Join the East Central Branch for a formal dinner in celebration of our engineering profession on February 27th from 6:30 PM to 9 PM at Double Tree by Hilton Downtown. | | Register now to join your fellow engineers for ASCE's annual Solar Bears game on Wednesday, March 4th! The night will start with a happy hour at 5:30 before moving to the Kia Center to watch the Solar Bears take on the Atlanta Gladiators. Tickets are $25 and are available until we sell out, get them while you can! | | Save the date for the 18th annual East Central Branch Icebreaker! This event brings together over 300 engineering professionals for a night of fun and networking. More information and registration coming soon. | | The Sustainability Committee’s core mission and function are to organize and facilitate outreach opportunities, allowing the East Central Branch members to stay informed and promote sustainable engineering practices. Below are some upcoming events and other news recommended by the Committee. | | |
News / Resources / Interesting Reads
● ASCE Sustainability Symposium - Join us on February 11, 2026, for a free, virtual half-day event focused on reducing the climate impact of the industry. Structural engineers and related professionals will gain practical strategies to apply wherever they are in their climate journey. Stay tuned for updates and check out last year’s symposium on the ASCE SEI YouTube channel! Click here to learn more and register for the Sustainability Symposium.
● Wave power approaches US shores; it could be a game-changer. Utilities are dipping their toes into commercial wave power, converting the motion of ocean waves into electricity to help boost the grid's resiliency and sustainability. Could it happen this year? Click here to learn more.
● The ‘fast fashion’ trend is making our microplastic water pollution problem worse. Typically made of polyester and other synthetic materials, short-lived and easily discarded fashionable clothing breaks down in aquatic environments. How quickly does it happen, and how harmful is it? Click here to learn more.
● Think some things will never change? Think again: Why engineers should plan for weather and climate changes. Civil engineers involved in projects with design lives of 20 years or more need to consider changes in weather and climate statistics for many natural systems and across many environmental hazards. Click here to learn more.
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Volunteer Opportunities
● 🚣Join us on Saturday, March 7th from 9:30am - 11:30am as the ASCE Sustainability Committee and ASCE YMF team up with CFL RECON for the Lake Baldwin Cleanup! We will meet at the north-west side of the lake (2000 S Lakemont Ave, Winter Park, FL 32792). Kayaks, trash grabbers, and buckets will be available for the volunteers to help pick up trash from within and around Lake Baldwin. The event will be scheduled for two hours. At the end, the trash will be combined and weighed, and a group picture will be taken. Please bring a hat, sunglasses, sunscreen, water, and a friend! See you there! 😎
● Central Florida RECON (CFR) - Waterway Cleanup Fleet
CFR RECON is a group of friends and concerned citizens protecting Central Florida’s surface waters and natural environment by removing trash and debris from lakes, rivers, and streams. All those who enjoy canoeing and kayaking and would have a couple hours are welcome to join upcoming events! The RECON fleet is growing and currently has 9 kayaks available to use at events. Shoreline volunteers are also welcome if you feel the urge to walk instead of being on the water. Click the link to check out upcoming events!
Click here to view all RECON events on Meetup.
Click here to view the Facebook page.
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Check out our ASCE ECB Sustainability Committee website for more information about us, and useful resources including our Event Sustainability Venue Guide and Recycle Guide!
If you would like to join the ECB Sustainability Committee, please reach out to our Committee Chair Steve Sommerfeldt. The committee meets (virtually) on the last Tuesday of the month during lunch to plan out future activities and ideas related to sustainability. We welcome any new and/or seasoned individuals who are interested.
Want to hear more? Join the Sustainability Committee mailing list today!
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Welcome to the fourth edition of Bridging Backgrounds! As we begin February, we honor Black History Month – an annual celebration recognizing the achievements, resilience, and contributions of Black Americans throughout history. For civil engineers, this month is a meaningful reminder of the essential role that diversity, representation, and equity play in shaping the built environment that surrounds us all.
In civil engineering, Black History Month encourages us to reflect on how infrastructure impacts communities differently and to recognize the importance of designing systems that serve all people equitably. It also highlights the ongoing need of addressing disparities in transportation, housing, environmental justice, and access to opportunity – issues that remain central to our responsibility as public servants and professionals.
To honor this month, consider volunteering with organizations such as the National Society of Black Engineers or local STEM mentorship programs that uplift and inspire the next generation of diverse engineers. Take time to learn about the historical experiences of Black communities and explore how civil engineering can promote justice, resilience, and inclusivity in the places we design.
Our monthly meeting is held on the last Thursday of each month at noon. Stay tuned for updates and reach out for details!
Click here to learn more!
If you have any questions, please contact:
ECB Diversity Chair: Dayna Duffy (daynaduffy.asce@gmail.com)
YMF Diversity Co-Chair: Miels Massaquoi (mmassaquoi@ardurra.com)
YMF Diversity Co-Chair: Neida Lopez (nlopez@ardurra.com)
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The goal of the ASCE Younger Member Forum (YMF) is to promote professional development among young engineers. YMF hopes you will join us for some of our upcoming events.
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Upcoming Events
ASCE YMF and ASCE Sustainability Committee are teaming up with Central Florida RECON for a cleanup of Lake Baldwin on Saturday, March 7th from 9:30-11:30 am. Please bring a hat, sunglasses, sunscreen, water, and a friend! All other supplies will be provided.
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Event Recap
In January, eight of our members attended the Eastern Region Younger Member Council (ERYMC) in Jacksonville. We are proud to announce that we received the award for Outstanding Support of a Student Chapter for the second consecutive year. Conference sessions covered various topics, including navigating difficult conversations and a panel discussion where professionals shared insights on career building and development.
| We had a great time networking and playing mini golf with the UCF student chapter. Thank you to all the students and professionals who attended. | Thanks to everyone who attended our first social of the year! We look forward to seeing everyone at our next event | |
February Monthly Report
The ASCE UCF Student Chapter started off strong with the beginning of the spring semester! Four chapter officers attended the MRLC conference in Jacksonville, where UCF was represented at a high level to other ASCE organizations, bringing back new connections and opportunities. The chapter was also present in the January quarter meeting, where this year’s southeast symposium itinerary was discussed with other participating student chapters. This month featured the first GBMs of the semester, featuring presenters from both PGA and Bayer United, where they highlighted their career opportunities and roles in Transportation Engineering. Tabling during RSO events, as well as classroom visits, were able to drive recruitment for ASCE UCF, boosting overall attendance and recognition for the chapter.
Social events such as our second Minecraft game knight and our mini-golf social with ECB YMF created spaces that were able to connect members together and with early-career professionals. Many of our competitions have started their main fabrication and building processes, preparing for the upcoming southeast student symposium. The 2025 annual report for ASCE UCF has also been submitted, which showcased all the goals, events, and attendance for the chapter during the 2025 year. ASCE UCF looks forward to keeping this momentum strong!
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