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

ASCE Austin Branch Members -

March brings the transition into the part of the year when the weather begins to change, and the first rounds of spring storms begin to arrive in Central Texas. For us as civil engineers, those rains are a constant reminder of the responsibility our profession carries in protecting the communities we serve. The stormwater systems, drainage infrastructure, and floodplain management strategies we design are rarely visible when they are working well, but they become critically important when it rains.

Before we look too far ahead into the spring, however, I want to take a moment to reflect on what was an incredibly successful Engineers Week and extend a sincere thank you to everyone who helped make it such a meaningful series of events. Over the course of the last month, we saw strong engagement across multiple gatherings, including the annual Young Member Forum happy hour, which brought together more than 200 engineers from across the region. It was a great reminder of the strength and energy of the Austin engineering community and the importance of creating spaces where professionals across firms and disciplines can connect with one another.

We also had the opportunity to celebrate excellence within our profession at the joint TSPE Travis Chapter and ASCE Austin Engineers Banquet, where we recognized this year’s ASCE Austin award recipients. Congratulations again to RJ Endsley, who was honored as Engineer of the Year, and Aleesha Toteja, who received the Young Engineer of the Year award. These recognitions highlight the incredible talent and leadership that exist within our profession, and it was inspiring to see our community come together to celebrate their accomplishments.

Engineers Week also included an opportunity to give back to the broader community. The Engineers Day of Service at the Central Texas Food Bank, held the week prior, brought engineers together in support of an organization doing critical work to address food insecurity in our region. Events like this remind us that while we spend much of our time designing the systems that support our communities, we are also members of those communities ourselves, and the opportunities to contribute back are plentiful.

As we move further into the spring, I also want to highlight one of our branch’s most important annual events, the ASCE Austin Continuing Education Conference, which will take place on April 9th at the City of Austin’s Permitting and Development Center. This conference provides an excellent opportunity for engineers across Central Texas to stay current on technical topics, connect with peers, and support the continued growth of our profession. I encourage everyone to consider attending and, for firms looking to engage more deeply with the local engineering community, to explore sponsorship opportunities as well. Thank you to everyone who continues to support the American Society of Civil Engineers and the ASCE Austin Branch. I look forward to seeing many of you at upcoming events this spring.

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