BSCI Faculty Recognized at International Conference

Hosted by the Southern Alberta Institute of Technology’s School of Construction, the conference theme was “Innovation in Construction, built on the foundation of applied education and research.”

Associate Professor Wes Collins received the ASC International Outstanding Researcher Award. The award, given annually to a research faculty member at a four-year ASC member school, recognizes an individual’s research quality, scholarly work dissemination and service to ASC.

Collins’ research focuses on preconstruction, front-end planning and change order analysis and mitigation. He currently serves as the ASC Proceedings Editor and previously received the ASC’s International Outstanding Educator Award in 2022. At the forum, Collins presented a paper on mass timber education with BSCI doctoral candidate Farnaz Jafari, as well as a paper on evaluating software ecosystems in large-scale commercial construction projects with BSCI doctoral candidate Shadi Alathamneh.

A recipient of two ASC awards, Assistant Professor Amna Salman received the Region 2 Teaching Award and International Excellence in Teaching Award. Both awards recognize an individual’s contribution to construction education, teaching excellence, service to ASC and dedication to the construction profession. The ASC Board of Directors selects one of the nine regional winners for the international award.

In 2023, Salman became the first graduate of BSCI’s new doctoral program and currently teaches structure courses to Building Science and Architecture students, in which she employs experimental instruction approaches and projects, rather than a traditional lecture method. At the conference, Salman led a Doctoral Forum Workshop.

BSCI School Head Richard Burt was inducted into the ASC Academy of Fellows, which recognizes ASC member faculty who have attained distinction in construction education or research. As a fellow, Burt can raise and deliberate key issues surrounding construction education and research and make recommendations to the ASC Board of Directors.

Burt previously served as the secretary and a trustee for the American Council for Construction Education and the director of the Associated General Contractors Education & Research Foundation.

In 2024, BSCI hosted the 60^th annual conference in Auburn, welcoming instructors and professionals from around the world to the Plains.