By Shawn Kelly / Executive Director of International and Public Affairs, AIT
The 21st Southeast Asian Geotechnical Society Conference and 4th AGSSEA Conference (SEAGC-AGSSEA 2023) from 25-27 October 2023 in Bangkok shone a respectful light on three AIT geotechnical luminaries of yesteryear, and their enormous impact to the field geotechnical engineering in Thailand and Southeast Asia.
Organized by the Thai Geotechnical Society and Southeast Asian Geotechnical Society under the auspices of the Association of Geotechnical Societies in Southeast Asia (AGSSEA) and the International Society for Soil Mechanics and Geotechnical Engineering (ISSMGE), the three-day event brought together 253 international scholars, researchers, engineers, and students under the theme of “Advances in Geotechnical Engineering for Sustainable Development.”
Conference committee member Assoc. Prof. Kuo Chieh (Geoff) Chao, who is the President of the Southeast Asian Geotechnical Society (SEAGS) and head of the Department of Civil and Infrastructure Engineering at AIT, said the gathering was also an opportune occasion to honor three renowned AIT academicians who each made fundamental contributions to the growth of the field of geotechnical engineering in Asia.
Dr. Za-Chien Moh, Dr. John D. Nelson, and Dr. Edward Brand joined the event as special keynote speakers. All three are preeminent international scholars in the field of geotechnical engineering who also made their mark as scholars, leaders, and friends while stationed at AIT in the 1960s and ‘70s.
“These esteemed professors have been pivotal figures in the Geotechnical Division of the Asian Institute of Technology. AIT has indeed played a crucial role in fostering engineering talent across Asia,” said former AIT President Prof. Worsak Kanok-Nukulchai in a Facebook post.
The conference aimed to provide a platform for researchers, engineers, and practitioners to share their knowledge and experience in geotechnical engineering, Dr. Chao said. It covered a wide range of topics, including soil mechanics, foundation engineering, geosynthetics, geo-environmental engineering, and geohazards. A leading roster of international experts delivered insights on the latest developments in the field. The SEAGC-AGSSEA 2023 conference provided an excellent opportunity for researchers, engineers, and practitioners to exchange ideas and share their knowledge on geotechnical engineering. Dr. Chao called the conference “a great success that contributed significantly to the advancement of geotechnical engineering.”
At a homecoming event on October 26 hosted by the AIT Geotechnical and Earth Resources Engineering, attending alums came to celebrate the success and collective achievements of a program that has contributed greatly to countries in Southeast Asia.
The “AIT GTE Alumni Get-Together 2023” drew over 140 alums to a sparkling venue high atop the Bangkok skyline. Many were drawn to pay tribute to the three giants who laid the groundwork for the success of so many engineering professionals in the field.
The Association of Geotechnical Societies in South East Asia (AGSSEA) is an enlarged association of SEAGS and other National Societies in Southeast Asia. It brings all National Societies of South East Asia under one umbrella. The Association promotes cooperation among geotechnical societies in South East Asia.
For more information about the conference, please visit seagcagssea2023.com
