Gourav Patodi gives a recap of the American Concrete Institute (ACI) Young Member Poster Showcase
The ACI Concrete Convention has come and gone but the ideation and best practices shared there will last forever. Brindley Engineering’s Gourav Patodi, PE, Structural Engineer and Team Lead was selected to present an abstract of a project he has worked on to share at the conference as part of the Young Member Poster Showcase, a session geared towards engineers under 35 working in industry.
We sat down with Gourav to see how the conference went and to learn about his top takeaways.
Q: How was the conference?
A: It was a great experience, well organized, with a strong mix of technical sessions and opportunities to connect with others in the industry.
Q: What were your top takeaways?
A: A key takeaway was the industry’s strong focus on durability and extending the service life of concrete structures. There was also a lot of discussion around reinforcing steel, repair strategies, and constructability.
Q: What was the energy like at the conference?
A: The energy was very collaborative. The poster session especially encouraged open discussions with people sharing real-world experiences and asking thoughtful questions.
Q: What were some questions people asked during your talk?
A: Most questions focused on anchorage, particularly how anchor conditions influenced the repair approach. There was also interest in how we considered constructability and applied ACI guidance for shotcrete, fibers, and concrete repair to develop solutions that were both practical and achievable within a tight turnaround schedule.
Q: What advice do you have for aspiring engineers?
A: Get as much field exposure as possible early in your career. Understanding real-world conditions helps you make better engineering decisions and develop practical solutions. Don’t hesitate to ask questions and learn from experienced professionals around you. Also, say yes to opportunities that come your way, as they often lead to valuable learning and growth.
Young Member poster showcase is open to professional industry projects in any area of concrete engineering, contracting, laboratory work, etc.. Young Members are defined as those 35 and younger who are currently working in industry (non-academic). The purpose of the Young Member poster showcase session was to allow Young Members an open forum to present their current and completed projects, to network and discuss with industry experts and peers in related fields.
Want to learn more about the event?
- Read more about the ACI Event here.
- Read Part 1 of our Q&A with Gourav here.
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