Dr. Yvette E. Pearson’s extraordinary achievements of leaders in engineering education, construction, design, government and management are being recognized by the American Society of Civil Engineers (ASCE) with the 2026 Outstanding Projects and Leaders (OPAL) Award for Education.
The OPAL Award for education recognizes those with demonstrated excellence in furthering civil engineering education, something Dr. Pearson has exemplified throughout her 30-year career in higher education. Dr. Pearson’s work in ethics, sustainability and user-centered universal design are just a few of the accomplishments that earned her this award. Her impact is evident beyond administrative roles, but also through her mentorship, speaking engagements and her book, “Making a Difference: How Being Your Best Self Can Influence, Inspire and Impel Change“.
Redefining What an Engineer Looks Like
Dr. Pearson’s own journey challenged conventional perceptions about who can be an engineer. “If you were to take me back to high school and look at me on paper, a student who struggled in math and also a Black, disabled girl, I didn’t necessarily fit the description most people have in mind when they think of an engineer,” Dr. Pearson says. With the support of her mother, Geraldine, Dr. Pearson successfully pursued engineering and is dedicated to representation in the STEM fields. “My work in higher education has focused on making sure other ‘Yvettes’ don’t fall through the cracks… because they don’t have ‘Geraldines’ at home,” Dr. Pearson says.
While her passion is demonstrated through outreach, mentoring, and leadership, Dr. Pearson has focused more heavily on challenging and changing the systems that produce marginalization. Her research and lived experience have informed changes in policies and practices of global STEM organizations. Her aim is to engineer a better future. “Teaching future engineers how to fulfill their ethical and professional responsibilities to serve all of society will produce the paradigm shift needed to reduce the disparate outcomes of engineering solutions,” Dr. Pearson said.
Meaningful Recognition of Lifetime Achievement
ASCE describes the OPAL Award as a lifetime achievement, recognizing outstanding leaders in engineering. For Dr. Pearson, the recognition is deeply affirming and prompted her to reflect on her 30-year career. Honors like this serve as reminders that reinforce her purpose and impact, even on some of the toughest days. “That’s what the award did for me that day,” Dr. Pearson says, describing her reaction when she received the phone call about the OPAL Award. “A reminder that something I have done for someone along the road made a difference and mattered.”
Advice for the Next Generation
When asked about what she finds most fulfilling, Dr. Pearson emphasized the “trajectories of my former students,” citing stories of former students returning as CEOs to help guide current student projects. Dr. Pearson takes a holistic approach with her students, sometimes putting down the PowerPoint slides to focus on life lessons and a genuine human connection. “There is something fulfilling about imparting knowledge, whether it’s textbook knowledge or other knowledge,” Dr. Pearson says.
Dr. Pearson offers a few pieces of advice. The first is to never stop learning. As she puts it, “Anything that’s not growing is dead, we must always need to continue to grow.” The next is don’t let fear stop you. Dr. Pearson encourages, “A lot of times we don’t want to try something different or new because of fear, and that severely limits our possibilities.”
“As engineers, we are always taught to think outside the box. My advice is to avoid boxes altogether,” Dr. Pearsons says. “Even if you’re outside the box, it’s there as a reminder of constraints, so avoid boxes.”
The Path Forward
Dr. Pearson’s legacy goes above and beyond the awards she has received. It is the students she has reached, the families motivated by her steadfast care and the colleagues inspired by her advocacy. In her words: “We need the voices that speak up for what’s right and that make sure we’re advancing engineering education and practice in a way that serves everyone.”
Congratulations to Dr. Yvette E. Pearson on this well-deserved honor. Your leadership and dedication continue to shape and elevate the future of engineering.
