IGS-NA Announces Markus Wilke Webinar: Erosion Control with Geosynthetics

Wilke WebinarIGS North America Presents:
Erosion Control with Geosynthetics
Presented by Markus Wilke, HUESKER

Date: Tuesday, May 29, 2018 @ 1:00 – 2:30pm EDT (includes Q&A time)

Registration Cost:
$20.00* – IGS-NA Members | $80.00 – Non-members
* IGS-NA Members receive one FREE webinar coupon on paying annual dues

EARN 1 PDH

Presenter: Markus Wilke, HUESKER

REGISTER TODAY

Erosion Control with Geosynthetics

Erosion is a natural process, resulting from the interaction between water and soil. Unfortunately, this can cause severe damage to infrastructure and endanger people’s lives. Culverts, roads, bridge foundations, embankments, landfill slopes, MSE walls, and other critical pieces of infrastructure are susceptible. With greater urbanization occurring around the world and population centers swelling along coastlines and rivers, the collective need to better manage erosion threats has intensified.

Geosynthetics provide highly engineered solutions for solving all of these erosion problems.

DOWNLOAD EVENT PDF

Key Topics Include:

  • Naturally occurring erosion processes
  • Available geosynthetic product and system approaches
  • Geosynthetic mitigation measures
  • Case studies

IGS North America’s Erosion Control Webinar Series is ideal for environmental engineers, infrastructure-owning agencies, design engineers, municipal engineers, regulators, general contractors, and other stakeholders.

Interested participants can apply online. Please send questions to info@IGS-NA.org or call +1 561 768 9487.

Markus WilkePresenter Bio: Markus Wilke is an engineer and business development manager with HUESKER, one of the world’s oldest and largest geosynthetic manufacturing and design engineering companies. Wilke brings more than a decade of experience to the presentation, including a very deep background in hydraulic engineering and coastal protection and remediation. He has published extensively on topics such as dewatering, port maintenance, bank stabilization, and waterway engineering.

IGS-NA Opens First Ever Photo Contest!

igs-na-photocontest-samplepicIGS-NA is proud to announce the opening of its first ever Photo Contest to all members of IGS North America. The contest will be open from January 24 until Feb 20, 2017.

Take advantage of this great opportunity to demonstrate geosynthetics in action! All entries should include a photo title, description, and photo credit. First, second, and third place winners will be announced on Tuesday, March 14th during the General Assembly held at Geotechnical Frontiers 2017.

Photos should clearly display a geosynthetic type/function in use. Photos should provide a clear understanding of what geosynthetic type/function or event is being demonstrated. Contestants must be an IGS-NA member in good standing.

These photos will be used to promote the exemplary work of the geosynthetics community, raise awareness of the importance of your expertise, and add to the beneficial dialogue between professionals and the larger engineering community. Credit to the winning submissions will be given. Promote your work. Promote your field.

SUBMIT YOUR PHOTOS HERE

Thank you for your participation!

For questions about the IGS-NA Photo Contest please contact Becky Slaybaugh at info@igs-na.org.

Geotechnical Frontiers 2017 – Bringing #Geotechnical & #Geosynthetics Engineering Together

Geotechnical Frontiers 2017

Innovation and Collaboration in Technology and Practice
Geotechnical Frontiers 2017 is a must-attend event for the geotechnical, civil engineering, and geosynthetic communities.

The IGS-North America in concert with IFAI and the GeoInstitute will host Geotechnical Frontiers 2017.   This unique conference brings together professionals from three different, leading organizations in the geotechnical, geosynthetic and environmental engineering communities.  If you are looking for an event with an extensive technical scope and international networking this is the event for you!

IGS North America members receive discounted pricing, if your not a member Join Now to receive this benefit!

Connect with more than 2,000 geotechnical professionals representing all facets of the geotechnical industry during Geotechnical Frontiers 2017. Immerse yourself in a sea of knowledge through a full schedule of short courses, workshops, training lectures, plenary sessions, technical papers, and panel discussions presented by experts in the field. Walk the show floor to see the latest developments in geotechnical products and services offered by the industry’s top companies and organizations. Plan for plenty of opportunities to network and socialize.

The trade show and all of events and education will be held at the Hyatt Regency Orlando, convenient to airports, hotels and major attractions.

Visit the conference web site to learn more: http://geotechnicalfrontiers.com

 

 

Sales Workshop at GeoAmericas 2016

Instructor: GARY ROSS
Oldcastle APG
Wednesday, 13 April 2016 – 10:15 am – 1:15pm
“Smart Prospecting, Simplified”

When planning your staff travel, please consider which members would benefit from this complimentary, 3-hour sales workshop held immediately after the close of the exhibition.

