New Mexico State University
WERC Environmental Design Contest

Next Contest April 4 - 7, 2027

Founded in 1991, the WERC Environmental Design Contest is a national competition that brings students, industry, and government together to tackle real-world environmental challenges. Teams respond to industry-driven RFPs with bold, practical solutions at the intersection of water, energy, and climate.

Top teams are invited to turn their reports into peer-reviewed papers for publication in IEEE Xplore. Join a growing body of 49 published papers and 36 citations, and share your work with a global audience.

Now celebrating 36 years, WERC is where the next generation of engineers turns ideas into impact.

Find out why... INFO WEBINAR FOR PROSPECTIVE TEAMS - Coming in July 2026

• Why Industry/Gov't supports WERC.
• Why/how faculty bring teams from across the continent
• How WERC supports ABET, engineering retention, and licensure 

See Us in Action!

Students at work, play, and everything in between. 

Xplore the Possibilities!

Learn about the IEEE WERC Conference

• The Conference operates independently from the Design Contest and is held as a separate event. 
• Teams entering the contest will be considered for publication in the IEEE Waste-management Education Conference (WERC) in the IEEE Xplore online journal.
• Conference dates: June 8 - 10, 2026

Teams who came in 2026

California Polytechnic State University San Luis Obispo
Central Michigan University
Louisiana State University
Michigan Tech University
New Mexico State University
Ohio University
Rensselaer Polytechnic University
University of Pennsylvania
Washington University in St. Louis

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