In The News

PITTSBURGH, Dec. 4, 2024 – The University of Pittsburgh’s Swanson School of Engineering, ranked among the top 25 public engineering programs nationally, and College of Business Administration, ranked the nation’s 11th best public business school, and S&B USA, a Pittsburgh-based creator of safe and innovative infrastructure solutions, today announced a landmark collaboration to develop future talent and share knowledge advancing the development and construction of critical infrastructure in Southwestern Pennsylvania and beyond.

Spurred by investment and other federal funding, the U.S. is on an infrastructure investment boom to repair and replace aging roads, bridges, water systems and other large public works to meet today’s needs and strengthen the nation’s future resiliency and sustainability. As a growing infrastructure solutions company, S&B USA seeks partnerships like this to ensure it is positioned for this investment with a pipeline of future engineering, business and heavy-civil construction talent to power the delivery of megaprojects that develop, design and build sustainable infrastructure.

A formal memorandum of understanding signed today by Pitt and S&B USA leaders establishes areas of collaboration including: student recruitment (undergraduate and graduate/doctorate); experience-based student learning; business and engineering integration opportunities; direct participation with student groups; presenting and sharing educational insights and industry trends; and access to S&B USA’s regional and global infrastructure projects.

Current S&B USA infrastructure projects in the Pittsburgh region that can serve as learning opportunities for Pitt engineering and business students include:

• PennDOT Major Bridges P3 Project: This is an award-winning public-private partnership megaproject addressing Pennsylvania’s backlog of major bridges needing replacement and rehabilitation. The project includes the design, construction, sustainable financing, and routine and life-cycle maintenance of six critical interstate bridges across the Commonwealth essential to the intra and interstate transportation system.
• Pittsburgh International Airport Roads and Bridges Project: S&B USA is building the network of new roads, bridges and supporting infrastructure for the visionary new terminal at Pittsburgh International Airport—highlighted by the dual-level bridge to connect arriving and departing travelers to the terminal.
• PennDOT I-376 Commercial Street Bridge Replacement Project: S&B USA is using accelerated bridge techniques to construct the new bridge alongside the current structure and slide it into place.

Mary Besterfield-Sacre, Senior Associate Dean of Academic Affairs at the University of Pittsburgh Swanson School of Engineering, says, “Industry, government, and the private sector have for decades been critical to the success of our engineering program and a pathway to student engagement and future employment across the university. S&B USA has been a long-time partner as well as employer of generations of alumni, and so we are excited to further expand our partnership.”

Sharon Novak, Chief Executive Officer of S&B USA and Chairman of S&B USA Construction, says, “We are proud to partner with the University of Pittsburgh, a cornerstone of our community, to offer engineering and business students with valuable, real-world experience in construction and project development. This collaboration not only supports the professional growth of emerging talent but also strengthens our shared commitment to Pittsburgh and the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania. Together, we will do our best to support a future where education and industry intersect to drive innovation, cultivate rewarding careers and deliver impactful solutions for our region and beyond.”

About the University of Pittsburgh
Founded in 1787, the University of Pittsburgh is an internationally renowned leader in health sciences learning and research. A Top 10 recipient of NIH funding since 1998, Pitt has repeatedly been ranked as the best public university in the Northeast, per The Wall Street Journal/Times Higher Education. Pitt consists of a campus in Pittsburgh—home to 16 undergraduate, graduate and professional schools—and four regional campuses located throughout Western Pennsylvania. Pitt offers nearly 500 distinct degree programs; serves more than 33,000 students; employs more than 14,000 faculty and staff; and awards 9,000 degrees systemwide.

About S&B USA
S&B USA, headquartered in Pittsburgh, PA, specializes in delivering complex infrastructure projects. We offer expertise in both concessions and construction, and we integrate cutting-edge technology across all phases of our services, including project development, general contracting, self-performing construction, financing, and operation and maintenance of assets post-construction. Our U.S. businesses are: infrastructure development and equity subsidiary, Shikun & Binui Concessions USA, Inc. (branded as S&B USA Concessions); and construction subsidiary, Shikun & Binui America, Inc. (branded as S&B USA Construction), along with its subsidiary Joseph B. Fay (branded as Fay, S&B Construction). Additionally, S&B USA has operations/offices in Fargo, ND, Virginia Beach, VA, and Baltimore, MD.

Contacts:

• Paul Kovach, paulkovach@pitt.edu, Director of Marketing and Communications, University of Pittsburgh Swanson School of Engineering
• Katie Spear, kspear@shikunusa.com, Vice President of Marketing, S&B USA

Photo: John Altdorfer/University of Pittsburgh