Engineering Influence from ACEC

Change Management in the AEC Industry

In this episode of the Engineering Influence podcast, we sit down with Betsy Bond from Prosci to discuss the importance of good change management in the AEC industry. In today’s rapidly evolving engineering landscape, even the best technical solutions can fall short if organizations struggle to adopt and sustain change.
Leaders need the skills to guide teams through transitions, reduce resistance, and ensure new processes, technologies, and strategies deliver their intended value.
ACEC is excited to partner with Prosci to offer their Change Management Certification Program, a world-class, immersive learning experience designed to equip engineering professionals with the tools, expertise, and ongoing support needed to lead successful organizational change.
Learn More & Register Now: https://www.acec.org/education-events/education/online-education/prosci-change-management-certification/

The Market Edge: Housing Affordability

In this episode, Diana O’Lare sits down with Phil Crone, Vice President of State and Regulatory Affairs at Leading Builders of America, for an in-depth conversation on the U.S. housing affordability crisis—and what political and regulatory hurdles exist.
Together, they unpack the real-world challenges driving up costs and limiting supply, including permitting delays and the need for reform, the growing burden of regulatory and compliance costs, and how factors like institutional buyers and workforce shortages are reshaping the housing market. They also explore the evolving role of energy efficiency requirements, as well as the design, infrastructure, and construction innovations that could help accelerate production and expand access to more attainable homes.
Tune in for a thoughtful discussion on the policies and solutions that can help make housing more affordable for more Americans.

AI, Power & the Future of Data Centers

On this episode of the Engineering Influence Podcast, host Diana O’Lare sits down with Peter Nabhan to explore how artificial intelligence—particularly GPU-driven workloads—is reshaping the future of data center development. As AI adoption accelerates, demand for power is surging, fueling the rise of massive, campus-scale data center projects across the U.S.
The conversation dives into the evolving strategies of hyperscalers and co-location providers, the growing strain on the electric grid, and the increasing role of on-site power generation. Diana and Peter also unpack the critical engineering challenges around cooling, water usage, and sustainability, while spotlighting the top U.S. markets seeing the most rapid growth.
Finally, they tackle the big question facing the industry: Are we heading toward an oversupply of data centers—or is this simply the next major technology cycle transforming the built environment?
Read the Market Intelligence Data Brief: https://www.acec.org/resource/special-edition-data-centers-market-intelligence-brief-fall-2025/

Culture, Strategy, and Shared Success: RS&H’s Lisa Robert on Employee Ownership

In this episode of ACEC’s Engineering Influence podcast, RS&H CEO Lisa Robert offers an in-depth look at the firm’s expanding journey into employee ownership and how it’s reshaping every corner of the organization. Robert explains why broadening participation through all-associate stock offerings has become a powerful cultural engine—strengthening retention, enhancing recruitment, and creating a deeper sense of shared purpose across teams. By giving employees a true stake in the company’s future, RS&H is fostering a more entrepreneurial, engaged, and client-focused workforce.
She also provides an inside perspective on RS&H’s 2030 “Amplify” strategy, a long-range plan designed to position the firm for resilient, sustainable growth. Robert highlights the strategy’s central pillars, including an intensified focus on the firm’s core strengths in transportation and aviation, expanded innovation capacity, and long-term value creation for clients and communities.
Throughout the conversation, she illustrates how employee ownership integrates seamlessly into this vision—fueling accountability, empowering decision-making, and reinforcing the firm’s commitment to lasting community impact.

The New Industrial Revolution: Mike Walsh on AI, Digital Workers, and the Future of Engineering

