STEER was conceived by structural engineering graduate students at The University of texas at Austin as a forum to discuss engineering issues with practicing engineers. The original STEER was held in 1985 and resulted in an enormously successful exchange of ideas between engineering graduate students, faculty, and practicing engineers. STEER was held again in 1993 in honor of the late Dr. Robert J.G. MacGregor, and in 1997 to recognize the retirement and to celebrate the careers of Dr. Ned H. Burns and Dr. Richard W. Furlong.

STEER 2003 was held in conjunction with the Department of Civil Engineering's Centennial Celebration, and included the Robert J.G. MacGregor Memorial Lecture. There were also sessions containing presentations by alumni representing various career paths in structural engineering, and technical presentations by current graduate students, faculty that have joined the department since STEER 1997, and alumni on current research and innovative design projects.