Join us for YP Tuesday at ACE 2026 and get involved in all of these events!
Sponsored by:
Tuesday, June 23 • 8:30 am – 10:00 am
This annual professional networking breakfast gives students, recent graduates, and young professionals the opportunity to network and be mentored by experienced environmental professionals and each other. For established professionals, this is a great opportunity to connect with the industry’s next generation of rising stars.
Advance registration and sign-up for A&WMA Mentoring Program required.
YP/Introductory Technical Sessions
Become familiar with current environmental technology and find out how the different disciplines are connected. This year's topics include:
• End-of-Life Strategies for Renewable Energy Technologies
Tuesday, June 23, 10:00 am – 12:00 pm
• Solutions for Permitting in a Changing Regulatory Landscape
Tuesday, June 23, 1:30 pm – 3:30 pm
• Artificial Intelligence (AI) Applications in the Environmental Field
Tuesday, June 23, 4:00 pm – 6:00 pm
Young Professional/Student Networking Reception
Sponsored by:
Tuesday, June 23 • 7:00 pm – 9:00 pm
Cooper's Old Time Pit Bar-B-Que (Llano Room), 217 Congress Ave.
Cost: $35. Tickets must be purchased in advance.
Join A&WMA students and young professionals for a fun evening of networking. This popular event brings together many students, YPs, and seasoned professionals in a fun, casual environment. A family-owned and operated barbecue restaurant, Cooper's has served hundreds of thousands of customers in Texas over the years.
The YP Hub
The YP Hub serves as a lounge to relax and unwind after technical sessions and learn, share, connect, and collaborate. YP Hub events include meet-and-greets with professionals, regulators, and VIPs, exhibitor demonstrations, and more.
Student Events
Student Poster Competition
Students will present their posters to the judges during this year’s Student Poster Competition. The competition recognizes student posters to be the best among those considered in the undergraduate, masters, and doctoral categories. Awards for exceptional posters will be provided at the Student Awards Ceremony and Reception.
Environmental Challenge International (ECi) Competition
Student teams participate in a competition where they devise an environmental solution to a real-world problem and gain experience with proposing effective solutions taking into consideration site conditions, multiple parties' needs, and external events.
ECi Poster Judging will be on Monday, June 22 and final presentations will be on Wednesday, June 23, followed by the Student Awards Ceremony and Reception.
Sponsored by:
Monday, June 22 • 9:30 am – 10:00 am
Students participating in the Student Paper, Student Poster Competition, and the Environmental Challenge International (ECi) are invited to meet and network with fellow students from around the world. Poster setup guidelines and ECi rules will be reviewed and attendees can enjoy light refreshments.
Monday, June 22 • 10:00 am - 11:30 am
Get the inside scoop from distinguished professionals working in different parts of the environmental field as they share their career experiences and answer questions in this interactive and enlightening panel.
Student Awards Ceremony and Reception
Sponsored by:
Tuesday, June 23 • 5:00 pm – 6:00 pm
All students and professionals participating with the Student Program are invited to the Student Awards Ceremony and Reception, which will honor exceptional students who have received scholarships, poster awards, platform paper awards, thesis and dissertation awards, and ECi awards.