Tanmay Vasishta, a graduate research assistant in the Department of Construction Management, represented CSU on a winning team at the national, inaugural Precast Concrete Design competition, organized by the Precast Concrete Institute (PCI) in Louisville, Kentucky, Feb. 27-March 1. Louisville served as the site for PCI’s national convention, drawing concrete professionals from around the world who ultimately served as the voting audience for the competition.

Vasishta, part of a three-member team that included an engineering student and an architecture student, served in the role of construction manager for the competition’s team project. The project was to design, for construction, a Kentucky-themed, four-stall horse barn using precast concrete. The competition rules stipulated that all teams were to complete the given task in a specified time period, then present in front of a judging panel and voting audience of more than 150 professionals in the precast concrete industry.

Citing a recent “boot camp” in precast concrete construction presented by CSU’s Department of Construction Management, Vasishta said he felt prepared, “Thanks to teaching professor Mohammed Mehany, Ph.D., who organized the boot camp class, I was able to apply my knowledge gained from classroom sessions, as well as past experience.”

Vashista said he was proud and honored to get selected out of numerous applicants, compete with participants from all over the United States, and represent his university at the national level. “My team was mentored by Lombard Architectural Precast Products Company, and I am glad to share that we won the ‘People’s Choice Award’ for the Best Team in Competition.”

The experience provided him an opportunity to show his skills, compete at a national level, learn about innovations and new technologies in the field of precast, and meet exhibitors and industrialists from across the nation, Vashista said. “I am grateful to have this opportunity, and I owe special thanks to the Department of Construction Management for supporting me throughout,” he said.

The Department of Construction Management is part of CSU’s College of Health and Human Sciences.