By Daniele Cazzuffi – Nicola Moraci, Ph.D., an IGS Council member, full professor of Geotechnical Engineering, and Head of Department of Civil, Energy, Environmental and Materials Engineering (DICEAM) at the Mediterranean University of Reggio Calabria, has been named the new President of the Italian Geotechnical Society (AGI). The announcement has come after April’s board council and auditor review. Professor Moraci was elected with 92% of the vote.
His term began April 15. The commitment is significant: AGI Presidents serve for 6 years.
Founded in 1947, Roma-headquartered AGI promotes scientific culture in geotechnical engineering. The diffusion of geotechnical engineering and the intense activity of the society have ensured a steady increase in the number of individual members (now ~1000) and numerous corporate members. The society also publishes an official journal,“Rivista Italiana di Geotecnica” (“Italian Journal of Geotechnical Engineering”).
Among the society’s most important work are its organization of national and international conferences. The first National Conference of Geotechnical Engineering was held in Naples in 1953; the last one in Baveno (close to Milano) in 2014. The 2014 edition focused on “Geotechnics in defense of land and infrastructure from natural disasters,” a topic of immense important to Italy.
Additionally, AGI organizes technical visits to particular geotechnical interest works and draws up guidelines for the design. The AGI and its President are responsible for Italy’s national representative with the International Society of Soil Mechanics and Geotechnical Engineering (ISSMGE) and the International Society for Rock Mechanics (ISRM).
Importantly, AGI also hosts the Italian Chapter of the International Geosynthetics Society (IGS). Professor Moraci also serves as a Vice-President for IGS.
Professor Moraci is a recipient of the IGS Award (2008) for his scientific research on international level, with particular interest in his work with understanding geosynthetic-soil interaction. His influence has led to a major merger of knowledge at the Mediterranean University of Reggio Calabria, where a school of excellence is being formed through the consolidation of international research in the field of geosynthetics and geotechnical engineering.
Daniele Cazzuffi is the current President of AGI-IGS and is a Past President of the IGS.
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Follow the Italian Chapter of IGS and other national and regional chapters at the IGS home page, www.geosyntheticssociety.org.
