While the asphalt industry has historically been a male-dominated, Associated Asphalt has been doing its part to build a more diverse workforce as an equal opportunity employer. In our Bituminous Labs division, women of asphalt rule the roost. Asia Calhoun, Lab Technician, joined the team in March to work under the guidance of Stephanie Richards, Product Development & Formulation Manager.
Each day, Asia runs a variety of tests on asphalt samples to support our commitment to producing high-quality products that meet and exceed performance expectations. These tests support research and development, quality control, and quality assurance for the company.
“Sunghee has been a great teacher,” says Asia. “In the few weeks I’ve been here I’ve learned so much from her and Stephanie.”
Beyond her direct teammates, she has had the chance to virtually meet a lot of other employees who have been nothing but welcoming despite the distance they face.
“A lot of people have reached out, welcoming me to the family,” she adds. “I really enjoy working for a company where everyone looks out for each other. At the end of the day, you always need to help your fellow teammates.”
Before joining Associated Asphalt, Asia worked with Port Stewart and Hunter Army Airfield where she worked with contractors to remediate contaminated sites and monitor wells to reduce defects in the soil. While this was an environmentally focused job, she leverages her knowledge of how the environment can have an impact on different types of materials in her current role.
Asia was born and raised in Savannah so she feels at home in her hometown. Outside of the lab, Asia is a very social person and enjoys the beach and shopping amenities that Savannah has to offer.
“I used to always make plans, but I’ve learned over time that plans always change,” says Asia. “I try to surround myself with spontaneous people who are always up for something new.”
She finds balance in the freedom of spontaneity and channels her planning and detail-oriented nature in the lab. We’re glad to have another brilliant young woman in STEM on the team at our lab in Savannah.