Engineers Address Future Challenges at Conference

Words: Bronzella Cleveland

Civil Engineers Address Challenges of the Future at Annual Conference in Kansas City

The American Society of Civil Engineers (ASCE) will hold its 139th Annual Civil Engineering Conference in Kansas City, Mo., from October 29 to 31. "From Builders to Integrators—Civil Engineers Leading the Way," the conference’s goal is to help guide civil engineers as they face the challenges of the future.

According to the ASCE, the conference will include sessions on a broad range of topics, including: emergency management issues, sustainability and infrastructure, leadership, professional development and the future of civil engineers in society over the next two decades. Pre- and post-conference workshops and sessions will feature topics such as: communications, leadership as well as sessions for international members and young engineers.

The conference also will include an Industry Leaders Forum on sustainability, an International Roundtable, several technical tours and two keynote speeches:

Erik Peterson, senior vice president of the Center for Strategic and International Studies and founder and director for the Seven Revolutions project, will open the conference with a discussion of issues such as energy trends, innovation in technology and the economy at the opening plenary session.

Ben Stein, political humorist, will end the conference with wit and wisdom on finance, ethics and life at the closing general session breakfast.

A regular part of the conference for the last seven years, ASCE members will also perform a service activity for the host city. This year, improvements will be made to the Heartland Therapeutic Riding Inc. facility, a non-profit organization that provides equine-assisted therapy to children and adults with disabilities through the movement of, and human interaction with, horses.

For a complete conference agenda, please visit: www.asceannualconference.org.

GEN NXT: Luis Sontay
September 2026

For this month, the MCAA got to sit down with aspiring mason Luis Sontay. From taking an interest in masonry as a kid to placing 1st in a postsecondary competition, Luis’ dedication and passion for the trade is clear. Luis describes his early passion fo

Mentmore Towers, Fort Point, and More
September 2026

The Old Royal Naval College in Greenwich, UK, stands as a sweeping estate that represents the absolute peak of English masonry. Conceived with breathtaking scale and precision, the monumental complex is defined by

The Alhambra
September 2026

High above Granada, Spain, the Alhambra offers masonry professionals something more than an architectural landmark. It is a working lesson in how relatively simple building materials, placed by skilled craftsmen and maintained over generations, can create

The Wall
September 2026

There is a story around Huntley Brothers that some of our guys simply call “The Wall.” I’ve told it enough times over the years that when I start telling it to one of our younger guys, I can see a few of the older ones rolling their eyes. They’ve heard i