The Region 4 Assembly, which includes members of the American Society of Civil Engineers (ASCE) in the states of Arkansas, Indiana, Kentucky, North Carolina, South Carolina, Tennessee, Virginia and West Virginia, sponsors an annual competition and award for a Younger Member who resides within Region 4. A Younger Member is defined as a member, associate member, or affiliate of ASCE (not including student members), not over 35 years of age on February 1, 2026.
The award is named after Daniel V. Terrell of the Kentucky Section. Terrell was Dean of the University of Kentucky College of Engineering and President of ASCE on the Society level in 1954. This award is presented annually for the outstanding paper submitted on a topic established by the Region 4 Assembly. The winner of the D.V. Terrell award receives Society and peer acclaim as well as an impressive bronze plaque and cash prize in recognition of the time and effort put into this competition.
If one chooses to enter the Daniel V. Terrell competition, the paper must be submitted to the Terrell Committee, by the entrant’s Section President, by March 1, 2026. Two (2) papers per Section may be entered in the Daniel V. Terrell Paper Competition. The entrant must then present their paper, in person, during the Spring 2026 Meeting of the Region 4 Assembly tentatively scheduled for April 24, 2026 in Raleigh. Financial assistance to travel and attend this meeting (i.e. travel stipend) may be available from the entrant’s Section and/or Branch, and should be requested by the entrant to their respective Section/Branch (entrant’s registration and award dinner is covered by Region 4). Travel arrangements to the meeting should be coordinated with the entrant’s respective Branch and/or Section.
The Daniel V. Terrell competition topic (same as the topic for the society’s Daniel W. Mead Contest) must address professional ethics with respect to the following question or statement:
Engineering the Public Welfare: How Civil Engineers Engage and Advance Communities Through Ethical Infrastructure Design in accordance with the ASCE Code of Ethics
Civil engineering is not only about the design and construction of vertical and horizontal infrastructure. It is an essential part of shaping communities and building a better quality of life for all persons. In this essay, critically analyze the ethical responsibility of civil engineers to recognize the historical, cultural, and social needs of a community and to incorporate those considerations into their work. Discuss how civil engineers can engage with communities to develop solutions that protect historical and cultural resources, improve access and mobility, and expand economic and social opportunities. Use real-world examples and reflect on how emerging technologies and policies can support these objectives.
The first place award is a bronze plaque and $500. The second place prize is $250.
Competition scoring:
Presentation of Paper - 50% (Delivery and Effectiveness - 30%, Choice of Words, Literary Style Pronunciation and Enunciation - 15%, Timing - 5%)
Content of Paper - 50% (Material - 25%, Acquaintance with subject - Scope - 15%, Originality - Independence - 5%, Arrangement - 5%)
The following rules apply to the Daniel V. Terrell Paper Competition:
No individual may submit more than one paper in a given year.
Please include your ASCE member ID number, your name, and Section/Branch on the paper.
The paper shall be of such length that it can be presented orally in not more than fifteen minutes and contain no more than 2000 words.
Submit one electronic copy of the paper, preferably a PDF, with a cover letter to your Section President so that he/she can meet the submittal deadline. Entrants should coordinate with their respective Section well in advance of the submittal deadline, as the official submittal to the competition must come from the Section. Late submittals will not be accepted. Each Section is limited to two entries.
The paper must be presented orally, by the author, during the Region 4 Assembly at the Spring 2026 meeting, tentatively scheduled for April 24, 2026 in Raleigh, North Carolina.
Reference citations of the papers should conform to official ASCE Journal Submission Guidelines, which can be found on the ASCE Publications website. Plagiarism is not acceptable and reference citations will be considered under scoring for Originality.
For complete rules and information on the Terrell Paper Competition, visit the Region 4 website.
For additional information on the Daniel V. Terrell competition, please contact Jon Keeling or Monica Sartain.
Travel arrangements to the meeting should be coordinated with the entrant's respective Branch and/or Section. Financial assistance may be available.
Download a PDF with the paper's topic and details
Information regarding this competition officially resides at the Region 4 website. Details regarding this competition on the Region 4 website supersede information on this page.
