The American Galvanizers Association (AGA) is pleased to announce the winners of the 2022 Galvanize the Future: A Richard L. Brooks Memorial Scholarship essay contest. Two students were selected from applicants enrolled in architecture, construction, or engineering programs in colleges throughout North America.

Yuqi Shao is currently working on his Bachelor's Degree in Architecture from the Illinois Institute of Technology. In his essay, Yuqi developed a composite marketing and advertising plan for varying age groups. The concept of this marketing plan is to share the benefits of HDG from a student's perspective in an efficient, engaging and fun way to create a positive and long-term impact on students from K-12 and college.

LeiLei Zhao is currently working on his Architectural Studies Degree with a major in Engineering from the University of Waterloo. LeiLei reviewed the 2021 ASCE's dedicated report card for America's Infrastructure and visited the SoFi Stadium in Los Angeles to visually inspect the project, take photos, and write a report on its overall condition, its impact on the local community and how hot-dip galvanized steel will protect the project from corrosion over its life. He also discussed how additional funding from a new government Infrastructure Bill could be used to galvanize more steel that will help protect our nation’s infrastructure for generations to come.

The current and past scholarship winners can be viewed on the AGA’s website. The AGA’s scholarship program is named in honor of the late Richard Brooks of Duncan Galvanizing in Boston, MA. Brooks was a great advocate in the galvanizing industry and integral to shaping the AGA into the organization it is today.

The 2023 Galvanize the Future: A Richard L. Brooks Memorial Scholarship, will award two $2,500 prizes. The scholarship is open to any college students majoring in architecture, civil engineering or structural engineering, construction management, material science or other approved engineering fields. The student can be full or part time, and enrolled in either an undergraduate or graduate degree program at any four year university in North America. For more information on the scholarship or to apply, please visit galvanizeit.org/scholarship.