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Geotechnical News • March 2016
WASTE GEOTECHNICS
Wilson, who has decades of experi-
ence in the mining industry and now
holds the NSERC/COSIA Industrial
Research Chair in Oil Sands Tailings
Geotechnique, says the geotechnical
engineering curriculum in the Faculty
of Engineering is recognized as one of
the best. It’s important the university
and industry leaders share their knowl-
edge and experience with students and
young engineering professionals.
Attendees took part in tutorials
delivered by a handful of Wilson’s
graduate students, who provided
instruction on brand-new software
and current research into issues like
acid rock drainage. Course offerings
ranged from conventional tailings
embankment design and dam safety
and inspection to specialized topics
such as mine waste management in the
Arctic and hydrology and groundwater
issues.
Internationally recognized experts,
including Bill Chin, Carlo Cooper,
Richard Dawson, Tim Eaton, Don
Hayley, Scott Martens, Gord McK-
enna, Andy Robertson, Peter Robert-
son, John Sobkowich, Dirk van Zyl,
Steve Vick and Christina Winckler,
were invited to deliver presentations
and join a panel discussion on dams
and mining held at the end of the
workshop.
Staples described members of the
panel as superstars. “Those superstars
came here came because of the reputa-
tion of organizers like Dr. Morgenstern
and Dr. Wilson, that extend around
the world, and because they believe in
what Dr. Wilson and Dr. Morgenstern
and now Dr. Beier are trying to do to
equip that next generation of engi-
neers.”
For graduate students themselves,
the course meant not only presenting
research findings, but also learning at
the hand of industry leaders and net-
working with professional engineers.
“It’s really good hearing from people
who have the experience of working in
this area day in and day out,” said Ber-
eket Fisseha, a professional engineer
from Ontario who chose to pursue his
PhD in geoenvironmental engineering
at the University of Alberta. “We’re
getting into a very diverse set of topics
and getting a complete picture of the
mining industry from an academic
point of view and the application
side.”
At a closing panel discussion that
closed the event, participants sat in a
packed 100-seat auditorium to hear
experts talk about everything from a
conversation on best available technol-
ogies to the ethics and social relation-
ship between society and industry.
Industry professionals flew in from as
far away as Australia for the sessions,
which Staples said were demanding.
“This went for five days, right through
the weekend, and let me tell you it was
intense,” he said, adding that partici-
pants left feeling “inspired to do better
work.”
The organizational team of the First
International Short Course on ‘The
Design and Assessment of Mine Waste
Structures’ included faculty, staff
and graduate students of the Univer-
sity of Alberta Geotechnical Centre:
Dr. G. Ward Wilson, Dr. Nicholas
Beier, Dr. Norbert Morgenstern, Sally
Petaske, Annette Busenius, Chris-
tine Hereygers, Dr. Louis Kabwe,
Ahlam Abdulnabi, David Barsi, Ralph
Burden, Bereket Fisseha, Matthew
Schafer, Neeltje Slingerland and Elena
Zabolotnii.
Richard Cairney is the
Communications Officer for the
Faculty of Engineering at the
University of Alberta.
Images courtesy of Jen Stogowski
Photography.
Alberta Chamber of Resources Executive Larry Staples (left) and Brad Anderson (right) enjoy a hands-on
laboratory exercise.
