Submissions Open for Inaugural 40 Under 40 Awards
The roads and bridges construction industry is filled with experienced leaders who have shaped North America.
They have also trained and mentored a new generation who will help define 21st century infrastructure, especially in the United States, thanks to the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law.
Roads & Bridges wants to highlight these young leaders with its inaugural 40 Under 40 Awards.
Submissions are open, so help us recognize and celebrate outstanding young individuals who are making a name in the road and bridge construction industry.
Roads & Bridges will recognize 40 individuals for their contributions as part of our February 2026 cover feature. This will not be a ranking, but rather a listing of individuals who have shown a capacity for innovation, demonstrated leadership and commitment to making an impact in the design, construction and or maintenance of roads and bridges in North America.
To be eligible for Roads & Bridges’ 40 Under 40, individuals must be 39 years old or younger on Feb. 1, 2026, and they must be nominated by a colleague.
Criteria for selection include:
- Job commitment
- Innovation in their field
- Achievement in their position
- Industry involvement and contribution
While no candidate may possess all criteria, we are looking to reward those who deserve recognition for their efforts.
Click here to submit your nomination and when done, hit “Save & Finalize.” Please note, a confirmation email will be sent.
Deadline for submissions is September 8, 2025, at 11:59 p.m. Eastern. There will be no exceptions for late entrees and no additional materials should be emailed to support the entry. Honorees will be notified on or around Oct. 30 and publicly announced on Jan. 15, 2026.
Questions should be directed to Gavin Jenkins at [email protected]. No phone calls please.
About the Author
Gavin Jenkins, Senior Managing Editor
Senior Managing Editor
Gavin Jenkins is an award-winning journalist based in Pittsburgh. His work has appeared in The New York Times, The Washington Post, The Atlantic, VICE, Narrative.ly, Prevention, the Pittsburgh Tribune-Review and Beijing Review.
In 2020, two stories he wrote for Pitt Med Magazine earned three Golden Quill Awards from the Press Club of Western Pennsylvania. “Surviving Survival” won Excellence in Corporate, Marketing and Promotional Communications – Written, Medical/Health, while “Oct. 27, 2018: Pittsburgh’s Darkest Day, and the Mass Casualty Response” won Excellence in Written Journalism, Magazines – Medical/Health, as well as the Ray Sprigle Memorial Award: Magazines, a Best in Show award.
After graduating from the University of Pittsburgh at Johnstown in 2003, he covered sports for the Bedford Gazette, in Bedford, Pa., and the Martinsville Bulletin, in Martinsville, Va. In 2006, he returned to Pittsburgh to write for Trib Total Media. Based out of the Kittanning Leader Times, he worked for the Trib for two years, and then he moved to Shenzhen, China, to teach English and freelance. After two years in China, he earned an MFA in nonfiction from the University of Pittsburgh.
When he's not at work, he's usually playing with his border-collie mix, Bob.