GeoAmericas 2016 is proud to present a bonus session for exhibitors! Attend a 3-hour sales workshop led by Gary Ross, to be held immediately after the close of the exhibit hall.

ross-gary_Head137x168Gary Ross is the Director of Sales Training & Coaching and is a Motivational Speaker for Oldcastle APG. He holds a Bachelor of Science Degree in Human Resource Management from Palm Beach Atlantic University, and earned his certificate in Supervisory Development from the University of Notre Dame.

Prior to his role as Director of Sales Training & Coaching, Gary was the Vice President of Sales & Marketing for Coastal, an Oldcastle Company based in Florida. He has over 38 years of sales experience including 13 years in Sales Management.

Gary resides in West Palm Beach, Florida with his wife, Daryl.

The Sales Workshop – “Smart Prospecting, Simplified” will focus on:

  1. Developing a better message to get your prospect to call you back and schedule an appointment
  2. The importance of being relentless in your follow up
  3. The idea to Probe more, pitch less
  4. The value of making one more sales call and who you should target

Full information on GeoAmericas 2016, including registration, venue, and social/networking opportunities can be found at www.GeoAmericas2016.org.
 

LEARN MORE ABOUT WORKSHOP

 
geoamericas2016_logo_withtag_lg_4c
Full information on GeoAmericas 2016, including registration, venue, and social/networking opportunities can be found at www.GeoAmericas2016.org.

Coastal Protection Engineering at GeoAmericas 2016

20101stplacewinnerThe 3rd Pan-American Conference on Geosynthetics (GeoAmericas 2016) will be held 10 – 13 April 2016 in Miami at the Loews Miami Beach Hotel. This quadrennial regional conference from the International Geosynthetics Society (IGS) features 3.5 days of high-quality geotechnical and civil engineering short courses, technical sessions, panel discussions, training lectures, keynote addresses, and networking in a sold out international exhibit hall.

Geosynthetic materials are used extensively in coastal protection projects. The modern geotextiles industry, in fact, emerged in the 1950s in response to flooding in the Netherlands and tropical storm damage in the United States. Since then, a large industry and innovative coastal designs have come along. Geosynthetic tubes and containers provide dewatering and solids separation for large-scale dredging operations and the construction of artificial islands. They build up dune systems for hurricane defense and create artificial reefs. Geotextiles and affiliated gabion systems provide shoreline stabilization and erosion control. Geosynthetic bags provide scour protection for shorelines, infrastructure (e.g., ports), and even off-shore wind turbines. Geosynthetics reinforce levees, enhance the sustainability of waterfront construction, and provide highly effective, economical solutions to long-term coastal engineering goals.

Dale Morris and Nathalie Olijslager-JaarsmaGeoAmericas 2016 features multiple opportunities for coastal protection professionals. Just some of the technical offerings well suited to engineers working in coastal protection include:

  • Keynote address discussing the history and future of climate change and coastal protection engineering from Dale Morris, Senior Economic Advisor at the Royal Netherlands Embassy in Washington, DC, and Nathalie Olijslager-Jaarsma, Consul General of the Kingdom of the Netherlands in Miami
  • 11 presentations across two coastal protection sessions, including beach stabilization in Mexico, geotextile tube design, artificial reef performance, marine sediment management projects, geocontainers in Peru, dams using geosynthetic tubes, and much more.
  • Robert KoernerTraining lectures on embankments on soft soils
  • Half-day short course and a panel discussion on proper specification of geosynthetic materials
  • Keynote lecture by Dr. Robert Koerner on “Lifetime Predictions of Exposed Geotextiles and Geomembranes”
  • Affiliated technical sessions focused on soil reinforcement and ground improvement (37 presentations), testing of geosynthetic materials (17), drainage and filtration (15), and sustainability (7)
  • International exhibit hall manufacturers and service providers who supply to coastal projection projects from northern Canada to the southern tip of South America.

geoamericas2016_logo_withtag_lg_4c
Full information on GeoAmericas 2016, including registration, venue, and social/networking opportunities can be found at www.GeoAmericas2016.org.

REGISTRATION IS OPEN!

GeoAmericas 2016 Registration Opens

geoamericas2016_logo_withtag_lg_4cGeoAmericas 2016, the 3rd Pan-American Conference on Geosynthetics, has been years in the making. After successful iterations in Mexico (2008) and Peru (2012), the Americas-uniting geotechnical conference returns. Organizers have announced the opening of the GeoAmericas 2016 registration.

REGISTER ONLINE

The event has already sold out the exhibit hall and the organizers have added extra rooms to the pre-conference room block to handle the early surge of bookings for exhibitors, attendees, and industry organizations intending to arrive early for meetings and personal time in Miami.
 

