Exploring advanced asphalt technologies

The asphalt pavement industry is often perceived as resistant to change, sticking to traditional methods simply because that’s the way it’s always been done. However, a new wave of innovation is proving that the future of infrastructure is digital, sustainable, and highly advanced. In this week’s episode of Pave It Black, we sit down with Noor Saleh, a pavement engineer, entrepreneur, and Forbes 30 Under 30 honoree, to discuss how technology is re-envisioning asphalt.

Noor’s journey into the industry highlights just how dynamic the field can be. Starting in academic research, she developed a passion for asphalt not just because of its technical complexity, but because of the people behind the work. That passion ultimately led her to launch a startup focused on improving how data is used across the pavement lifecycle. Beyond technical innovations, Noor offers practical advice for early career engineers on the value of finding mentors and being an engaged mentee to drive meaningful impact. 

Here’s a sneak peek into this week’s conversation but be sure to tune in to the full episode for all the insights. You can listen wherever you get your podcasts.

B: You were recently recognized by Forbes 30 Under 30 for Manufacturing and Industry. I know there were a number of factors to get that recognition, one being the development of Pave Predict through your startup, Continuum Infrastructure Solutions. Congratulations. I’m curious if there were things that surprised you in the process of starting a new company or looking at technologies in this space. As Richard mentioned, not many people associate startups or software with the asphalt industry.

NS: Thank you. It was very validating to receive this recognition on a national scale. It is validating to see that whatever we do in our industry has a far-reaching impact on contractors, agencies, drivers, and the users of those roads.

Something that surprised me in doing this startup is figuring out how to get over hurdles that come from siloed data sources. We always have different stakeholders in charge of different steps of the pavement lifecycle, whether it’s design, construction, QC, or QA. Trying to understand for a given agency how all those different offices communicate and who makes decisions about each aspect was eye-opening.

We are still navigating this, especially when developing a new product and trying to find the right market. Understanding who your customer is and who the decision-maker is requires a thorough understanding of all stakeholders and how they operate to get a product to market.

This season is sponsored by FleetWatcher by AlignOps. Click here if you want to see FleetWatcher in action.