- Christopher Ferraro received the Jean-Claude Roumain Innovation in Concrete Award from the American Concrete Institute.
- Ferraro’s research focuses on environmentally responsible construction, including the development of cement using plasma technology.
- The award’s namesake, Jean-Claude Roumain, encouraged Ferraro early in his career.
In what he describes as a major highlight of his career, Christopher Ferraro, Ph.D., has been awarded the 2026 Jean-Claude Roumain Innovation in Concrete Award by the American Concrete Institute (ACI).
Ferraro is specifically honored for advancing concrete innovation through transformative research in sustainable materials.
The award also is special because, Ferraro said, its namesake is a personal hero.
Ferraro is an associate professor of civil engineering and the associate director of the Engineering School of Sustainable Infrastructure & Environment (ESSIE). But a mere two academic titles do not tell the full story.
He’s a materials scientist, a concrete guy, a quintessential tree-hugger, a “beneficial re-use” proponent and the guy most likely to engage in an argument about the best road construction material (concrete vs. asphalt). He’s passionate about finding the most environmentally conscious ways to configure strong, durable and cost-effective concrete for construction.
In the early 2000s, Jean-Claude “JC” Roumain pioneered the idea that environmental impact should be considered in the formulation of Portland cement, one of the most energy-intensive components of concrete. Roumain’s innovations included what the industry now calls beneficial re-use, the addition of waste products into cement and concrete to enhance its cost effectiveness, strength and durability.
Roumain pretty much created Ferraro’s field.
And Ferraro knew Roumain personally. They first met at a small conference in Holmes Beach FL., Ferraro was a humble Ph.D. student, put to work at the conference, “making sure the coffee’s warm,” he said. When he was given the opportunity to weigh in on the discussion at hand, Ferraro caused a bit of a stir.
“I said, ‘This discussion seems to be happening in a bubble, relying on definitions that are not standardized, or broadly accepted’” he remembered saying. One attendee, a European materials scientist, took Ferraro to task in a very public way.
“They were relentless, tearing me up one side and down the other, like a cat playing with a mouse. And I walked out of the room feeling very rejected, my imposter syndrome was at an all time high.” he recalled.
But this dressing down inadvertently changed Ferraro’s life and career.
“JC caught me on the way to the restroom. He stopped me and said, ‘Do not listen to these people who are criticizing you. You are on the right track. Don’t think like them, you are on the right path, keep going!’” Ferraro reminisced. “And it was exactly what I needed in that moment in my career, to get over the imposter syndrome and realize that just because I’m not thinking like some of the foremost experts in our field doesn’t mean I can’t contribute in a meaningful way. So that, to me, makes this award one of those highlights my career, because my name is said in the same breath as JC’s,” Ferraro added.
The ACI award indicates Ferraro’s body of work is continuing in Roumain’s innovative footsteps. Ferraro’s specifically honored for “transformative research in sustainable materials, including developing cement from plasma technology and repurposing waste-to-energy ash for infrastructure applications.”
ACI noted his leadership and patents are “shaping the future of resilient and environmentally responsible construction.”
Ferraro was humbled as Maria Juenger, Ph.D., from the University of Texas at Austin and the former president of ACI, presented the award.
“Dr. Juenger has been a mentor to me for many years and is a true example to all of us. She is the kind of professional who always made time to sit down over a cup of coffee and offer guidance whenever I asked. This was a very special moment,” Ferraro said.
Ferraro and his research group work intensively across all things concrete, from assisting with the forensic analysis of the Surfside condo collapse to evaluating cracking in Florida concrete, from incorporating various forms of ash into concrete to improving the durability of concrete exposed to nuclear radiation.
Many of his innovations have been developed in collaboration with his research partner, Dr. Timothy Townsend, a key collaborator and leader of the Sustainable Materials Management Research Group at the University of Florida. Together, they have published dozens of papers and secured several patents. All with an eye towards sustainability, durability and cost effectiveness.
Jean-Claude Roumain would be proud.