Modeling Confluence Conference: Organizing Committee
- Co-Chair: Saki Handa, Optimatics
- Co-Chair: Sri Kamojjala, Las Vegas Valley Water District (LVVWD)
- Committee Member: Ahmed Abokifa, University of Illinois Chicago
- Committee Member: Luke Butler, Iterating
- Committee Member: Caleb Buahin, Hazen and Sawyer
- Committee Member: Bob Dickinson, SWMM Enablement
- Committee Member: Mike Gregory, Computational Hydraulics International (CHI)
- Committee Member: Terra Haxton, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (U.S. EPA)
- Committee Member: Mitch Heineman, CDM Smith
- Committee Member: Scott Jeffers, Anthropocene Engineering
- Committee Member: Masoud MahdiSoltani, CDM Smith
- Committee Member: Robert Traver, Villanova Center for Resilient Water Systems
- Committee Member: Tom Walski, Bentley Systems
- Committee Member: Corinne Wiesner-Friedman, Jacobs
- Committee Member: Hyoungmin Woo, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (U.S. EPA)
A Message from the Modeling Confluence Conference Organizing Committee
It is with great pleasure that we welcome you to the Modeling Confluence Conference 2027. This year marks a significant milestone in our collective journey, reflecting decades of evolution in how we model, manage, and protect our vital water systems. Today, we find ourselves navigating an increasingly complex landscape where traditional hydrologic assumptions no longer hold, demand is surging, and ecological systems face unprecedented strain. Meeting these modern challenges requires a unified approach, cutting-edge technology, and seamless collaboration across every corner of our industry.
Our program this year is designed around five core pillars:
Uniting the Modeling Community: We are bringing together distribution, collection, wastewater, and stormwater modelers, researchers, practitioners, utilities, software developers, and regulators to create a truly comprehensive, shared forum.
Harnessing AI & Emerging Technologies: We will explore how modelers can responsibly adopt, evaluate, and co-exist with AI-enabled tools and advanced automation—ensuring technological progress enhances, rather than replaces, sound engineering judgment and public trust.
Bridging Research & Practice: We are intentionally connecting academic innovation with real-world utility needs, consulting applications, workforce development, and actionable project outcomes.
Empowering Through Training: Designed for professionals across all skill levels, our sessions offer dedicated space to strengthen core modeling fundamentals while mastering advanced concepts, workflows, and modern tools.
Advancing Integrated Collaboration: We are actively fostering cross-sector coordination among EWRI committees and key partner organizations to build a broader, fully integrated water modeling community.
Watersheds and urban water infrastructure remain our most powerful frameworks for understanding complex systems and coordinating meaningful action. Fostering trust in scientific processes, maintaining transparency, and working collaboratively across disciplines are central to our shared success.
Thank you for your continued dedication to this field and for joining us to shape the future of water modeling. We look forward to a thoughtful, collaborative, and inspiring week together.
Environmental & Water Resources Institute of ASCE
Created in 1999, the Environmental & Water Resources Institute (EWRI) is the recognized leader within ASCE for the integration of technical expertise and public policy in the planning, design, construction, and operation of environmentally sound and sustainable infrastructure impacting air, land and water resources.