Mahtab Barazandeh
Mark your calendar — Autodesk University 2025 is coming to Nashville, September 16–18, and it’s your opportunity to connect, learn, and discover how technology is transforming the future.
Every year, AU brings together innovators from across architecture, engineering, construction, manufacturing, media, and — of course — the water industry. At AU 2025, the water track offers a unique chance to dive into the latest tools, workflows, and real-world success stories driving digital transformation in the water industry from drainage design, storm, sewer, and flood management, to water distribution modeling and operations, and water asset management.
AU is more than a conference. It’s where the global community of Design and Make professionals comes together. You’ll meet people who have been coming to AU for many years, and you may be surprised at some of the things you see around every corner – like a dog park, an arcade, interactive exhibits, and lots of live entertainment. Simply put: It’s not just a great place to learn about innovation, it’s also a lot of fun.
General sessions & keynotes: The big stage unfolds
AU 2025 opens with a high-energy General Session on Tuesday, September 16, 9:00–10:30 AM CT (Nashville time). Autodesk CEO Andrew Anagnost, with fellow industry leaders, will spotlight how AI and the Design & Make platform are redefining how we work and innovate.
Right after, from 1:30–2:30 PM, the Autodesk AI Keynote puts AI front and center. Expect deep dives into today’s AI capabilities and a look at what’s next from CTO Raji Arasu and SVP Mike Haley.
The next day (Wednesday), the AECO Industry Keynote (11:00 AM–12:00 PM) gathers Autodesk’s AEC leadership, including Amy Bunszel, Nicolas Mangon, Alissa Briggs, and Racel Amour, to unpack trends in BIM, collaboration, and cloud-integrated workflows that are reshaping architecture, engineering, and operations
Water track highlights
In the water track, you’ll:
- Learn from industry leaders tackling the biggest challenges in end-to-end water management from planning and design to real-time operations and asset management.
- Explore cutting-edge workflows using Autodesk’s portfolio for planning, designing, building, and operating water infrastructure.
- Experience live demos that show how data, AI, and digital twins are transforming the water lifecycle.
- Connect with peers who are shaping a more resilient and sustainable future.
This year’s water track features a mix of industry talks, technical instruction, case studies, and product demonstrations. Here’s a glimpse of what’s in store:
- AECO Water Roadmap: Get an inside look at Autodesk’s vision for water solutions and where we’re heading next.
- Technical sessions and case studies: See how global utilities and engineering firms are solving complex water challenges with innovative technology.
- Hands-on product demos: Discover how to optimize water asset management, streamline design workflows, and model more efficiently with Autodesk’s connected tools. If you are not familiar with Autodesk software solutions for Water, visit our product portfolio.
Tuesday: All the water-related sessions
| Time | Event name | Type | Topic |
|---|---|---|---|
| 11:00-12:00 | Flow with the Pros to Understand Civil 3D and InfoDrainage Integration | Technical instruction | Drainage design |
| 12:30-1:00 | Avoid Death by a Thousand Cuts: Quantifying and Reducing Background Leakage Using InfoWater Pro | Product demo | Water distribution |
| 12:30-1:00 | Rebuilding Porto Alegre, Brazil: InfoWorks ICM, Civil 3D, and InfraWorks workflow for climate-resilient infrastructure design | Case study | Infrastructure design, Connected workflows |
| 3:00-3:30 | Dynamo-Driven Automation: Simplifying Hydraulic Modeling with ICM, WS Pro and InfoAsset Manager | Product demo | Connected workflows |
| 3:00-3:30 | Democratising Machine Learning Catchment Modelling: From Simulation to Surrogates | Technical instruction | AI, Machine learning |
| 3:00-3:30 | Mastering Catchment Creation in Civil 3D for Powerful Hydrology Simulations in InfoDrainage (New Game-Changing Features) | Product demo | Drainage design |
| 4:30-5:30 | AECO Water Roadmap | Product demo | Roadmap |
Wednesday: All the water-related sessions
| Time | Event name | Type | Topic |
|---|---|---|---|
| 12:30-1:00 | Building Catchment Models in InfoWorks ICM With Speed | Technical instruction | Stormwater and flood |
| 12:30-1:00 | 2D Or Not 2D? That is the Question | Case study | Stormwater and flood |
| 12:30-1:00 | From Data to Safety: Predicting Floods, Protecting Lives | Case study | Stormwater and flood |
| 2:00-2:30 | Smarter Drainage Design for a Resilient Future (Without Drowning in Data) | Industry talk | Drainage design |
Thursday: All the water-related sessions
Final schedules are available on the AU 2025 website. Check it for the most up-to-date times and room assignments.
Visit us at the AECO booth
The AECO Booth at the Expo is your hub for all things water at AU. Step into an interactive space designed to show how Autodesk helps teams plan faster, design smarter, and collaborate seamlessly:
- The Collaboration Hub: Explore real-world examples of connected workflows across the project lifecycle.
- 1:1 product demos: Chat with Autodesk water experts and see the tools in action.
- The Autodesk Water Tower: A unique, sensory-driven experience featuring robotics, refreshments, and live infrastructure software demos you won’t want to miss.
Socializing & community: Meetups, parties, and connections
Learning doesn’t stop when sessions end. AU is also a hub for community and fun. Here’s what’s happening in the social sphere:
- Design & Make Celebration: On the final evening (Thursday night), join the main event, a signature social celebration where networking, refreshments, and good vibes come together. Do you like the band Train? They’ll be performing their hits.
- Digital Twin Meetup: If digital twins excite you, don’t miss the “Digital Twin Meetup”, an in-person gathering packed with conversation, insight, and peer connections.
Will you be coming to AU?
AU 2025 is happening September 16–18 in Nashville, Tennessee — and it’s shaping up to be an unforgettable gathering for water professionals. Want to join us? Tickets are still available, with discounts for education and government employees. Can’t make it to Nashville? Grab a free digital pass.👇