When S&B USA and the University of Pittsburgh signed a Memorandum of Understanding in December of 2024, the goal was to do more than just bridge the gap between academia and the heavy-civil construction industry. It was an intentional effort to integrate technical engineering with the kind of business innovation required to develop complex, large-scale infrastructure.
“The global challenges of building the infrastructure of the 21st century require a talented and innovative workforce,” says Grant Ervin, vice president of external affairs and sustainability at S&B USA. “We felt it would be great to start in our own backyard at the University of Pittsburgh.”
S&B USA is a Pittsburgh-based national leader and full-service partner helping public agencies and private owners solve complex infrastructure challenges. An example of the type of complex projects they handle is the Commercial Street Bridge Replacement over the Parkway East (I-376). The new bridge is being constructed directly beside the existing structure on temporary foundations using accelerated bridge construction methods. When the original structure is removed, the new bridge will be slid into place and tied into the I-376 roadway.
Since over 100,000 vehicles travel I-376 per day, the decision to slide the bridge into place reduces the road closure to just 25 days compared to more than four years of lane restrictions and detours for a traditional bridge replacement.
Working Together Since 2022
S&B USA has worked with the University of Pittsburgh School of Business Center for Sustainable Business (CSB) since 2022.
“They helped us facilitate a few workshops as we were developing our Environmental, Social, and Governance ESG strategy and some of our team members have attended their annual sustainable business seminar,” says Ervin. “I think what has impressed us most has been the center’s ability to be a sounding board for us, plus provide insights that have helped in sustainability strategy development.”
For the past two years, S&B USA has offered fellowships to graduate students from the CSB.
Fellows Deliver Actionable Outcomes
The first fellow to work with S&B USA was Jesse Mortimer (MBA’25), who wanted to see sustainability in practice from the point of view of company leadership.
“I was excited to work on a project where the company’s leadership team shared an aligned view of the importance of protecting our community and planet, and where I felt the leadership was prioritizing producing meaningful work,” says Mortimer.
Mortimer was tasked with creating a playbook for the state of Pennsylvania to finance large projects using a public-private partnership model. Before she could get started, she met weekly with S&B USA executives to learn about the company and different topics related to public-private partnerships.
During her 14-week fellowship, Mortimer compiled a comprehensive baseline of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania’s and S&B USA’s collaboration on a P3 (Public Private Partnership) program. The PennDOT Major Bridges P3 Program is a $2.3 billion initiative to accelerate the replacement and rehabilitation of major interstate bridges in the state, addressing aging infrastructure and improving safety and mobility.
According to Ervin, “Jesse’s research was able to document our Pennsylvania project and compare it to our other P3 projects in Texas and North Dakota.”
Jemima Ohwobete, a PhD student in Swanson’s School of Engineering, is the current fellow with S&B USA.
“Jemima was able to build upon Jesse’s work by compiling employee interviews. She is working with our human resource team and business school faculty to co-create a training curriculum for employees working on complex, major infrastructure projects,” says Ervin.
Fellowship Beneficial for All
Both Mortimer and Ohwobete speak highly of this experience.
Mortimer, currently a senior financial analyst at Highmark Health says, “While the industries seem far apart, there are some professional skills that transcend subject matter.” She now has stronger time management and planning skills, communicates effectively with executive leadership, and understands how to digest complex legislation.
For Ohwobete, the fellowship helped clarify her future.
“My work with S&B USA gave me practical consulting experience and valuable professional connections that I will carry forward in my career. I will graduate with my PhD in Civil and Environmental Engineering this July and I am excited to find a role where I can apply my skills to real world challenges,” she says.
S&B USA calls it a great collaboration between corporate and university partners.
“The result is creating real-world outcomes that are mutually beneficial for the next generation of business and construction leaders, while concurrently creating innovative infrastructure solutions for the Pittsburgh Region and globally,” says Ervin.