PRESIDENT’S MESSAGE

Resolving to be a better upstander, Vice President nominations, and Congress 2026

Happy New Year!

High on my long list of resolutions this year is to be a better upstander, a person who speaks or acts in support of someone being attacked or bullied. Too often when I notice someone being mistreated, I am unsure what to do. How do I intervene without making the situation worse for the victim? Maybe because these situations are hard and uncomfortable, I find I need to continually relearn this skill. And one of the resources I am using is ASCE's Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Best Practices Resource Guide. For on the go, I also find the DEI Tip Sheet very useful. I have already queued up the ASCE podcasts on justice, equity, diversity and inclusion topics (see Tip Sheet for links) for my long commute home. Do you have a favorite resource you would like to share?

At the core of our professional practice, Civil and Environmental Engineers serve and protect society and the environment. And HOW we achieve our objectives is as important as WHAT we do. A fundamental principle listed in ASCE's Code of Ethics states that we "treat all persons with respect, dignity, and fairness in a manner that fosters equitable participation...". One of the duties of the EWRI Governing Board is to ensure the Institute operates in accordance with ASCE and EWRI Bylaws. Among our Institute's governing documents is EWRI Values for Meeting Behavior, also incorporated into our newly updated EWRI Operations Manual. I encourage everyone to read through these documents, along with our Strategic Plan, as they underpin what EWRI and ASCE stand for.

By the end of my term, you will be tired of hearing me say that serving as President of EWRI is one of the biggest privileges of my professional career. EWRI is currently accepting applications and nominations for the position of EWRI Vice-President for Fiscal Year 2027 (commencing October 1, 2026), which would eventually rotate into President for Fiscal Year 2029. Nomination packets for Vice President are due April 6, 2026. The nomination process is detailed in the EWRI Bylaws. Please reach out to me or any of the past presidents if you have any questions.

I hope to see everyone at the 2026 World Environmental and Water Resources Congress, being held in Mobile, Alabama. Registration is open with advance rates available through February 11, after which on-site pricing becomes effective. Though conference sessions officially start on Monday, April 27th, we hope you can come early to take advantage of several technical workshops being held on Sunday, April 26th. There are also several technical tours being offered throughout the week, a couple offering PDHs.

As you should all know by now, ASCE, and EWRI by extension, are reimagining our annual conference and congress. Instead of a separate EWRI Congress in 2027, beginning next year, all annual Institute congresses will be under one Society-wide conference: ASCE2027. The potential for collaboration is endless, and so very necessary in our ever changing, highly complex professional practice. The Society-wide convention will be the perfect place for multi-functional, cross-cutting ideas in Civil and Environmental Engineering. The call for content is open now so do not forget to submit your abstract to ASCE2027 due March 4. ASCE convention planners are looking for panels, short courses, workshops, lightning rounds, podium presentations, and poster presentations. To stay informed, you can sign up for routine updates to ASCE 2027 developments.

To further support our EWRI members' needs, the Governing Board's Task Committee on Content Delivery is also working hard to make sure everyone will find a home for their content, whether it be at ASCE2027 or at a smaller, EWRI specialty conference. We are fortunate to have EWRI's International Low Impact Development Conference this March 1 through 5 in Jacksonville, Florida. There is still time to register because the technical program is exceptional. EWRI also has the Watershed Management Conference happening in Reston, Virginia in August; stay tuned for more information on the Watershed Management Conference later this spring. See you all soon!

EDITOR’S CORNER

Happy New Year!

Collaboration remains essential to advancing our field, and EWRI’s partnership with the Water Research Foundation on the International Stormwater Best Management Practices Database supports long-term knowledge sharing. Consider contributing your BMP performance studies to strengthen this collective resource. Meanwhile, the International Low Impact Development Conference in Jacksonville (March 1-4) and the World Environmental and Water Resources Congress in Mobile (April 26-29) offer excellent opportunities to connect and learn.

We honor the legacies of those who paved the way, including Dr. Richard “Pete” Hawkins, recognized for his leadership and lasting influence on the Curve Number method, and Dr. Heinz Stefan, who pioneered the research area of environmental hydraulics and advanced our understanding of global warming effects on aquatic systems. Their dedication to mentoring reminds us that our profession advances not only through technical innovation, but through the knowledge we pass forward as well.

As we turn the page into the new year, I encourage you to stay engaged. Get involved in that committee you’ve been curious about, attend a conference that piques your interest, contribute an article to Currents, or simply reconnect with a colleague. Progress in our field is built on collaboration, curiosity, and the willingness to put yourself out there.

Thank you to everyone who contributed to this issue and to all who support EWRI's mission. Cheers to a productive and rewarding season! If you have an article you would like to contribute for a future edition of Currents, or if you would like to learn about opportunities to get more involved with EWRI, please reach out to me ([email protected]) or Jennifer Jacyna, Senior Manager, EWRI ([email protected]).

Prepare yourself for ASCE2027: The Infrastructure & Engineering Experience, a new flagship event for civil engineers and all infrastructure leaders to explore provocative topics, deep technical content, and up-to-date cross- and multi-disciplinary content. And you can build the future with us by sharing your expertise during the event!

A call for content is now open for ASCE2027. See which of the conference’s seven key themes your submission fits!