EVENT VENUE

The official hotel is the Loews Miami Beach Hotel and Resort All conference activities will take place at the Loews.

Attendees and exhibitors should be award of hotel room-booking scams that target conference goers. Please book your accommodations directly online–the Loews link on the previous line takes you directly to the special rate code–or call the hotel directly.
 

HIGHLIGHTS OF GEOAMERICAS 2016

  • 13 short courses, including English and Spanish-language offerings. Topics include heap leach design, geosynthetic-reinforced soil in bridge construction, CQA, geomembranes in oil and gas operations, and more. Short courses are held on April 10 (Sunday) and will be followed by the official opening of the conference with a keynote address and an exhibit hall reception. Learn more about the short courses.
  • 49 technical sessions, including training lectures from renowned experts; paper-driven technical sessions; and panel discussions on field-shaping topics (e.g., growth of geosynthetics in Latin America, predicting end of geomembrane service life)
  • Special technical sessions will include coastal protection, sustainability, Best Journal Papers, and Student Awards
  • Keynote Lectures from Dr. Robert Koerner, P.E. (Geosynthetic Institute); Dale Morris, Sr. Economic Adviser from the Royal Netherlands Embassy in Washington DC and Nathalie Olijslager-Jaarsma, Kingdom of the Netherlands Consul General (Miami); and the Mercer Lecture with Dr. Jorge Zornberg, P.E. (IGS Immediate Past President, University of Texas at Austin)
  • Industry meetings involving International Geosynthetics Society (IGS) Technical Committees, FedIGS, GMA, GSI, FGI, IAGI, and ECTC.
  • Opportunities for young engineers, including the IGS Young Members  program with a pre-conference GeoPrediction competition, a digital scavenger hunt during the conference, a panel discussion with industry leaders, and a beach volleyball social event.
  • Social programming and companion program including Exhibit Hall Opening Reception (Sunday evening, April 10), beach volleyball (Monday evening, April 11), and Havana Nights social event (Tuesday evening, April 12). Additional companion program events include an Everglades Adventure, an Art Deco District Walk, and a trip to the Villa Vizcaya.

 

MAJOR SPONSORS

  • HUESKER (Platinum)
  • Solmax (Platinum)
  • TMP (Gold)
  • Tencate (Silver)
  • TRI Environmental (Silver)

 
In addition to the support for the conference, sponsors are also contributing to a unique construction project in Charlier, Haiti.

GEOAMERICAS 2016 REGISTRATION

www.GeoAmericas2016.org

Educate the Educators – Call for Applications

  199_PhotoAward2014_honorablemention_w500Too many engineers enter the field without state-of-the-art geotechnical knowledge, because their formal schooling overlooks a key piece of modern practice: geosynthetics.

Let the geosynthetics community provide resources to teach your students about geosynthetics.

Geosynthetics were the only new class of construction materials developed in the 20th century. Over the past 40 years, they have become fully integrated into all areas of environmental and civil infrastructure design and execution. Their cost-effective, environmentally strong performance has been well documented. In some cases, federal regulations even require their use (e.g., waste management). Today, every major engineering firm has designated geosynthetic experts on staff.   Yet, geosynthetics are taught in less than 45 engineering programs in North American colleges and universities. This has produced an enormous knowledge gap.

Multiple geotechnical and geosynthetics professional societies and organizations are joining together to sponsor a geosynthetics education program specific to supporting educators. “Educate the Educators: A Geosynthetics Training Program for University Professors” will be held 28 – 29 July 2015 in Austin, Texas. This program will provide core geosynthetic content, background information, and materials for use in the classroom so that participants may include geosynthetics in their engineering curricula.  The event presents a single 50-minute class on geosynthetics for the undergraduate level; but it also provides a framework for additional class content and resources up to and including a graduate-level class on geosynthetics.

Please apply on line at: http://www.ifai.com/forms/educatetheeducators

The sessions will be led by Dr. Richard Brachman of Queen’s University, Dr. Jorge Zornberg of The University of Texas at Austin, and field veteran Barry Christopher.

This is a non-commercial event being conducted under the auspices of the IGS North America and created by the International Geosynthetics Society , and supported by the Geosynthetic Institute, the Geosynthetic Materials Association, and other industry groups and companies.

There are approximately 40 seats in the course. Successful applicants will be provided with hotel, meals, and transportation in Austin. Successful applicants will need only to fund their travel to Austin.

183_PhotoAward2014_thirdplace_w500When: 28 – 29 July 2015    Where: Austin, Texas

In applying for participation, please include:

  • Copy of CV with publications, papers, etc.
  • A short commentary on how you can include this content in your institution’s engineering curricula
  • List of courses for which you are responsible

Applicants will be notified of their enrollment status during the second week in June. Priority will be given to those individuals judged to have influence over the content of the programs at their respective institutions.

