.
Events
SSSBA to Present on Accelerated Steel Bridge Design at Mid Atlantic Quality Assurance Workshop (Feb. 9-11)
The SSSBA will participate in the 2026 Mid-Atlantic Quality Assurance Workshop in Hershey, Pennsylvania. Don’t miss Dr. Michael Barker’s presentation on Feb. 10, 3:00–3:40 p.m. ET, highlighting practical approaches for cost-efficient, accelerated short span steel bridges.
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State DOT Leaders Share Perspectives on Reauthorization at TRB
A roundtable at the 2026 Transportation Research Board Annual Meeting highlighted state DOT priorities for reauthorization, including formula funding, safety, and faster project delivery.
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Help Provide an Amazing Competition for Student Bridge Engineers!
AISC/NSBA is seeking volunteers to support the Student Steel Bridge Competition, helping teams from more than 200 colleges and universities—no experience required.