Beyond Disruption: Pioneering a New Path for the Engineering Community
In-Person Summit – November 5&6, 2025
Barbara Jordan State Office Building
1601 Congress Ave.
Austin, TX
Register now
Uncertainty and rapid change—driven by government actions, advances in artificial intelligence, declining trust in institutions, and economic volatility—are redefining the world the engineering community serves in 2025. Old assumptions and routines no longer hold. The pressures on our profession have pushed us past familiar boundaries, and there is no returning to business as usual.
Now is the time for the engineering community to take a clear-eyed look at today’s realities and take the lead in forging a new path.
Engineering Change Lab – USA’s (ECL) next summit will explore the challenges and disruptions of this changing landscape and imagine a new vision and trajectory for the engineering community. We have a unique responsibility—and the capability—to lead technological and environmental stewardship for the benefit of society.
The summit will include reflection on these key questions:
- What hard truths—or “brutal facts”—must the engineering community face in 2025?
- What changes and disruptions have most affected us?
- What new possibilities and opportunities are emerging?
- How can we respond proactively, rather than passively accept change or fall into old habits?
- What future vision and strategy should we aspire to, while continuing to live our core values?
- How do we continue to address the Grand Challenges of the 21st Century?
- What strengths and assets can the engineering community use to take a broader leadership role now?
- How can we foster unity and momentum, avoiding the polarization that often blocks progress?
- How do we build widespread support for a forward-looking visioning effort across the engineering community in 2026 and beyond?
This summit is a call to action, an opportunity for the engineering community to shape the future rather than be shaped by it. Join us as we define a new trajectory and renew our commitment to serve society with vision and purpose.
Registration fee: $750/person ($650/person for three or more registrants from the same organization)
A discounted group hotel rate is available at the Hampton Inn Austin University/Capitol, which is located a short distance from the summit venue. The cut-off date for the group rate is October 21, 2025. The reservation link is included below.
Register now Hotel Registration LinkAgenda & Reading List
Description, Reading List & Agenda
Partial List of Evocateurs
(The role of our evocateurs for this summit is to evoke, or bring to mind, new ways of thinking about the future.)
Gary Bertoline. Gary is Emeritus Dean and Distinguished Professor at Purdue University. Throughout his career, Gary has wroked to transform undergraduate education. He has authored seven textbooks and advises on higher ed and STEM. Gary lead the task force which developed the ASEE report, The Engineering Mindset Report: A Vision for Change in Undergraduate Engineering and Engineering Technology Education.
Jerry Buckwalter. Jerry is currently the President of Strategy Essentials. He is a consultant to business, engineering, and technology strategic planning. He is currently the Atlas International Director of Innovation, a partner in ARES Institute, and a Board member of the Center for Public Policy Innovation and ECL. Jerry was formerly the Chief Innovation Officer at ASCE, Director of Strategy at Northrup Grumman, and a member of the National Infrastructure Advisory Council reporting to the White House for Presidents George W. Bush and Barack Obama.
Jenna Carpenter. Jenna is Founding Dean and Professor at the Campbell University School of Engineering. A national thought leader in STEM education, she is Past President and Fellow of ASEE, 2023 ASEE Hall of Fame Inductee and sits on ABET’s Engineering Accreditation Commission. She received the 2023 ABET Claire Felbinger Award, 2019 ASEE Sharon Keillor Award, and the 2022 NAE Bernard M. Gordon Prize. She also sat on President Biden’s NIAC Subcommittee on Expanding the Workforce.
Bob Gilbert. Bob is Chair of the Department of Civil, Architectural, and Environmental Engineering at The University of Texas at Austin. His technical focus is the assessment and management of risk for civil engineering systems. His project experience includes the New Orleans levee system, the San Francisco Bay Bridge, the Rocky Mountain Arsenal waste disposal system, and many of the world’s largest offshore energy production systems. He was elected to the National Academy of Engineering in 2020.
Rochelle Grayson. Rochelle is Founder of Mosaic Accelerator and Co-Founder of Circles of AI. An entrepreneur, educator, and AI strategist, she has mentored 150+ startups and teaches AI at UBC. Rochelle holds an MBA from the University of Chicago and Six Sigma Black Belt certifications. Named one of Canada’s Top 100 Most Powerful Women, Vancouver’s Top 10 Technology Women, and Canada’s Top 20 Black Tech Entrepreneurs, she champions AI accessibility and responsible innovation.
Please contact us with any questions.
