The Utah Asphalt Pavement Association (UAPA) is proud to support Utah’s students, from high school to college, who are shaping the future of our state’s infrastructure. Through hands-on research, creative problem-solving and collaboration, these scholarships help students connect classroom learning with real-world innovation in the asphalt pavement industry.
Recipients of individual, college team, and high school team scholarships had the opportunity to present their research projects to audiences of industry professionals at UAPA’s Fall Conference in St. George and the Asphalt Summit in Vernal, both held this past November.
Scholarship Presentation Spotlights
Garrett D. Horton and Reeana B. Morrey, University of Utah Eastern
Self-Healing Asphalt Through Conductive Heating
Garrett is enrolled in the Engineering, Drafting and Design Technology program at Utah State University Eastern while also working for Jones and DeMille Engineering, where he applies his education to support infrastructure and engineering projects.
Reena, a third-year student at USU Eastern, is currently pursuing a certificate in Engineering and Technical Drafting and plans to pursue a Bachelor of Architecture.
Their project examined the concept of self-healing asphalt using conductive heating. By incorporating metallic fibers into asphalt mixtures and applying eddy current heating, microcracks can be reheated and repaired, potentially extending pavement life and reducing maintenance needs.
Mason Young and Rhyder Ambrose, Southern Utah University
Thermal Admixture in Asphalt
Mason Young is a senior at Southern Utah University studying civil engineering. His professional interests include transportation and construction engineering, and he enjoys spending time outdoors.
Rhyder, also a senior, is studying construction engineering. He plans to join the paving crew at W.W. Clyde as a full-time field engineer after graduating in the spring. Rhyder grew up in Milford and enjoys hunting, shooting and fishing.
Their project examined the use of Aerogel as a thermal admixture and its thermal impact on asphalt.
Additional Presentations
Individuals
Logan Cheever — Technologies Used in Road Marking Application
Kyle Smith — Building Upon Stronger Foundations in Geology and Education
College Teams
Bryan Whitmore and Ladd Cox, Southern Utah University — Warm Mix Asphalt: Energy Emissions
Zac Chappell and Gabriel Thompson, Southern Utah University — Smarter Roads Through Smart Fabric: A Non-Destructive Testing Alternative
Ruby Smith and Carson Koppes, Southern Utah University — Evaluating Qualitative Asphalt Performance Data Utilizing a Quantitative Scoring Matrix
High School Teams
Lincoln Goodman, Matthew Matejka, Tariq Frehner and Trevor Melessa, Career Tech High School — New Drone Technology and How It Can Be Used for Road Construction and Maintenance
Teagan Sweeney, Cody Davenport and Dawsen Bang, Career Tech High School — Self-Healing Asphalt
Through these scholarships, UAPA celebrates innovation, teamwork and education, helping Utah’s next generation of engineers, builders and thinkers pave the way toward a stronger, smarter future.
