Building the Future, One Mix at a Time: The Concrete Legacy of Dr. Tyler Ley
Friday, July 11, 2025
Media Contact: Kristi Wheeler | Manager, CEAT marketing and Communications | 405-744-5831 | kristi.wheeler@okstate.edu
In a brightly lit lab tucked inside the College of Engineering, Architecture and Technology at Oklahoma State University, you’ll often find Dr. Tyler Ley crouched beside a block of concrete — not just any concrete, but a carefully engineered mixture that could change the way we build the world.
A Regents Professor in the School of Civil and Environmental Engineering, Ley is internationally recognized for his innovative research on concrete durability, sustainability and education. But to his students, colleagues and the construction industry, he’s more than a researcher; he’s a storyteller, a teacher and a passionate advocate for making concrete smarter, stronger and more sustainable.
Passion in the Pour
Concrete might seem like a simple material made up of sand, gravel, cement and water, but Ley knows it’s anything but simple. To him, concrete is alive. It breathes, reacts and ages over time. And if we understand it better, we can build infrastructure that lasts longer, costs less and protects our environment.
“Concrete is the second-most-used substance on Earth after water,” Ley often says. “But most people don’t realize how complex it is, or how much room we have for improvement.”
That improvement has been the focus of Ley’s work for more than two decades. At OSU, he’s developed new methods to test concrete's performance, including electrical and chemical analysis techniques that can predict how mixtures will hold up over time. His innovations help engineers choose the right materials for bridges, buildings and highways, ensuring they remain safe and durable for generations.
Bringing Concrete to the Masses
In addition to his cutting-edge research, Ley is also a gifted communicator. His YouTube channel, filled with hands-on demos, passionate explanations and fun analogies, has garnered more than 13 million views. Whether he’s explaining how the ingredients of concrete are like a loaf of bread or breaking down complex chemistry with a whiteboard and a smile, he’s made an otherwise dry subject accessible —and even fun.
“People learn best when they’re curious and engaged,” he says. “So I try to bring concrete to life.”
His videos have become staples in civil engineering classrooms nationwide. Students, contractors and educators alike tune in to learn from the “Concrete Freak” as he’s affectionately known in the field.
Impact Beyond Stillwater
Ley’s research has made waves beyond Oklahoma. He’s collaborated with the Federal Highway Administration, Department of Defense, Department of Energy, National Science Foundation, state departments of transportation and private industry to improve standards for concrete design and testing. His work on making concrete resistant to damage from freezing elements has helped save billions in repair costs and extended the life of major infrastructure.
In 2018, he was awarded the National Science Foundation’s prestigious CAREER Award, and in 2019 he was named the Most Influential People in the Concrete Industry by Concrete Construction Magazine, recognition of both his technical expertise and his talent as a teacher.
But for Ley, the work isn’t about accolades; it’s about impact.
The Next Generation
Back on the OSU campus, Ley’s lab continues to buzz with activity. Graduate students run experiments with chemical additives and recycled materials. Undergraduate researchers crush test cylinders and analyze data. Ley is there with them — mentoring, laughing and pushing them to think differently.
His goal? To inspire the next generation of engineers to view concrete not as a problem to solve, but as a canvas to improve the world.
“I love concrete because it can help so many people’s lives,” he says. “If we do concrete right, it is a gift to us, our children, grandchildren, and great-grandchildren. Concrete is so simple, yet so complex. I love how there is always a way to make things better.”
In a world facing climate change, aging infrastructure and growing urban populations, Ley’s work is more relevant than ever. From Stillwater to sites around the globe, his research is laying the foundation — literally — for a smarter, stronger and more sustainable future.
As concrete continues to shape our cities and lives, Ley is ensuring that the material itself evolves, because to him, progress isn’t set in stone. It’s mixed, tested and improved every day.
