In collaboration with the Concrete Industry Management (CIM) Program, CarbonCure Technologies is thrilled to announce the recipients of its 2025-2026 Sustainability in Concrete Scholarship. Now in its fourth year, the scholarship continues to support outstanding student leaders who are motivated to advance sustainability in the industry.
This year’s recipients are:
- Evan Almeida of Texas State University,
- Kate Connor of South Dakota State University,
- Brandon Cruz Campero of Middle Tennessee State University,
- Fiona Higham of the University of Toronto,
- Iyanna Lloyd of the New Jersey Institute of Technology, and
- Mario Melo of California State University, Chico.
Chosen for their forward-thinking ideas and passion for concrete innovation, this 2026 cohort includes five U.S. undergraduate students and one Canadian undergrad. Each has been awarded a $2,000 scholarship. While the program was previously limited to CIM students only, this marks the first year the scholarship has also been awarded to a student from Canada, reflecting CarbonCure’s roots and HQ in Halifax, Nova Scotia and growing cross-border momentum behind lower-carbon concrete solutions across North America.
Through their concrete-focused coursework and industry experiences, each scholarship application highlighted practical, scalable solutions to reduce embodied carbon without compromising performance. Key themes included mix optimization, expanded use of supplementary cementitious materials, lifecycle analysis, carbon mineralization technologies like CarbonCure and durability-focused design that ensures long-term resilience in the field.
Meet the Next Generation of Concrete Leaders
Fiona Higham, our first Canadian scholar, is a third year Applied Science in Civil Engineering student pursuing a minor in Environmental Engineering at the University of Toronto. She aspires to work in transportation engineering or construction, applying sustainable, low-carbon practices in infrastructure projects. In her submission, she reflected on the industry’s potential for progress: “I believe the concrete industry innovations to reduce emissions can serve as an example to the other industries as well.”
Having grown up in Oakville, Ontario, Fiona has seen firsthand how essential concrete infrastructure is to growing communities. She emphasized that emissions can be reduced “through the use of supplementary cementitious materials (SCMs) and the widespread use of carbon capture technology.” Drawing from her experience leading the University of Toronto Concrete Canoe Team, Fiona shared how “small tweaks and optimization of the SCMs in our mix allowed us to completely eliminate the use of Portland Cement, effectively reducing emissions,” adding that similar adjustments at scale could meaningfully move the needle.
Growing up around job sites in Gilroy, CA, CSU Chico student Mario Melo is a double major in Concrete Industry Management and Construction Management, expected to graduate in 2028. Raised working alongside his dad and grandfather in the concrete industry, he grounded his essay in that firsthand family experience, writing that “concrete has been part of my life long before I understood its environmental impact.” While Mario acknowledged the carbon footprint of its key ingredient, cement, he made his position clear: “I do not see concrete as something that can simply be replaced. I see it as a material that must evolve.”
Mario emphasized that sustainability must work in the field, not just on paper: “Sustainable solutions only succeed when they can be implemented without disrupting schedules, safety or quality.” He expressed his goal to help make lower-carbon practices routine: “My goal is to work in the concrete industry and help normalize low-carbon technologies so they become standard, not optional.”
Originally from Shelbyville, Tennessee, Brandon Cruz Campero at MTSU is pursuing a degree in Concrete Management with a focus in Sales, Services and Production, along with a minor in Business Administration; he expects to graduate in 2027. In his submission, he positioned the concrete industry as a catalyst for broader change, writing that “being the first cog in a much larger machine to reduce emissions could help trigger a cultural and operational shift across construction.” He acknowledged how adoption will not be immediate, noting that construction is often slow to embrace new technologies due to a mindset of “if it’s not broken, don’t fix it.”
Brandon drew from his time interning with the innovative research and development team at Ozinga, a longtime CarbonCure producer partner, where he saw sustainability integrated into day-to-day operations. Exposure to Ozinga’s commitment to innovation and its pursuit of net zero emissions reinforced his belief that lower carbon concrete solutions must work in real production environments, not just in theory. He described carbon mineralization innovations as “a significant leap in the right direction for sustainability within the industry,” but emphasized that meaningful change will require education, collaboration and persistence.
