Investigation into the Impact of the Built Environment on Obesity in Two Communities

Fouad H. Fouad is professor and Chairman of the Civil, Construction, and Environmental Engineering Department at the University of Alabama, Birmingham, USA. He teaches and conducts research in the area of reinforced concrete structures and concrete materials, and has published numerous technical papers in the field. His research efforts have led to the development of national standards and specifications for a number of concrete products and building systems, including spun prestressed concrete poles and autoclaved aerated concrete. Fouad is a Past Chairman of ACI Committee 523 Cellular Concrete. He is the Current Chair and founding member of ACI Subcommittee 523A Autoclaved Aerated Concrete. In addition, Fouad chairs the ASTM Committee C27.60 on Autoclaved Aerated Concrete and the PCI Committee on Prestressed Concrete Poles. He is also a member of ACI Committee 224; member of ACI Committee 118, Consulting Member of ACI Committee 345, and Associate Member of ACI Committee 231. Fouad organized and chaired three ACI Technical Sessions on cellular concrete and autoclaved aerated concrete. He is also co-editor of the ACI SP 226 ”Autoclaved Aerated Concrete-Properties and Structural Design,” published by ACI in 2005. Fouad is a Fellow of ACI and ASCE. Fouad has received a number of prestigious awards due to his professional services in the civil engineering field. Notable awards include: the 2010 Engineering Council of Birmingham Engineer of the Year Award; the ”2004 ASPE Circle of Excellence Award for Engineering Educator of the Year,” awarded by the Alabama Society of Professional Engineers; and the 1993 Ellen Greg Ingalls Award, UAB’s highest honor for teaching. Fouad’s current research activities on green materials and construction methods have a global perspective. He recently held two National Science Foundation (NSF) international workshops (Dec. 2007 and March 2009) on sustainable green building design and construction. The last conference was attended by more than 400 scientists, architects, and engineers, and included experts from the USA, Europe, Asia, and the Middle East.