More than 1,200 civil engineering students from 14 universities across Southern California and Hawaii gathered at Cal State LA from March 27 to 30 for the American Society of Civil Engineers (ASCE) Pacific Southwest Student Symposium (PSWS) 2026, one of the largest regional engineering student conferences in the nation.

Hosted by the ASCE student chapter at Cal State LA, the four-day symposium brought together student teams for a series of high-energy engineering competitions, along with professional development events, networking opportunities, a career fair, and an awards banquet.

The highlight of the symposium was the hands-on competitions, where students spent months preparing designs and prototypes before testing them under real-world conditions.

Major events included the Concrete Canoe competition, where teams design and race concrete watercraft; Steel Bridge, which challenges students to fabricate and assemble a scaled steel bridge; and GeoWall and Timber Design-Build, which both test structural and geotechnical engineering concepts.

“The Pacific Southwest Student Symposium challenges students to turn classroom knowledge into real-world engineering solutions,” said Welson Kwan, faculty adviser for the Cal State LA ASCE chapter and organizing professor of the symposium. “It connects civil engineering students across campuses and generations, creating a strong sense of belonging to the profession while passing on skills that last well beyond graduation.”

Students also met with employers and industry leaders during a career fair on March 28, where engineering firms and public agencies discussed internships and job opportunities with participants.

The symposium concluded with an awards banquet on March 30 at Jesse Owens Track and Field, where ASCE President Marsha Anderson Bomar welcomed students and congratulated them on their accomplishments.

“After four days with these very enthusiastic, bright students, it is clear that they have strong technical knowledge and the ability to work in teams,” said Bomar. “The skills learned participating in the competitions prepare them for highly successful careers in the workforce.”

He added that the students, judges, and other volunteers represented many different backgrounds, cultures, socio-economic, and social groups. He said, “I was filled with pride watching how closely they collaborated and celebrated each other throughout the symposium.”

Cal State LA’s ASCE student chapter, along with a committee of student volunteers, coordinated logistics, organized the competitions, and welcomed visiting teams.

“Hosting the Pacific Southwest Student Symposium reflects the dedication of the university and the leadership and teamwork of our students,” said Nancy Warter-Perez, dean of the College of Engineering, Computer Science, and Technology at Cal State LA. “Under the guidance of Professor Kwan and the American Society of Civil Engineers (ASCE), the Cal State LA ASCE student chapter did an outstanding job organizing this major regional event and creating a meaningful and engaging experience for students from across Southern California and Hawaii.”

Competition Winners:

• Best Chapter Award

  • Cal Poly San Luis Obispo
• GeoWall
  • Cal State LA – 1st Place
  • San Diego State – 2nd Place
  • Cal State Fullerton – 3rd Place
• Concrete Canoe
  • San Diego State – 1st Place
  • Cal Poly San Luis Obispo – 2nd Place
  • Cal Poly Pomona – 3rd Place
• Construction
  • UCLA – 1st Place
  • Long Beach State – 2nd Place
  • UC Irvine – 3rd Place
• Steel Bridge
  • Cal Poly Pomona – 1st Place
  • UC San Diego – 2nd Place
  • University of Hawaii-Manoa – 3rd Place
• Sustainable Solutions
  • UCLA – 1st Place
  • Cal Poly San Luis Obispo – 2nd Place
  • Long Beach State – 3rd Place
• Timber Design-Build
  • Cal Poly San Luis Obispo – 1st Place
  • Cal Poly Pomona – 2nd Place
  • UC Irvine – 3rd Place

The PSWS is one of ASCE’s premier student conferences, giving civil engineering students the opportunity to apply their technical knowledge, showcase innovation, and build connections with peers and professionals across the region.

Cal State LA’s College of Engineering, Computer Science, and Technology prepares students to address complex challenges in infrastructure, technology, and sustainability through hands-on learning, research opportunities, and industry partnerships. Student organizations such as the ASCE chapter play a key role in that experience by giving students opportunities to apply classroom knowledge, develop leadership skills, and connect with professionals in the field.

For a complete list of competition winners, please contact Professor Kwan at wkwan4@calstatela.edu. 

Cal State LA civil engineering program earns back-to-back national honors

In addition to winning first place in the GeoWall competition at the 2026 ASCE Pacific Southwest Student Symposium, the Cal State LA Civil Engineering GeoWall team earned national recognition by capturing third place at the 2026 National Geo-Challenge Student Competition—marking the program’s second consecutive third-place finish after earning the same distinction in 2025.

Held during Geo-Congress 2026 in Salt Lake City, Utah, the Geo-Challenge is hosted by the Geo-Institute of the American Society of Civil Engineers. Student teams from across the country compete in five hands-on events that test their engineering knowledge and technical skills. Teams are evaluated on design, construction, performance, analysis, and presentation while competing for national honors.

The back-to-back national finishes reflect not only the students’ technical expertise but also their resilience, consistency, and teamwork. The 2026 GeoWall team included Yordi Alonzo Perez (captain), America Duran-Perez, David Garcia, Osvaldo Aguilar, and Jesus Sanchez Huerta, under the guidance of faculty advisor Professor Welson Kwan.

The latest achievement builds on the team’s 2025 performance, when Cal State LA also earned third place in the National Geo-Challenge Student Competition at the Geotechnical Frontiers conference in Louisville, Kentucky. The consecutive national finishes underscore the strength of Cal State LA’s Department of Civil Engineering and its continued tradition of excellence in geotechnical engineering.

California State University, Los Angeles is the premier comprehensive public university in the heart of Los Angeles. Cal State LA is ranked number one in the United States for the upward mobility of its students. Cal State LA is dedicated to engagement, service, and the public good, offering nationally recognized programs in science, the arts, business, criminal justice, engineering, nursing, education, and the humanities. Founded in 1947, the University serves more than 22,000 students and has more than 260,000 distinguished alumni.