“Experience is the best teacher.” That quote has been attributed to Julius Caesar. Whether he actually said it or not, the truth of it has held up remarkably well. I once read another definition: “Experience is recognizing a mistake—the second time you make it.” I truly believe that experience is much bigger than our missteps. Experience is what helps us progress. It’s what saves us time. It’s what shapes the way each of us approaches our work and our lives, and it is different for each one of us.
My experiences have shaped me in more ways than I can count. Your experiences have shaped you. When we share our experiences with others, we can help flatten their learning curve and, in some cases, genuinely enrich their lives. Years ago, I said that relationships are, in part, built on shared experiences. I still believe that. Every time we gather as structural engineers, we create a space where our individual experiences turn into something bigger.
Last year, SEI hosted two impactful in-person events: Structures Congress and the Towards Zero Carbon (TZC) Summit and Symposium. This year, SEI is organizing four outstanding experiential opportunities where you can learn, connect, and enrich both your work, and ultimately, the work of others.
SEI’s cornerstone event, Structures Congress 2026, will take place April 30-May 1 at the Westin Boston Seaport District, right in historic Boston. It’s hard to imagine a better setting as our nation celebrates its 250th anniversary and SEI marks its 30th. This year’s Congress technical program is shaping up to be one of the best ever. It offers the chance to learn from subject matter experts, business leaders, and from the young professionals whose energy and vision push our profession forward. For an inside look at how the profession evolves and how design guidance takes shape, sit in on one or more of the 30 in-person technical and professional committee meetings taking place the day before Congress begins. Students, academics, and practitioners at all stages of their careers are all welcome.
On April 29, immediately before the 2026 Congress, SEI will host the 2nd annual SE 2050 Signatory Summit, also in Boston. This event convenes structural engineers committed to reducing embodied carbon and advancing sustainability in practice. Led by the SE 2050 Committee, industry experts, and Recognition Program Firms, the Summit focuses on practical strategies—tools, resources, emerging trends, and real-world implementation. Whether your firm has already signed on to the SE 2050 Commitment Program or is considering it, the Summit will be a meaningful way to enrich your practice and engage with your peers.
In June, SEI will host the Embodied Carbon Bootcamp at the University of Cincinnati. This two-day experience combines lecture-style learning with hands on workshops incorporating the new SEI Prestandard for Assessing the Embodied Carbon of Structural Systems for Buildings. Whether you’re building foundational knowledge or refining existing practice, the Bootcamp offers a direct, interactive way to grow—and to help others grow alongside you.
This year marks a new milestone in the partnership between SEI and the Institution of Structural Engineers (IStructE). Collectively, our two organizations represent nearly 60,000 structural engineers in over 100 countries and are at the forefront of structural sustainability, resilience, and carbon reduction. On November 5, SEI and IStructE will hold a hybrid symposium, in London, titled “Sustainable Structures of the Future: Innovation and Impact.” On November 6, SEI and IStructE will host a facilitated roundtable discussion for senior business leaders to inform the direction of future sustainability initiatives: “Leading Change in Structural Design.”
Looking ahead, SEI is teaming with ASCE’s other institutes to host ASCE2027: The Infrastructure Engineering Experience in Philadelphia. This will be the largest civil engineering event in the world and an opportunity to engage across disciplines, sectors, and regions in a way that strengthens all of us.
Each of these gatherings share the same purpose: to bring us together to learn, to connect, to form relationships, and to enrich each other’s lives. In-person experiences allow for spontaneous collaboration, immersive learning, and impromptu networking that can be difficult to replicate in a virtual environment. In addition to these national and even international opportunities, make sure you’re also taking advantage of the opportunities available to you at your state and local level. Attend your section, branch, or chapter meetings. Engage with student chapters. Join a committee. Every time you show up, you strengthen our community and help shape the experience of someone else.
Experience is the best teacher—and when we share our experiences, we enrich one another. I look forward to the experiences we’ll share together in the year ahead.
About the Author
Ed Huston is a practicing registered Structural Engineer in Washington and six other states. He is the SEI Fiscal Year 2026 President of SEI.