President’s Message

Richard J. Bathurst, P.Eng.

I am delighted to have this opportunity to share with the members of the Canadian Geotechnical Society (CGS) my first President’s Message as I begin my two-year term (2013-14). I would like to start by congratulating the previous Executive Committee led by the Immediate Past-President, Mr. Bryan Watts, for their exemplary leadership and many accomplishments over the last two years. Notable examples are the Articles of Continuance and revised CGS By-Laws that were submitted to Corporations Canada for continuance of the CGS as a Technical Society under the new Canada Not-for-Profit Corporations Act (NFP Act) and the adroit management of the finances of the society which has allowed us to deliver value to our membership while maintaining fees constant for regular members and even lowering fees for our students. Bryan and his team have delivered the society and its affairs to the new Executive Committee in good order which is much appreciated by the new team and our membership. At the last General Meeting in Winnipeg in October I was able to introduce the following incoming Executive Committee members:

Dr. Angela G. Küpper as Vice President, Technical. Angela is a Principal with AMEC Environment & Infrastructure in Edmonton. She has more than 30 years experience on large geotechnical and mining projects in North and South America and is a Past-President of the Geotechnical Society of Edmonton (GSE). Angela replaces Dr. John Sobkowicz.

Dr. Dharma Wijewickreme as Vice President, Finance. Dharma is Professor of Civil Engineering at the University of British Columbia and practiced as a geotechnical consulting engineer for 11 years prior to joining UBC. Dharma takes over from Mr. Peter Gaffran.

Dr. Catherine N. Mulligan as Vice President, Communications. Catherine is Professor, Department of Building, Civil and Environmental Engineering and Associate Dean, Research and Graduate Studies, at Concordia University in Montreal. Catherine has 25 years of research experience in government, industry and academia. Catherine replaces Dr. Jean-Marie Konrad.

I am very grateful that these very talented and very busy members of our society have agreed to serve in the capacities noted. The Executive Committee also includes a Representative of the Technical Divisions and a Representative of the Local Sections who serve one-year terms. I am pleased to report that Dr. Jim Hazzard has agreed to serve as the Representative for the Technical Divisions. Jim is a Senior Engineer with Itasca Consulting Group in Toronto. He takes over from Dr. Lukas Arenson. Dr. Paul Dittrich is the incoming Local Sections Representative and takes over from Mr. Baolin Wang. Paul is Senior Geotechnical Engineer and Principal with Golder Associates in Mississauga. Finally, I am pleased to announce that Dr. Jean Côté at the Université Laval has agreed to serve as interim chair of the CGS Geotechnical Research Board for a one-year period.

The society continues to be well served by our Secretary-General, Dr. Victor Sowa and in day-to-day administration duties by Mr. Wayne Gibson and Ms. Lisa McJunkin of the Gibson Group. Victor has advised me that he intends to retire at the end of 2014 and thus one important task of the new executive will be to find a suitable successor and arrange for a transition period in the last half of 2014.

One of the first tasks of the Executive Committee was indeed a pleasurable one. The Executive Committee voted to accept the additional funding offered by The Canadian Foundation for Geotechnique Trustees to increase the annual financial award component of the Canadian Geotechnical Society (CGS) Student Awards for Graduate and Undergraduate Students from a total of $3,750 for all awards to $6,000.

I am delighted to report that the French translation of the 4th Edition of the Canadian Foundation Engineering Manual (CFEM) is now complete. We look forward to having this document available in print in 2013. It follows that the CGS executive will have on its next agenda a discussion regarding how to proceed with updating the technical content of the CFEM and, equally important, what format will be adopted.

I should like to remind you that the 66th Canadian Geotechnical Society (CGS) Annual Conference will be held in Montreal, on September 29-October 3, 2013, in collaboration with the International Association of Hydrogeologists (IAH-CNC) and the North American Geosynthetics Society (NAGS). This conference promises to be the largest CGS conference to date thanks to the many efforts of the organizing committee under the leadership of Mr. Mario Ruel and Mr. Sylvain Roy.

Finally, I look forward to meeting the challenges that will inevitably emerge in the coming two years and to continue the long tradition of service that our society provides to our members and to our discipline.

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