At the 2025 ACEC Fall Conference in San Diego, global futurist, author, and CEO of Tomorrow, Mike Walsh delivers a compelling vision for how artificial intelligence is fundamentally reshaping the business of engineering. Walsh explains why we are entering a new industrial revolution—one driven not by mechanical automation, but by the emergence of digital workers capable of reasoning, making decisions, and executing specialized tasks once performed exclusively by humans.
He breaks down the core strategic shifts engineering firms must embrace to thrive in this rapidly evolving landscape. He highlights the growing importance of unique, proprietary data as the foundation for competitive advantage, and explores how digital twins can transform planning, modeling, and real-time operations. He also challenges firms to rethink the very nature of work, describing how leaders can redesign processes to maximize the complementary strengths of both people and machines.
Throughout the conversation, Walsh offers practical guidance for engineering executives, project managers, and technical teams looking to adopt AI not simply as a tool, but as a catalyst for innovation and organizational reinvention. From reshaping client services to optimizing project delivery and cultivating new forms of expertise, he outlines clear pathways for firms to use AI to accelerate performance and build long-term strategic value.
This episode provides a forward-looking roadmap for anyone in the engineering industry seeking to understand the profound changes reshaping the profession—and how visionary leaders can harness AI to build a more adaptive, resilient, and future-ready organization.

Transforming Geotechnical Engineering: Bentley, Seequent, and the Future of Real-Time Data

In this episode of Engineering Influence, we take a deep dive into how Bentley Systems’ and Seequent are bringing together more than just technology. Our guests explain how real-time subsurface data sharing is transforming design workflows, enhancing collaboration between field teams and engineers, and laying the groundwork for more robust digital twin capabilities across the entire project lifecycle.
The conversation explores the next generation of design automation through innovations such as OpenSite+, AI-driven Copilots, grading optimization tools, and automated drawing production. The guests also address critical topics including data governance, security policies, and how cloud-based platforms ensure trust and transparency in an increasingly digital workflow. Together, they paint a clear picture of how these technologies accelerate project delivery, reduce risk, elevate design quality, and make sophisticated engineering tools accessible to firms of every size.

From Technical to Transformational: Apurva Sawant’s Road to Project Leadership

In this episode of Engineering Influence, we sit down with Apurva Sawant, a transportation project manager at Jacobs, whose professional and personal journey spans continents, disciplines, and leadership roles. Apurva reflects on her early years in India, where an unexpected spark of curiosity led her toward engineering—a field that would eventually guide her across the world to the United States. She shares how Denver, with its thriving infrastructure community and opportunities for growth, became the place she chose to call home.
Apurva opens up about the pivotal mentors who helped shape her path, offering insight into how thoughtful guidance supported her shift from hands-on technical work to managing complex projects and leading diverse teams. She discusses what it means to build confidence in your expertise, how to recognize your potential, and why strong mentorship can make all the difference—especially for young professionals navigating the early stages of their careers.
Throughout the conversation, Apurva provides actionable advice for rising engineers: be proactive, ask questions early and often, embrace collaboration, and seek out mentors who challenge and support you. She also shares her broader vision as a project leader—driving work that meaningfully improves communities, from safer transportation systems to more accessible infrastructure, while inspiring the next generation of engineering professionals.
This episode offers an honest and motivating look at career growth, leadership development, and the power of building supportive networks within the engineering industry.

Engineering Passion and Purpose: NCEES Scholarship Recipient, Evan Lopez on His Path Forward

At the 2025 ACEC Fall Conference, we sit down with ACEC Scholarship recipient Evan Lopez, whose journey from Rutgers University to Clemson University reflects both determination and a deepening passion for solving real-world engineering challenges. In this episode, Evan opens up about how he discovered industrial engineering, why the discipline’s blend of systems thinking and practical problem-solving resonated with him, and the professors, mentors, and academic programs that pushed him to grow beyond the classroom.
Evan also shares his emerging career focus on geothermal energy—a field he believes will play a transformative role in the nation’s clean-energy transition. He talks about the increasing need for engineers who can integrate technical expertise with sustainability goals, and why hands-on experience in labs, co-ops, and fieldwork is essential for the next generation of engineering professionals.
We discuss how the ACEC scholarship is not just financial support but a catalyst for Evan’s long-term ambitions: securing competitive internships, pursuing his master’s degree, and ultimately earning his Professional Engineer license. His story highlights how early investment in young engineers fuels innovation, broadens the talent pipeline, and strengthens the future of the industry.
Tune in for a conversation about mentorship, emerging energy technologies, and the opportunities that shape tomorrow’s engineering leaders.