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Geotechnical News • June 2014
www.geotechnicalnews.com
CANADIAN GEOTECHNICAL SOCIETY NEWS
mental in organizing the Calgary-
Banff Canadian Geotechnical Society
Conference in 1970. It also hosted
numerous world-renowned consul-
tants to speak at its monthly meet-
ings on the U of C campus, including
Nathan M. Newmark
(1910-1981),
Frank E. Richart
(1918-1994), and
G. Geoffrey Meyerhoff
(1916-2003).
Prominent engineers were recruited
into groups to study the technological
and economic feasibility of con-
structing crude oil and gas pipelines
from Alaska and northern Canada to
Alberta, mostly in permafrost areas.
The group continues to be very active
today. In addition to the 1970 CGS
Conference, the Calgary Geotechni-
cal Society has hosted national CGS
conferences in 1980, 1992, 2001, and
2010, as well as periodic symposia on
topics of local interest. Presentation
meetings take place each month and
attendance is free thanks to funding
by local geotechnical consultants
and contractors. The annual sched-
ule of presentations includes two
Cross-Canada Lecture Tours (CCLTs)
sponsored by the Canadian Foundation
for Geotechnique, as well as a keynote
presentation by a distinguished geo-
professional at the group’s Annual
General Meeting each spring.
The
Calgary Geotechnical Soci-
ety Award
was introduced in 1998
to recognize individuals who have
demonstrated exceptional effort,
energy, and/or contributed to the
art of geotechnique in Calgary. The
first recipient was
Milos Stepanek,
P.Eng
., a geological engineer who,
together with Hardy and Clark, con-
ducted several landmark slope stability
and slope stabilization studies in the
Calgary area. In 2004, a
Student/EIT
Award
was initiated to provide finan-
cial support for a graduate student,
engineer, or geoscientist in training to
attend the annual national conference
of the Canadian Geotechnical Society.
The intent of this award is to encour-
age young professionals to join in the
Society’s activities and to become its
future leaders.
In 1998, a Heritage Working Group
was formed within the Calgary Geo-
technical Society, led by
Heinrich
K. Heinz
and
Tai T. Wong
, members
of the Group’s Executive at the time.
Over the years, information has been
collected from various sources, and
interviews have been conducted with
individuals involved with the develop-
ment of geotechnique in the city. In
2003, an interview was conducted with
the late Jack Clark, which formed the
basis for preparation of this brief note.
The Calgary Geotechnical Society
maintains an informative and regu-
larly updated website where further
information can be found at
www.
cgygeosociety.org.
Submitted by Heinrich Heinz,
M. Pinheiro and Tai Wong
Calgary Geotechnical Society
Section News
Geotechnical Society of
Edmonton
Two Day Symposium
April 3 to 4, 2014
Edmonton, Alberta
The Geotechnical Society of Edmon-
ton (GSE) hosted a successful Sym-
posium on the subject of
Landslides:
Assessment, Characterization and
Risk
at the Edmonton Petroleum Club
on April 3 and 4, 2014. The two-day
event was sold out with approximately
150 people in attendance from around
the province and across the country.
The GSE was proud to welcome
eleven eminent geoscience lecturers
from Canada, the USA and abroad.
They included
Dr. Scott Anderson,
Dr. Scott Burns, Dr. Derek Corn-
forth, Dr. David Cruden, Dr. Delwyn
Fredlund, Dr. Richard Goodman,
Dr. Suzanne Lacasse, Dr. Serge Ler-
oueil, Dr. Derek Martin, Dr. Norbert
Morgenstern
and
Dr. Doug Stead
.
Day one of the Symposium focused on
Natural Slopes and their Assessment,
and Day two covered
Rock Slope
Engineering and Risk Assessment.
Highlights included Dr. Suzanne Lac-
asse’s delivery of her 2013 Terzaghi
Oration, entitled
Protecting Society
from Landslides - the Role of the
2014 GSE Symposium Lecturers,
Front Row (left to right) Dr. Scott Burns, Dr. Suzanne Lacasse, Dr. Derek
Cornforth, Dr. Delwyn Fredlund. Back Row (left to right) Dr. Norbert
Morgenstern, Dr. Scott Anderson, Dr. Doug Stead, Dr. David Cruden,
Dr. Serge Leroueil, Dr. Richard Fredlund, Missing Dr. Derek Martin