The ABC-UTC and the American Concrete Institute (ACI) Student Chapter at Florida International University hosted two outreach programs prior to lockdown and used the opportunity to engage with student organizations.

• Demonstration tables at FIU’s Engineering Expo (2/21/20): During the engineering expo, more than 1,000 students from K-12 colleges in Miami Dade and Broward visited the FIU Engineering Center to engage with student organizations. Members from the American Concrete Institute (ACI) – Student Chapter at FIU taught kids and teenagers how concrete is made (construction process and materials) and what they can build with it like bridges, buildings, and other structural components. They also demonstrated how a cable-stayed bridge works by explaining the forces of tension and compression.
• Miami-Dade Public Library System’s STEAMFest (2/22/20): Members of the ACI were invited by the Miami-Dade Public Library System to participate in their annual STEAMFest, where the main topic was about exploring the world of science and technology. Different groups and organizations were invited to exhibit their projects like drones, Raspberry Pi, art projects made with recycled materials, and other STEAM demos. Members from ACI were part of the “STEAM demos” group representing the ABC-UTC. They showed the different components of a typical precast highway bridge using 3D printed elements. They also showed how a cable-stayed bridge works by explaining the forces of tension and compression, illustrating the deformations measured by two sensors located in different parts of the bridge while a cart with a weight rolled through the bridge deck.

For more information on these events please email us at abc@fiu.edu.