President’s Message
By Kat Lauer, P.E., M.ASCE
President, ASCE Austin Branch

As we step into March, ASCE Austin is riding the momentum of an exciting and eventful start to 2025! Let’s take a look back at our February highlights and preview the opportunities ahead.

On February 15, ASCE Austin volunteers came together for a Volunteer Day at the Johnson City Science Mill, engaging local children in hands-on civil engineering activities. The event provided a fun and educational experience, inspiring the next generation of engineers.

Just days later, on February 17, civil engineering professionals across Austin gathered for the annual Engineering Joint Happy Hour at Meanwhile Brewing Co. This year, we set a new attendance record, with nearly 300 engineers networking and celebrating our shared profession.

February 18 marked a significant milestone for Texas infrastructure. Our Branch’s own Austin Messerli, P.E., Vice President of Programs for the Branch and Texas Section Infrastructure Report Card Co-Chair, presented the 2025 Texas Infrastructure Report Card at the Texas State Capitol. This comprehensive assessment evaluates Texas’ infrastructure across 16 key categories, awarding an overall grade of C. This year, new categories were introduced to provide a more detailed perspective on infrastructure needs, reinforcing the report's role as a vital tool for policymakers and the public.

On February 19, ASCE members participated in the ASCE Texas Legislative Drive-In in Austin, an event focused on policy education and grassroots advocacy. Attendees met with elected officials to discuss infrastructure priorities, laying the groundwork for the ASCE National Legislative Fly-In, scheduled for March 26-28 in Washington, D.C. This national event will bring members together to advocate for infrastructure investment and coincide with the release of the 2025 Report Card for America’s Infrastructure.

February 20 marked Introduce a Girl to Engineering Day (Girl Day), a nationwide initiative encouraging young girls to explore engineering. The UT Austin event on February 22 welcomed elementary and middle school students, families, and educators for an afternoon of hands-on STEM activities, fostering curiosity and confidence in engineering.

We closed out February with the Engineer’s Week Banquet on February 21, where we honored Genest Landry, P.E., PMP, as Engineer of the Year and Jopert Gavino, P.E., CFM, as Young Engineer of the Year. Congratulations to both for their outstanding contributions to the field!

March 7 marked the deadline for our spring college scholarship applications. We look forward to announcing the recipients later this spring! To support our scholarship fund, we are preparing for the 2nd annual ASCE Austin Pickleball Tournament, a family-friendly event taking place later this spring at a new venue. This tournament will help raise funds for scholarships and provide a fun way for members and their families to connect. Stay tuned for more details!

On March 12, ASCE YMF and several engineering organizations will join forces for an Engineering Day of Service at the Central Texas Food Bank. This is a fantastic opportunity for members to give back to the community, and we encourage participation.

March 19 kicks off our Living Streets Program seminar series with Part 1: Before Living Streets. This session will explore the history, development, and research behind this resident-led streets initiative. Moderated by Kirk Scanlon, City of Austin Division Manager for the Smart Mobility Office, the panel will feature Wendy Phelps from Toole Design and Matt Macioge, City of Austin Living Streets Manager.

Our March Luncheon is scheduled for March 25, featuring Adam Ramirez, P.E., Assistant Area Engineer for the TxDOT Georgetown Area Office. This will be our final hybrid luncheon as we transition to fully in-person gatherings starting in April. We appreciate the flexibility hybrid events have offered, but we are excited to focus on creating the best possible in-person experience for networking and engagement. We look forward to seeing everyone face-to-face. Recordings of select sessions will be available on our Branch YouTube channel, subject to speaker permissions.

March 26-28 brings the ASCE National Legislative Fly-In and the 2025 Report Card for America’s Infrastructure release in Washington, D.C. This is a critical opportunity for civil engineers to advocate for national infrastructure investment, and a handful of our Branch members are attending to make their voices heard.

Looking further ahead, mark your calendars for April 24th, when we host the ASCE Austin 2025 Continuing Education Conference. This full-day event will offer valuable learning and networking opportunities with local civil engineering experts and peers. Registration and sponsorship opportunities are now open—don’t miss out!

We look forward to seeing many of you at these events and continuing to build a strong ASCE Austin community!

Best regards,
Kat Lauer, P.E., M.ASCE
President, ASCE Austin Branch