ECS in Action

Civil and environmental engineering student teams participated in the American Society of Civil Engineers (ASCE) Sustainable Solutions and Steel Bridge competitions during the 2025 Upstate New York-Canada Student Symposium, winning first place in the Sustainable Solutions competition. The symposium was held at the United States Military Academy in West Point, New York.  

The ASCE Student Symposium challenges students to explore and implement sustainable solutions, allowing them to apply their skills and knowledge to real-world challenges. Competitions such as Sustainable Solutions encourage students to deepen their understanding of sustainability and learn how to integrate sustainable solutions into everyday engineering problems.  

“We presented a redevelopment proposal focused on transforming a vacant office complex into a vibrant, sustainable, and affordable housing community. The design incorporated green roofs, passive solar design, greywater recycling, and community-oriented amenities such as a public garden, amphitheater and small local businesses,” says environmental engineering student Brooklyn Toller '27.  

The Steel Bridge competition challenges students to design and build a scale-model steel bridge. During the fall semester, students create a design based on specifications provided by the ASCE and draft plans for the construction of a 20-foot scale model. The goal is to minimize the bridge's weight while ensuring it can support a load of 2,500 pounds. 

The student team took first place for cost estimation, a category in the Steel Bridge competition, and came in 6th place overall.

“It was intriguing to look at the other teams’ designs and construction processes. Seeing new and different intricacies from the other schools really allowed me to start thinking about ways that our bridge could be improved, which will help us improve our bridge design and construction process for years to come,” says civil engineering student Evan Garcia '28.  

The ASCE Syracuse student chapter also participated in the Mead Paper competition, where students tackle complex issues about engineering ethics, allowing them to examine and communicate the purpose and responsibilities of a civil engineer. 

"I was elected by my chapter to enter into the Daniel W. Mead Student Prize Paper Competition. This opportunity allowed me to practice both my written and oral communication skills. I am very proud of the work that I put forth and am a better public speaker because of it,” says civil engineering student Shannon O'Kane '28.  

The Sustainable Solutions team will participate in the ASCE’s national championships. The competition will be held June 27-29 at California Polytechnic State University, San Luis Obispo.