APPLY ONLINE TO PARTICIPATE

Please apply today.  We encourage you to spread the word on this program to your colleagues in education. Spaces are limited, so act promptly. Please contact me using the information below if you have any additional questions.

Sincerely,

Boyd Ramsey

Chief Engineer – GSE Environmental LLC
GMA Chairman
IGS Council Member

Co-Chair IGS Technical Committee on Barriers
Co-Chair IGS North America Educate the Educators Program

BRamsey@GSEworld.com

+1.281.797.6183

IGS announces the “Educate The Educators” program

Educate The EducatorsWhy are your students, students from your alma mater and other Universities you hire from not graduating with knowledge of the “state of the art” of geotechnical engineering practices?

Let the geosynthetics industry teach you how to teach your students about geosynthetics.

Geosynthetics are the newest addition to “state of the art” engineering design and execution. Used for over 30 years, geosynthetics are critical to environmental and infrastructure civil construction. Geosynthetics are cost-effective, environmentally friendly and in many cases required by federal US regulations. Every major engineering firm has designated geosynthetic experts on staff.

Yet geosynthetics are taught in less than 45 engineering programs within the universities in the North America.

All of the geosynthetic industry societies and organizations are joining to sponsor a program to provide content and knowledge for geosynthetic education. Called “Educate the Educators: A Geosynthetics Training Program for University Professors.” It will be held in July 2015 in Austin, Texas. This program will provide content, materials and background to include geosynthetics in your universities engineering curriculum. The event presents a single 50 minute class on geosynthetics for the undergraduate level but also provides a framework for additional class content and resources up to and including a graduate level class on geosynthetics.

APPLY ONLINE TO PARTICIPATE

The sessions will be led by Dr. Richard Brachman of Queen’s University, Dr. Jorge Zornberg of The University of Texas and Barry Christopher. This is a non-commercial event being conducted under the auspices of the North American Geosynthetics Society and supported by the International Geosynthetics Society, the Geosynthetic Institute, the Geosynthetic Materials Association and other industry groups and companies.

With the exception of travel to and from Austin, all expenses will be paid. Priority will be given to those individuals judged to have influence over the content of the programs at their respective institutions.

Dates: July 28-29, 2015
Location: Austin, Texas

What is needed to apply: Copy of CV, listing of courses taught and a short commentary telling us how you can include this content in your universities curriculum.

We encourage you to both apply today and to spread the word on this program to those colleges and universities we may not reach. Please act promptly, spaces are limited. Please contact me using the information below if you have any additional questions.

APPLY ONLINE TO PARTICIPATE

Sincerely,
Boyd Ramsey
Chief Engineer – GSE Environmental LLC
GMA Chairman
Co-Chair IGS Technical Committee on Barriers
Email: BRamsey@GSEworld.com
Phone: +1.281.797.6183

GSI Fellowships for Graduate Students: Request For Proposals

gsi_logoREQUEST FOR PROPOSALS

The Geosynthetic Institute (GSI) is delighted to announce a worldwide call for requests for proposals (RFPs) focusing on innovative geosynthetics research and development projects. There will be numerous awards given, each for $5,000 (Note that this is a change from previous years of the program in that the terms are different and that the students can be pursuing either masters or doctoral degrees). Emphasis will be placed on relevant topics of interest and/or concern to the geosynthetics community. A list of possible topics (there are obviously many others) is available upon request. The proposals must be submitted in the following four page format (with no exceptions).

  • Page 1 – Letter of recommendation from student’s department head or advisor
  • Page 2 – Title and detailed abstract of proposed project
  • Page 3 – Student’s resume
  • Page 4 – Relevancy of topic to the geosynthetics community

The RFPs for the 2015-2016 academic year must be submitted to the undersigned by e-mail by June 12, 2015. Awards will be announced on, or before, July 30, 2015. Review of the proposals is by the nine-person Board of Directors of GSI. For information on the Geosynthetic Institute and past recipients, visit us at the following website: www.geosynthetic-institute.org/gsifellows.htm

-Jamie R. Koerner, Special Projects Coordinator, jrkoerner@verizon.net

NAGS Announces their Biennial Meeting

Announcing the NAGS – North American Geosynthetics Society – Biennial Meeting in conjunction with the Geosynthetics 2015 Conference
When: 6 – 7 pm Monday, February 16, 2015
Where: Room E148 of the Convention Center (Note the change in room from the original announcement sent by e-mail.)

  • Come meet the 2015-2017 Board of Directors
  • Help recognize the outgoing Board members
  • Help us look ahead
  • and take a brief look back over the past two years

See you at the Meeting!
geosynthetics2015Conflogo

Visit Conference Website
12