ASPHALT INSTITUTE FOUNDATION INC

STRATEGIC ASPHALT RESEARCH (STAR) SYMPOSIUM - THE STRATEGIC ASPHALT RESEARCH (STAR) SYMPOSIUM AIMS TO IDENTIFY LONG-TERM STRATEGIC RESEARCH AND INNOVATION THAT WILL BE NEEDED TO ENSURE A ROBUST ASPHALT INDUSTRY FOR GENERATIONS TO COME. EVENTS HELD IN 2017 AND 2022 ASSEMBLED A DIVERSE GROUP OF INDIVIDUALS TO PARTICIPATE IN THE SYMPOSIUM THAT ALLOWED DISCUSSION AND IDEA SHARING AROUND TOPICS SUCH AS: HUMAN NEEDS/WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT, ENVIRONMENTAL SUSTAINABILITY, PERFORMANCE/DURABILITY, AND ECONOMICS/INFRASTRUCTURE POLICY AND FUNDING. IDEAS GENERATED WERE PRIORITIZED INTO GOALS AND STRATEGIES LEADING TO THE CREATION OF SYMPOSIUM REPORTS THAT SEEK TO IDENTIFY AND BUILD SOLUTIONS FOR THE BETTERMENT OF THE ASPHALT BINDER INDUSTRY'S FUTURE. THE INFORMATION CONTAINED IN THESE REPORTS SERVES AS A CATALYST TO IDENTIFY FUTURE RESEARCH NEEDS AND PROJECTS.FRED M. FEHSENFELD, SR. CATALYST FOR CHANGE INITIATIVE FUND - THIS FUND PROMOTES THE DEVELOPMENT OF INITIATIVE COMPATIBLE RESEARCH NEEDS STATEMENTS. THE FUND SUPPORTS AND PROMOTES INNOVATION IN THE ASPHALT INDUSTRY INCLUDING PUBLIC PROCUREMENT METHODOLOGY, TRANSPORTATION SYSTEM DESIGNS FEATURING ASPHALT PAVEMENTS, TESTING METHODOLOGY ENABLING PERFORMANCE PREDICTION OF ASPHALT BINDERS AND MIXTURES AND RESEARCH ON THE HUMAN HEALTH EFFECTS FROM EXPOSURE TO ASPHALT PRODUCTS AND MIXTURES.ERGON FOUNDATION, INC. FUND - THIS FUND SUPPORTS RESEARCH AGENDAS, TOPICS AND NEEDS STATEMENTS THAT ARE CONSISTENT WITH THE ERGON FOUNDATION'S INTEREST AND VISION TO ADVANCE THE LIQUID ASPHALT BINDER INDUSTRY. SUSTAINABILITY RESEARCH FUND - THIS FUND SUPPORTS RESEARCH FOCUSED ON A PRAGMATIC UNDERSTANDING OF MARKETS, VELOCITY OF CHANGE AND THE REALITIES OF AN ASPHALT BINDER TRANSITION TO A NET-ZERO CARBON FUTURE AS THE US DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION SEEKS AN ECONOMY WIDE NET-ZERO TRANSITION BY THE YEAR 2050. THE FUND SUPPORTS RESEARCH TO HELP UNDERSTAND THESE IMPORTANT DYNAMICS AND THEIR IMPACTS ON THE FUTURE USE OF ASPHALT AS A CONSTRUCTION MATERIAL. IT WILL ALSO HELP ENSURE FULL UNDERSTANDING OF THE BENEFITS OF A FULLY RECYCLABLE PAVING SYSTEM WHEN USING ASPHALT BINDERS. THE RESEARCH IS INTENDED TO BE A MAJOR AID IN THE SUSTAINABILITY EDUCATION OF POLICY MAKERS, AGENCIES, AND CUSTOMERS AT ALL LEVELS. STRATEGIC RESEARCH PROGRAM - THIS PROGRAM, GUIDED BY THE AIF RESEARCH COMMITTEE, FOCUSES ON FULFILLING RESEARCH NEEDS STATEMENTS AND PROPOSALS THAT FOCUS ON PERTINENT ISSUES IDENTIFIED BY TECHNICAL INDUSTRY EXPERTS. OUTSIDE DONORS MAY FUND RESEARCH PROJECTS MANAGED BY THE AI FOUNDATION. RESEARCH IS CONDUCTED BY QUALIFIED RESEARCH FACILITIES WITH WORK AND PROJECT MILESTONES MONITORED BY THE AIF RESEARCH COMMITTEE. FINAL REPORTS OF RESEARCH FINDINGS ARE PUBLISHED UNDER THE AI FOUNDATION'S NAME AND AVAILABLE TO THE PUBLIC.