By Marsha D. Anderson Bomar, Ph.D., AICP, ENV SP, F.ITE, NAE, F.ASCE
Throughout history, civil engineering has shaped the world around us. And as we begin the next quarter of the 21st century, the profession is ushering in a new era of transformation. Imagine the changes I have seen since graduating from college, nearly 50 years ago!
The modern workforce is growing to encompass a wide variety of specialties and advancements at an accelerated pace. Now is the time for infrastructure professionals, as well as those in adjacent and allied fields, to come together to define and build a better future.
Last year, ASCE announced plans for an exciting new event that will unite the broader infrastructure community. ASCE2027: The Infrastructure & Engineering Experience will take place March 1-5, 2027, in Philadelphia. ASCE2027 is all about big ideas and even bigger solutions. Additionally, it’s an opportunity to engage in next-level networking and deep-dive into cutting-edge innovations and practices. We’ll have some of the very best keynote speakers, who will inspire us and emphasize that civil engineers are as essential as the air we breathe.
At ASCE2027, attendees will explore trending themes impacting the built environment, such as autonomous and smart technology, engineering for the extremes, artificial intelligence and infrastructure, next-generation materials and methods, infrastructure financing and policy, and workfrce and practice. These multidisciplinary, cross-cutting themes will be complemented by numerous technical sessions that examine the latest research and practice in many specialty areas. Discussions at the event will be transformative, ensuring that, as we work toward a more sustainable and resilient future, information and ideas will be shared across disciplines.
ASCE2027 will help us address problems and opportunities in the infrastructure space that are increasingly common worldwide. We are already heavily involved in a variety of international coalitions, including the Asian Civil Engineering Coordinating Council, the Pan American Union of Engineering Organizations, the World Federation of Engineering Organizations, and others. And this conference will also serve as an international forum that connects infrastructure professionals to share insights and foster knowledge sharing.
To further reflect the multidisciplinary expansion and collaboration across the profession, ASCE2027 will bring together the expertise of the Society’s nine technical institutes as well as its Center for Technical Advancement. Each entity shines a light on the technical matters in its respective discipline areas. But as we look forward to being better stewards of sustainable, resilient infrastructure, we need all disciplines and bright minds to work together. So, for ASCE2027, several of the institute conferences are being folded into this new event. What better way to foster this kind of collaboration than a conference that puts an interdisciplinary perspective front and center?
My career has centered around transportation and construction, so I am looking forward to those sessions at ASCE2027, but I am also eager to explore sessions outside my specialty. Truth be told, I love learning new things, and this event will have countless ways for me to do that.
While it’s still more than a year away, ASCE2027 already promises to be an engineering experience unlike any other. By bringing thousands of ASCE members together, along with our colleagues and allies, we will build a stronger coalition. Together, we will move more quickly and resolutely in our service to public health, welfare, and safety while taking the best care of Earth’s precious resources.
I hope you will join me in Philadelphia next March, where we can celebrate the birthplace of a nation and the 175th anniversary of ASCE. This is your chance to build with us!
Marsha D. Anderson Bomar, Ph.D., AICP, ENV SP, F.ITE, NAE, F.ASCE, is the commissioner emeritus for the City of Atlanta Department of Transportation. She is the 2025-26 ASCE president.
This article first appeared in the January/February 2026 issue of Civil Engineering.
