Admir Mašić, scientist from MIT: Everything we need in the future is already in the past

Studying ancient writings and charters, he discovered a chemical formula and patented modern, self-healing concrete, the composition of which allows building and bridge structures to last for thousands of years. Studying ancient writings and charters, he discovered a chemical formula and patented modern, self-healing concrete. This composition of concrete allows the structures of buildings and bridges to be stable for thousands of years. He is the winner of this year's WITec Paper award and is a member of the International Academy of Sciences and Arts in BiH (IANUBIH), as well as the Bosnian-Herzegovinian-American Academy of Arts and Sciences (BHAAAS). He worked on the restoration of the Carignano Palace in Turin, the 17th-century Baroque castle La Venaria Reale, and the restoration of the Vatican walls and statues. As a refugee from Bosnia, he was not allowed to go to school in Croatia due to the laws of the time. Today, he is a scientist at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT), the most prestigious institute for technology in the world. It was there that he launched the MIT ReACT initiative, a free scholarship program for displaced and refugee students. As part of the Italian Tech Week, Admir Mašić talks to Al Jazeera about ancient and modern engineering, world cultural heritage, and talented refugees. Lejla Mazlić spoke with Admir Mašić in Turin. SEE VIDEO