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OPAL Gala

The OPAL Gala honors outstanding civil engineering leaders whose lifetime accomplishments contributed to the creation of thriving businesses and the local economies of the communities they serve.

2025 OPAL Gala

Oct. 10, 2025 | Seattle, Washington

Celebrate industry luminaries and groundbreaking projects at the prestigious OPAL Gala. The OPAL Gala honors outstanding civil engineering leaders whose accomplishments have contributed to the profession. Attend to meet the 14 exceptional projects named Honor Award recipients and learn which top three will take home the Bronze, Silver, and OPAL trophies.

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2025 Recipients

OPAL Leadership Award winners

ASCE announces 2025 OPAL Leadership Award Winners. Please join us at the OPAL Gala on October 10 to personally congratulate people and projects being recognized for excellence in civil engineering.

Headshot of Beatrice Hunt
Construction
Beatrice Hunt, P.E., M.ASCE; principal hydraulic engineer, AECOM, New York City – for 35 years of innovation, leadership, teaching, and advancing hydraulics and scour engineering.
Headshot of Larry Griffiths
Design
Lawrence Griffis, P.E., F.SEI, M.ASCE; senior consultant, Walter P. Moore, Houston – for structural engineering expertise with particular accomplishment as a pioneer in the design of retractable roof technology for major sports stadiums.
Headshot of Rafel Bras
Education
Rafael L. Bras, Sc.D, Dist.M.ASCE; K. Harrison Brown Family Chair, Georgia Institute of Technology – for renowned contributions and advancements to civil engineering education and noted advocate for underrepresented communities in STEM.
Headshot of Rao Surampalli
Government
Rao Y. Surampalli, Ph.D., P.E., BCEE, Hon.BC.WRE, F.EWRI, NAC, Dist.M.ASCE; president, CEO, and chief technology officer, Global Institute for Energy, Environment and Sustainability, Lenexa, Kansas – for more than 40 years of leadership in developing innovative and sustainable environmental technology.
Headshot of Lam Lerner
Management
Eva Lerner-Lam, NAE, M.ASCE; founder and president, Palisades Consulting, Tenafly, New Jersey; for seminal contributions to transit planning and policy, and transportation systems around the world
2025 recipients

OCEA Honor Award winners

ASCE announces 2025 Outstanding Civil Engineering Honor Award Winners. These 14 projects are vying for recognition as the OCEA Bronze, OCEA Silver, and OPAL trophy winners.

Bois d’Arc Lake Program
Bonham, Texas
Brightline Florida – East-West Connector
Orlando – Cocoa, Florida
Denver Water Northwater Treatment Plant
Golden, Colorado
East Side Access
New York City
Glass City Metropark
Toledo, Ohio
Kew Gardens Interchange Reconstruction
Queens, New York
Northeast Transmission Line
Houston, Texas
Omaha RiverFront Revitalization
Omaha, Nebraska
Perelman Performing Arts Center
New York City
Project 11: Houston Ship Channel Expansion, Segments 1-2
Houston, Texas
Regional Connector Transit Corridor Project Design-Build
Los Angeles
Sphere
Las Vegas
Sterling Natural Resource Center
San Bernardino, California
Two Manhattan West
New York City

2024 OPAL Award Winners

2024 OCEA Award Winners

OPAL Awards Gala

OPAL Gala Past Winners

These individuals crafted engineering wonders that have contributed to the creation of thriving businesses and the local economies of the communities they serve. Lifetime recipients represent a model of achievement to which future generations of engineers aspire to match or exceed.

View all winners

OPAL Gala Sponsorship

The OPAL Awards Gala is civil engineering’s premier event, gathering the profession’s most esteemed leaders for one night to honor remarkable projects and individuals. ASCE appreciates your integral role in the evolution of civil engineering and commitment to the profession. We hope that you will join us as a sponsor of this eminent event as we honor these professionals and industry leaders who have made monumental contributions to the profession.

OPAL Gala on CBS Sunday Morning

One of civil engineering’s highest honors earned a moment in the national spotlight! The ASCE OPAL Gala, otherwise known as the “Oscars of Engineering,” was featured on CBS Sunday Morning. The story included all the action from the red carpet at the 2022 ASCE Convention in California, a spotlight on the 2022’s Outstanding Civil Engineering Achievement award-winning project – Seattle’s Rainier Square and its innovative Speedcore construction technology, which helped speed up construction of the high-rise tower.

OPAL News

2021 OCEA award honors Niagara Falls State Park transformation

The Niagara Falls State Park Transformation Initiative earned the 2021 OCEA award.

Alampalli honored with OPAL Award in government

Sreenivas Alampalli, former director of the Structure Management Bureau for the New...

Barnard honored with OPAL award in design

James L. Barnard has been honored by ASCE as the Outstanding Projects...

ASCE honors de la Garza with OPAL Award in construction

Jesus M. de la Garza has been honored by ASCE as the...

ASCE honors Singh with OPAL Award in education

Vijay P. Singh has been honored by ASCE as the Outstanding Projects...

ASCE recognizes Neimeyer with 2021 OPAL Award

Terry F. Neimeyer, chairman of the board of KCI Technologies Inc., has...

ENR newsmakers list recognizes ASCE members

The latest Engineering News-Record list of Top 25 Newsmakers features two prominent...

Civil engineering excellence recognized with 2021 OPAL leadership awards

The 2021 ASCE OPAL leadership awards recognize outstanding civil engineering achievement.

Information on nominations

Jane Moran Alspach
Director, Honors and Awards
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