10 years of excellence in knowledge, driving innovation and growth.
That is what civil engineers from all around the world came to celebrate in Tampa, Florida, at the UESI Pipelines Conference.
Each year, the conference provides a forum for pipeline engineers and practitioners to exchange experiences, insights, and solutions to today’s most pressing pipeline infrastructure challenges.
This year’s conference reached new heights, with over 1,200 attendees and more than 100 exhibitors, surpassing 2024’s milestones and showcasing the remarkable momentum of the UESI community.
Let’s celebrate some of the monumental achievements from the 2025 Pipelines Conference!
Rise, Connect, Lead – The Emerging Leaders Program
Civil engineering students once again had the chance to participate in the Pipelines Conference Student Scholarship and the UESI Doug Jenkins Student Competition.
- The scholarship provides conference registration, plus travel support, helping students connect with industry professionals and gain exposure to cutting-edge industry knowledge.
- The competition challenges participants to apply utility engineering and pipeline concepts in a practical exercise, with winners earning financial support for the conference.
This year’s conference showcased the enthusiasm of young civil engineering professionals, with a record number of competition participants in Tampa.
To kick off their experience, students and younger members took part in the first-ever Emerging Leaders Program, where UESI and industry leaders inspired the attendees to make the most of the conference and explore opportunities to get involved, including through the Younger Member Engagement Committee.
Gathering the industry’s future leaders to rise, connect, and lead was a highlight of this year’s program. We encourage all students and younger members to watch for the 2026 application launch!
Recognizing Achievements – The UESI Awards
Over the past decade, UESI has continued to expand its recognition programs, celebrating excellence across the pipeline and utility engineering professions. One of the most prestigious honors is the Stephen D. Bechtel Pipeline Engineering Award, established in 1970 to recognize outstanding achievement in pipeline engineering.
This year’s recipient was Lynn Osborn, BC.PLW, P.E., F.ASCE, a distinguished UESI leader and technical expert supporting NASSCO. Osborn’s contributions to trenchless construction and the advancement of the cured-in-place pipe (CIPP) process have made a lasting impact on the industry.
Congratulations to Lynn Osborn, and to all of the Pipelines 2025 Conference Award recipients, who will be highlighted in upcoming UESI features:
- Pipeline Division of Excellence: Chris Macey, BC.PLW, P.E., M.ASCE and Mark Mihm, P.E., ENV SP, BC.PLW, M.ASCE
- Younger Member of the Year: Marya Jetten, P.Eng, BC.PLW
- Project of the Year: Front Street Interceptor Rehabilitation - Phase 2
- Best Conference Paper: 346 - Integrating Water and Sanitary Infrastructure in Major Bridge Replacement: King Avenue Crossing, Warren County, Ohio
- Best Conference Poster: 150 - North Miami Beach Water: Capital Improvement Program Update With A Focus On Innovative Construction Delivery Methods
- Student Competition: Ashley Roa-Martinez, Lijo Manthanathu Varughese, Teresita Lomeli, and Westin Thomas
10 Years of Unique Experiences and Shared Successes
In just a decade, UESI has established itself as a leading ASCE institute and a strong professional community for pipeline, utility engineering, and surveying geomatics.
Institute highlights from 2025 reflect this continued growth:
- Record conference attendance and participation, including over 200 papers presented across over 70 technical sessions at the Pipelines Conference.
- Expansion of the UESI Fellows designation, recognizing outstanding member contributions.
- Increased engagement in the ASCE-UESI Student Surveying Competition, with more than 90 regional teams participating.
- Launch of the new UESI Board Certification, providing professional development and recognition for advanced expertise.
- Renewed emphasis on UESI standards, publications, and technical content.
UESI is more than an institute; it is a vibrant community of civil engineering and surveying professionals committed to advancing the future of infrastructure.
What’s Next – Detroit 2026
The UESI community now turns its focus to Detroit, Michigan, host of the 2026 Pipelines Conference. The Call for Abstracts and Call for Volunteers are currently open — excellent opportunities to help shape the technical content and success of next year’s program.
There are also many ways to get involved with UESI throughout the year:
- Join a committee to help advance publications, standards, and industry practices.
- Engage with peers through UESI division activities.
- Follow UESI on LinkedIn, Instagram, X, and YouTube for updates and opportunities.
We look forward to building on the success of Tampa and continuing to strengthen our community in the years ahead!