The Geo-Institute of ASCE’s annual congress offers an exceptional opportunity to interact with the international geotechnical engineering community on some of the most pressing topics. Geo-Congress 2012 will be held in Oakland, California 25-29 March 2012. The theme of the event is “State of the Art and Practice in Geotechnical Engineering" and some noted engineers with a geosynthetics background (Craig Benson and David Daniel) will deliver two of the three big lectures: the Ralph B. Peck and Karl Terzaghi Lectures. (See below.)
Those who register by February 29 can take advantage of USD $100 early reg rate. (The hotel best-rate cutoff date at the host Oakland Marriott City Center is February 21.)
Geo-Congress 2012 will provide an opportunity to review the geotechnical practice and research advances, as well as an exciting forum for the integration of practice, research and education in geotechnical engineering. Registrants should expect, as always, a comprehensive technical program, numerous networking and social events and an extensive Exhibit Hall, but also an outstanding selection of keynote State of the Art and Practice speakers on selected geotechnical topics.
Major Lectures
H. Bolton Seed Lecture
Sunday, March 25, 2012
4:30 – 6:00 p.m.
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Craig Benson
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Geoffrey Robert Martin, Ph.D.,M.ASCE, will deliver the 2012 H. Bolton Seed Lecture.
Delivered annually, the lecture recognizes outstanding contributions to teaching, research or practice in geotechnical engineering.
Dr. Martin, a professor in the Department of Civil Engineering at USC, has more than 35 years of experience in civul and geotechnical engineering. He currently is focusing his bridge research on liquefaction-related ground stability studies and the seismic design of pile foundations. He is a member of the Highway Research Committee for the Multidisciplinary Center for Earthquake Engineering Research, Buffalo, and a contributing author to “Recommended LRFD Gudelines for the Seismic Design of Highway Bridges (2001).
Ralph B. Peck Lecture
Monday, March 26, 2012
8:00 – 9:30 a.m.
Craig H. Benson, Ph.D.,P.E.,D.GE,F.ASCE, will deliver this year’s Ralph B. Peck Lecture.
The lecture, annually awarded, recognizes a geotechnical engineer for outstanding contributions to the profession through the analysis and publication of case histories.
Dr. Benson is Wisconsin Distinguished Professor, director Sustainability Research and Education, and chair of Civil and Environmental Engineering and Geological Engineering at the University of Wisconsin – Madison. He has conducted experimental and analytical research in geoenvironmental engineering for 27 years with the primary focus in environmental containment, beneficial use of industrial byproducts, and sustainable infrastructure. Benson is the former Editor-in-Chief of the G-I Journal of Geotechnical and Geoenvironmental Engineering. He currently serves as vice-president of the G-I Board of Governors and is a vice chair of the Executive Committee of ASTM Committee D18 on Soil and Rock. Dr. Benson is a member of the University of Texas Academy of Distinguished Alumni.
Karl Terzaghi Lecture
Tuesday, March 27, 2012
5:30 – 7:00 p.m.
David E. Daniel, Ph.D.,P.E.,NAE,Dist.M.ASCE, will deliver this year’s Karl Terzaghi Lecture. This 50+ year lecture series is given by an individual honored for their exemplary contributions to the field of geotechnical engineering.
Dr. Daniel is the fourth president of The University of Texas at Dallas. He received his bachelor’s, master’s, and Ph.D. degrees in engineering from The University of Texas at Austin, and served on the faculty at UT Austin from 1980 to 1996. In 1996, he moved to the University of Illinois, finishing his service there as Dean of Engineering before being appointed UT Dallas’ president in 2005. Dr. Daniel’s professional work has been awarded the Norman Medal, the Croes Medal (twice), the Presidents’ Award in 2007 and the OPAL (Outstanding Projects and Leaders) Award for Education for 2010. In 2000, he was elected to the National Academy of Engineering. From 2005 through 2008, Daniel served as Chair of the External Review Panel of the American Society of Civil Engineers, which reviewed the facts surrounding the performance of New Orleans’ levees during Hurricane Katrina. In 2009, he served as President of The Academy of Medicine, Engineering, and Science of Texas (TAMEST), which is an organization comprised of all Texas residents who have won Nobel Prizes or been elected to one of the three National Academies. In July 2010, Daniel was appointed by the National Academy of Engineering and the National Research Council to a committee investigating the Deepwater Horizon explosion and oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico. The committee is charged with conducting a technical analysis of the accident’s causes and recommending measures to prevent similar disasters in the future. Among other leadership commitments, Daniel serves on the Sandia Corporation Board of Directors, which oversees management of Sandia National Laboratory.
