The Ƶ Education and Research Foundation directly responded to needs identified by Ƶ members and our partners at the Associated Schools of Construction (ASC) and American Council for Construction Education (ACCE). The Robert L. Bowen Industry Residency Fund and the Klinger Case Study Fund provide construction faculty nationwide with the resources necessary to support tomorrow's constructors in the classroom.
: Industry residencies are created through partnerships between an educational institution, an Ƶ contractor, and the Ƶ Education and Research Foundation. In total, 53 industry residents have been sponsored by the foundation since 2011.
Ƶ Education and Research Foundation congratulates the 2024 class of industry residents:
- Zofia Rybkowski, Texas A&M University/DPR Construction
- Abdulaziz Banawi, University of Cincinnati/ Danis Construction
- Tulio Sulbaran, The University of Texas at San Antonio/ Bartlett Cocke General Contractors
- Brian Old, California State University, Chico/McCarthy Building Companies
Each educator spends several weeks on site with a construction company with the intent of gaining field experience to bring back to their students. All educators are supported equally by the Ƶ Education and Research Foundation, their host Ƶ member company, and their institution. Applications for the Industry Residency opportunity in the summer of 2025 has opened and be accepted until December 1, 2024.
On application, the faculty member must: identify the specific skills and knowledge to be gained during the residency; identify an Ƶ construction firm or affiliated organization that has agreed to provide the requested professional work experience and financial support; and obtain support from the faculty member's institution. The selected faculty member(s) will document the residency experience in a post-residency report describing the experiences, learning outcomes and the value the residency will bring to his/her classroom.
Participating in this program is an investment in the future of the construction industry, providing valuable current professional experience that can be shared in the classroom. Professional residencies also benefit the host company by providing quality help on projects and if desired, feedback on management processes.
Industry Case Studies: The Ƶ Education and Research Foundation is committed to the growth, development, and encouragement of field research initiatives to enhance the education of construction management students. In support of this vision, the Ƶ Foundation commissions case studies that will provide today's construction management students the tools to build the industry's future. Cases written by faculty-contractor teams are based on actual experience and provide students with the opportunity to work through issues in a classroom setting.
Case Studies published by the foundation are available in as free downloads to industry trainers and faculty members. We welcome your feedback, especially regarding your experience using the studies and your students’ response to them.
The Ƶ Education and Research Foundation Case Study Task Force has also developed a white paper, “Implementing Ƶ Foundation Case Studies into Construction Education” and which provides information about how to effectively use case studies to engage construction students in the classroom, including best practices that have proven successful.
“Having a college professor onboard working on real-life issues will benefit his course instruction, which will hopefully trickle down in the caliber of student the university produces and Blach ultimately hires.”
Brad Fannin, project manager at Blach
