President’s Message
By Augustine Verrengia, P.E.
President, ASCE Austin Branch

ASCE Austin Branch Members -

As we move further into spring, this time of year always seems to bring a renewed sense of energy across our profession. Projects are moving, construction activity is accelerating, students are preparing for graduation, and our Branch calendar is filled with opportunities to reconnect with one another. It’s also a season that reminds me how much momentum our ASCE Austin Branch continues to build through the commitment, enthusiasm, and volunteer spirit of our members.

That momentum was especially evident during this year’s ASCE Austin Continuing Education Conference. Thanks to the tremendous efforts of our planning committee, speakers, sponsors, volunteers, and attendees, this year’s conference was an incredible success and one of the strongest we have seen in recent memory. We experienced record attendance and unprecedented sponsorship support, reflecting not only the value of the technical content being shared but also the strength of engagement within our local civil engineering community. Events like this require an enormous amount of coordination and behind-the-scenes effort, and I want to sincerely thank everyone who contributed their time and energy toward making the conference such a success.

One of the things I continue to appreciate most about our Branch is the way we support engineers at every stage of their careers, and nowhere is that more visible right now than within our Younger Member Forum. The YMF continues to grow and create meaningful opportunities for young professionals to connect with peers, learn from experienced leaders, and become more engaged within the industry and the community around them. Events such as the “Advice for Young Engineers” panel and the annual YMF Golf Tournament continue to see outstanding participation and enthusiasm, and they are helping foster the next generation of leaders within ASCE Austin. The continued success of these events is a direct reflection of the volunteers and leaders who continue investing their time into building a strong and welcoming professional community.

Looking ahead, I also want to encourage everyone to join us for one of the most enjoyable events of the year, the ASCE Austin Pickleball Tournament on May 29th. Now entering its third year, the tournament has quickly become one of the Branch’s favorite traditions. What originally began as a fun and creative way to support scholarships for ASCE Austin students has grown into an event that brings together engineers, industry partners, students, and friends of the profession for both competition and community. Whether you are playing competitively or simply coming out to connect with others, I hope many of you will join us in supporting a great cause while spending time with fellow members outside of the office and jobsite environment.

May also serves as an important reminder of the broader role we play as civil engineers. From May 18–22, we will recognize Infrastructure Week, a national opportunity to highlight the importance of continued investment in the systems that support our daily lives and our future growth. Infrastructure is often most noticeable when it fails, but every day we rely on safe roadways, reliable water systems, resilient drainage infrastructure, energy systems, and public spaces that are the direct result of engineering, planning, and long-term public investment. As engineers, we have an important responsibility not only to help deliver these systems, but also to help communicate their value to our communities, elected officials, and future generations. As our region continues to grow, the conversations surrounding infrastructure investment, resiliency, mobility, water resources, and long-term sustainability will only become more important. Infrastructure Week is an opportunity for all of us to advocate for thoughtful planning and continued investment in the systems that make our communities safer, stronger, and more prosperous.

Thank you again for your continued involvement in ASCE Austin and for the many ways each of you contributes to our profession and our community. I look forward to seeing many of you at upcoming events as we continue building on the strong momentum of this year.

Sincerely,
Augustine Verrengia, P.E.
President, ASCE Austin Branch