THE NEXT STEP

Company Registration

This annual, free event held in Washington, DC is a great opportunity for engineering students and graduate engineers to learn more about the opportunities in the structural engineering profession, connect with other local structural engineering students, meet with local professionals, participate in the career fair, and get exposure to future potential employers. The program will include presentations by local engineers and a keynote speech. Presentations will touch on a variety of introductory and in-depth topics within the field of Structural Engineering. There will also be a career fair attended by many of the premier local and global structural engineering firms; and an evening mocktail reception hosted by Younger Members Group.

Please note that there will be a 100 attendees limit for Next Step 2026, with registration on a first-come, first-served basis.

Date

September 18, 2026

Time

9:00AM - 4:00PM

Location

20 F St. NW, Washington, DC 20001

Registration Deadline

September 11, 2026

Anchor Sponsor 

Breakfast Sponsor

Keynote Speaker

Wayne Stocks 

R. Wayne Stocks has over 38 years of experience in structural engineering design, historic preservation, and executive leadership. He spent 38 years leading complex design and design-build projects across the Washington, D.C. area. As President of Thornton Tomasetti, Wayne guided the global firm’s strategy, corporate risk, and inclusive culture. His notable regional projects include Nationals Park, the Walter E. Washington Convention Center, the Washington Monument Restorations, the Johns Hopkins Hospital Expansion, CityCenterDC, the Martin Luther King Jr. National Memorial, and the modernization of federal structures including the USDA, DOI, Main Treasury, and Cannon House Office Building.

Wayne earned his B.S. in Civil Engineering at North Carolina State University (1986) and his M.S. in Structural Engineering at The University of Texas at Austin. He is a licensed Professional Engineer in Maryland and Virginia and is LEED AP certified.

As Thornton Tomasetti's first president located outside the firm's headquarters, Wayne fostered a collaborative, inclusive leadership style valuing mentorship, transparency, and personal connection. He served as Executive Advocate for Thornton Tomasetti's Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion (EDI) program, actively supporting grassroots employee network groups such as Women@TT, Mosaic, and Spectrum. In recognition of his lasting contributions to the built environment, firm leadership, and community service, Wayne was honored with the SEA-MW 2026 Outstanding Achievement Award.

Wayne’s career-long commitment to service spans local and global initiatives. Beginning with two years in the Peace Corps building fish ponds and small structures in Nepal (1989), he went on to serve as a governor on the Thornton Tomasetti Foundation. He served on the SEA-MW Board of Directors during a pivotal period of growth and has spent years inspiring future engineers by teaching about structures in earthquake regions using a homemade shake table for the Arlington Public Schools Summer Laureate Program. Additionally, he has engaged with students through the ACE Mentor Program, the District Architecture Center, and senior design studios at NC State, while actively supporting community initiatives like CANstruction, Breakthrough T1D (JFRF Real Estate Games), and Cycle for Survival to raise funds for rare cancer research. In retirement, Wayne continues building pedestrian trail bridges with Fika (formerly Bridges to Prosperity) in rural Rwanda to connect isolated communities with essential healthcare, education, and markets.

Companies at Career Fair:

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