Iyanna Lloyd from NJIT, who grew up in Paterson, New Jersey, is pursuing a degree in Concrete Industry Management and Business. She expects to graduate in Spring 2027. In her essay, titled “The Concrete Shield,” Fiona argued that concrete can evolve “from a passive building material into an active environmental shield.” She wrote that sustainability means “meeting the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet theirs,” and emphasized that mitigation and adaptation must go hand-in-hand.
“Buildings and bridges could eventually function as long-term carbon-storage systems rather than merely sources of emissions,” she explained. She also highlighted concrete’s role in climate adaptation, including systems to reduce flooding, thermal mass to mitigate urban heat, and durable, non-combustible design for wildfire resilience. She underscored the importance of economic feasibility. She wrote, “If sustainable concrete technologies remain uncompetitive on paper, they will rarely make it into final designs.” For Iyanna, sustainability begins in planning, estimating and responsible decision-making.
In her submission, Kate Connor at SDSU, who grew up in Winfred, South Dakota, examined concrete’s environmental footprint across production phases, from raw material extraction through manufacturing, emphasizing that “cement production alone accounts for a large share” of global emissions. Kate is currently pursuing a degree in Concrete Industry Management with a minor in Management at SDSU, expected to graduate in December 2026.
Kate argued that elimination is not the solution: “The challenge… is to rethink how we produce and use concrete.” She highlighted SCMs, low-carbon transportation strategies and optimized plant practices as meaningful pathways forward. Rooted in her upbringing on a South Dakota farm, she reflected, “Sustainability is not only a technical concept but also emotional,” connecting industry innovation to generational stewardship. She concluded that by “combining innovation with a commitment to humanity and the environment,” concrete can support “a more resilient and low-carbon future.”
TSU undergrad Evan Almeida, originally from Poynor, Texas, is pursuing a degree in Concrete Industry Management and expects to graduate in May 2027. In his essay, he acknowledged the scale of the challenge while emphasizing practical optimism: “Because concrete is the most commonly used construction material in the world, even small improvements in how it is made and used can have a large positive impact on the environment.”
Evan highlighted the role of supplementary cementitious materials and alternative binders, noting that these approaches can “reduce the overall carbon footprint of concrete while often improving durability and long-term performance.” He also pointed to durability as a sustainability advantage, writing that “well-designed concrete structures can last for decades or even centuries with minimal maintenance.” For Evan, progress depends on collaboration and balanced leadership, writing that sustainability requires “balancing cost, performance and environmental impact” on every project.
Strengthening the Industry through Rising Leaders
The Concrete Industry Management Program continues to play a vital role in developing technically-skilled, business-minded leaders for the concrete industry. Its focus on production, operations, sales and management prepares students to launch concrete careers and implement sustainable practices in real-world environments. CarbonCure’s producer partners frequently recruit CIM graduates, and multiple CarbonCure team members are CIM program alumni.
“Reducing embodied carbon in concrete requires practical innovation, thoughtful leadership and industry-wide collaboration. It’s clear these six students will play important roles in the industry’s future,” said Rhett Dunlap, chair of CarbonCure’s 2026 scholarship selection committee and a MTSU CIM program alum.
The full selection committee included nine CarbonCure employees:
- Ahmad Ahmad - Technical Services Specialist
- Ian Bacich - Technical Services Specialist
- Collin Bender - Director of Global Technical Services
- Kelsey Boyd - Sr. Director of People & Culture
- Mike Carter-Conneen - Sr. Director of External Affairs
- Rhett Dunlap - Commercial Manager, CIM alum
- Hannah LeBlanc - Electromechanical Production & Quality Manager
- Brady Miller - Manager of Technical Services, North America
- Erik Wallin - Commercial Manager, CIM alum
“CarbonCure is proud to invest in the future of lower-carbon construction, supporting top students who are already assessing how to scale innovation, improve mix designs, production processes and lifecycle performance,” said interim CarbonCure CEO, Kristal Kaye. “We congratulate the 2026 class of CarbonCure scholars and look forward to the impact they will make in advancing a sustainable, stronger and more resilient concrete industry.”
Interested in working at CarbonCure? Visit our Careers page to explore open roles and learn about our mission and culture.
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