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University of Saskatchewan CGS Student Chapter – 2023 GeoWall Social

March 2023

Saskatoon and the University of Saskatchewan have a rich history in geotechnical engineering. To grow the level of undergraduate student involvement in the geotechnical community, the University of Saskatchewan Canadian Geotechnical Society Student Chapter (USCGS) has been proudly operating since 2019. The USCGS hosts a variety of engagement events, including industry-led guest lectures and their keynote GeoWall Social, to boost interest in the geotechnical field — promoting equal learning opportunities for all civil, geological, and environmental engineering students.

The USCGS was pleased to host the 2023 GeoWall Social this past February, re-starting this event after the hardships in hosting large groups since 2020. As witnessed from the inaugural 2019 event, the GeoWall Social is a fun and proven social that strengthens the relationship between undergraduate students and industry. Over 90 people attended the 2023 GeoWall Social, including industry members, graduate students, and undergraduate students. The contest required eight teams of four (three undergraduate students paired with one industry member) to construct small-scale mechanically stabilized earth walls out of newspaper and “lab sand” in a plexiglass container. Teams were evaluated based on total wall height, settlement, and ultimate load applied using the newly constructed MSE Wall Load Frame.

On a regular basis, the USCGS has had great success hosting guest presentations given by local professionals. In 2022, the group hosted Sara Seabrook, a Senior Geotechnical Engineer at WSP Golder, and Adam Leik, Staff Consultant at SRK Consulting. These presentations covered a variety of topics including how undergraduate courses apply to geotechnical design, a day in the life of a geotechnical consultant, international geotechnical projects, and geotechnical career paths following graduation.

To create a larger presence on social media platforms, the USCGS introduced the “Meet the Grad Student” series in 2021. Each member of the USCGS is showcased through a post, including a short summary of their research topic and words of advice for undergraduate students. The overarching goal was to provide a glimpse of life as a graduate student, while presenting the potential opportunities for growing geotechnical knowledge. 

Lastly, the USCGS would like to thank their platinum sponsor, Clifton Engineering Group Inc., and their gold sponsors, PINTER & Associates Ltd., Thurber Engineering Ltd., Titan Environmental Containment, Solmax, KGS Group, WSP Golder and the CGS for their generous contributions that made the GeoWall Social possible. The USCGS would also like to express their appreciation to past and future speakers for lending their valuable time to share their knowledge with the USCGS audiences. The group is looking forward to their upcoming events, including more guest speakers, a geotechnical-themed trivia night, and a national GeoWall competition at the GeoSaskatoon 2023 conference.







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