FAYETTEVILLE -- Frances Griffith, associate director of the Center for Training Transportation Professionals at the University of Arkansas, and Micah Hale, professor of civil engineering, have been named Fellows of the American Concrete Institute. The announcement was made following the institute's convention in Phoenix in October, where Griffith also received the Certification Award.

Griffith has been involved with the institute for ten years, starting when she was a civil engineering student at the University of Arkansas. At the Center for Training Transportation Professionals, Griffith administers certification classes and certifies employees of the Arkansas Highway and Transportation Department and contractor personnel to work with concrete and other transportation materials and processes.

Griffith's experience with certification has allowed her to make valuable contributions to the American Concrete Institute and the University of Arkansas through her service on certification program committees.  For the last 15 years she has coordinated Concrete Field Testing certification programs for students in the civil engineering department, enabling these students to develop skills for future research and employment opportunities. She is the first woman to chair a certification committee and receive the institute's Certification Award.

Hale has been a member of ACI for 11 years, and has served on several technical committees. As part of the institute, Hale has contributed to standards for high strength concrete and pre-stress concrete.

Hale explained that his service activities with ACI contributes to both his teaching and research at the university. Being involved with an organization that writes building code and commentary helps him remain current with the latest developments in these areas, so he can pass them along to his students. This involvement, along with links to industry, help him stay on top of the curve and focus his research on the most relevant areas in the field.

"We are thrilled that both Micah and Frances have received this recognition, which was very well earned," said Kevin Hall, head of the department of civil engineering. "It is a real advantage to our students and the external folks we serve that we have two dedicated professionals that provide both state-of-the-art and state-of-the-practice information relevant to the concrete industry".