August 6, 2003

NC State Engineering Supports Summer Seminars in Ecuador

Faculty members from the Department of Civil, Construction, and Environmental Engineering at North Carolina State University participated this summer in a series of seminars for construction engineers in Ecuador. Held June 3 though 13, the seminars were attended by 450 engineers from 11 universities, 2 trade organization,3 private industries and 10 city governments. NC State faculty members Dr. Sami H. Rizkalla, Distinguished Professor of Civil, Construction, and Environmental Engineering and director of the Constructed Facilities Laboratory at NC State; Roberto A. Nuñez, lecturer and senior construction extension specialist; and Dr. Michael L. Leming, associate professor of civil, construction, and environmental engineering, taught the courses, which included topics on concrete techniques, evaluation and quality control. All of the seminars focused on state-of-the-practice concrete technologies, such as the use of fiber-reinforced polymers, nondestructive testing and concrete construction quality control and assurance.

An internationalization seed grant — which worked well to generate several times its amount in funding — from NC State was used to institute the program.

The seminars stimulated interest in NC State among Ecuadorian students, and a cooperative agreement was developed between NC State and the Universidad Técnica Particular de Loja for future continuing education activities in construction engineering.

— rudd —

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