Dehradun Diaries: The ASCE Symposium

ASCE India hosts its national level student symposium every year. The symposium includes competitions in various categories and attracts students from across the country. This year, the event was jointly hosted by University of Petroleum and Energy Studies (UPES), Dehradun, and Punjab Engineering College (PEC) during March 25–28.

This year, our student chapter wanted to make a presence at such national events and planned to send a team of eight students. The initial planning went well, registrations were completed, and the students were motivated to attend. The management also supported the effort by offering partial funding. The plan was to attend the program at UPES from 25–27 March 2026.

However, this was not an ideal time for us. It was the semester end, and assignments, series tests, lab exams, and project expos all came together. Many had to drop out at the last minute. Finally, two of us from S6, Abiram B Krishna and Ananthakrishnan V S, headed to UPES on the 25th. The competition submissions were also completed at the last minute.

There is something different about competing at a national level - the energy is higher, the stakes feel bigger, and the hilly terrain adds to the challenge. We participated in the Survey competition. We spent our time navigating the site and focusing on getting our measurements right while working against the clock. It was not just about using the instruments, but also about trusting each other’s data and making quick decisions as a team.

Beyond the technical work, we met many students who share the same interest in civil engineering. The symposium pamphlet we picked up at the start is now a bit crumpled, but it reminds us of a weekend where we began to feel like practicing engineers.

Though we did not make it to the top list, we gained valuable experience. We are confident this will help us participate better in the next symposium and perform well.

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Ananthakrishnan V S, S6 CE