Excellent point...PC buzzwords to give real science a chance!
Do you assess this research as valid, or just having the potential to be valid?
I am not a materials scientist, but I see the potential for a lot of value in the ideas behind parts of approach. To a large extent, the paper seems theoretical "let's start thinking about concrete again" rather than a report of results. It also has multiple points.
In terms of materials, concrete has several recipes, depending on the intended application, and the nod in the direction of more variation and tracking the properties of those variations seems like a good idea that could eventually provide a small to moderate benefit.
In terms of mesoscale structure, I expect a much bigger payoff, potentially. Current concrete is a precise and nearly uniform mixture on that scale. The real challenge will be to build with a controlled mesoscale structure (different from rebar, but for similar purposes) at an affordable price. I'm not sure how easy that will be compared with pouring a truckload of concrete and counting on the standard strength of the isotropic mixture. I'm not sure how far we will get in treating concrete like our more sophisticated composite materials, not when the whole point of concrete as it is used today is that it is low-cost and durable. We might find that there is a way of building in that anisotropic structure at an affordable price, and it may even be worthwhile to get high strength concrete at a much lower weight.
All of the above is a wordy way of saying: "Valid? No. Potential? Maybe."