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Awards Presented at the Calgary Geotechnical Society Annual General Meeting

 

Calgary Geotechnical Society Award

 

About the Award:

Each year, during the Calgary Geotechnical Society Annual General Meeting, the Executive presents an award to an outstanding individual who has provided exceptional efforts, energy, and/or contributions to the Art of Geotechnique in Calgary.  Previous award winners include individuals who have dedicated significant amounts of time to local CGS events and/or are accomplished practitioners, academics or retired engineers. 

 

The recipient is chosen by the Calgary Geotechnical Society Executive from nominations submitted by members for potential recipients whom they feel deserve such recognition.  Current Calgary Geotechnical Society Executive Members are not eligible for the award.

 

Previous Award Winners:

2007

Mike O’Connor

2006

Walter Semchuck

2005

David Devenny

2004

Ken Toovey

2003

Jack Clark

2002

Jim Oswell

2001

Ramesh Joshi

2000

John Krahn

1999

Bill Burwash

1998

Milos Stepanek

 

 

Student/EIT Travel Award

 

About the Award:

Each year, during the Calgary Geotechnical Society Annual General Meeting, the Executive presents an award of financial support to a student or Engineer in Training (EIT) to assist in attending the National Annual Conference of the Canadian Geotechnical Society. The amount is up to $600 (plus one free student registration).

 

To be eligible for support, you must be a member of the Canadian Geotechnical Society and located in the Southern Alberta region of the Society and be: (a) a graduate student or undergraduate student; or (b) an Engineer in Training or equivalent Geoscientist in the Southern Alberta section of the Society. You must also make a contribution to the conference as an author (preferably as a presenter), or as a representative of the region at a specialty session, workshop, division or committee meeting.

 

Past recipients and current Calgary Geotechnical Society Executive Members are not eligible for the award.

 

Previous Award Winners:

2007

Asanga Nanayakkara

U of C

2006

Josh Moncrieff

U of C

2005

Anapuma Amaratunga

U of C

2004

Mathi Shan

U of C

 

 

Award Rules:

The Award will cover 75% of the recipients travel costs (up to maximum sponsorship of $600) plus free student registration at the conference (for a total award value of about $800).  You will be expected to contribute a minimum of 25% of the cost of attending the meeting.  The support is shared between the local section, the conference organizers, and all national members of the Society.  One sponsorship will be provided in each participating section of the Society.  Original receipts for all expenses being claimed (including meals) must be submitted by the recipient to the Calgary Geotechnical Society treasurer after the conference; no per diem allowances will be granted without original receipts.  For further rules and regulations about this award, please see the message below from J. Graham, CGS Secretary General.

 

To apply for the student/EIT travel award, the following information is required:

 

• A cover letter; AND

• A one-page CV which includes undergraduate and graduate GPA; AND • A copy of your abstract submitted to the conference that, preferably, you will be presenting at the conference OR an explanation of your role as a representative of the region at a specialty session, workshop, division or committee meeting

 

 

Support of Graduate Students and EITs at Annual Conferences, Message from J. Graham, CGS Secretary General

 

Young members are important for the future of the Society and the profession. It is important to incorporate them fully into the Society’s activities and to develop the next generation of leadership. The Society has therefore adopted the following program for supporting the attendance at annual conferences of graduate students and Engineers or Geoscientists in Training . (Young engineers and geoscientists in training are known in some provinces as ‘Members in Training’ – MIPs – and that term will be used here.)

 

The program will provide up to approximately $800 of support for young members from participating regions at a cost to the sponsoring region that will not exceed $200.

 

1. Each Section is encouraged to provide partial sponsorship of a student or MIT at the annual conference of the Society. Participation in the support program is recommended but not mandatory. Sections can decide each year whether they will or will not participate in the program.

 

2. It is intended that the cost of attendance will be shared four ways among (a) the recipient, (b) the local regional group, (c) the conference organizers, and through them, attendees at the conference, and (d) the national society, and therefore all Society members.

 

3. The recipient will contribute not less than one-quarter of the cost. (The recipient can seek other support for this portion of the total cost, for example from a university advisor or employer.) The financial support provided by this program amounts to approximately three-quarters of the cost of attending the conference (up to a maximum of $600) plus free registration. The support is shared equally between the participating Section, the conference organizers, and the national society.

 

4. A participating Section will contribute not more than $200. A decision to participate should be made before 31March in the year of the conference and announced to potential applicants from the region.

 

5. A Section's decision to participate automatically ensures matching contributions from both the conference organizers and the national society.

 

6. The decision to participate should also be sent to the conference organizers and the CGS Secretariat to permit financial planning.

 

7. Conference organizers will include a sum of $3000 in their budget. This will provide a maximum of $200 for each of an estimated fifteen students or MITs who might be expected to be supported by participating Sections. The conference organizers will also provide ‘student’ registrations for each of the recipients.  This will include preprints, receptions and luncheons, but not the banquet. The maximum cost per delegate will be $10 - $12. The cost of the program will be a charge against the budget before profit or loss is established.

 

8. The national society will also include a sum of $3000 in its annual budget. This will provide a maximum of $200 for up to 15 students or MITs supported by the Sections. The maximum cost per CGS member will be $1 - $2.

 

9. Selection of the recipient will be done by the participating Section using procedures established in the Section.

 

10. Recipients must be a student (undergraduate or postgraduate), or a Member in Training with one of the licensing Associations, or a young geoscientist at an equivalent stage in his or her career. Recipients must be members of the Canadian Geotechnical Society. They should be involved in making a contribution to the conference as an author (preferably as a presenter), or as a representative of the Section at a specialty session, workshop, division or committee meeting.

 

11. Participating Sections will canvas local universities and employers for suitable candidates. This should preferably be done before the closing date for submission of abstracts to the conference organizers. The intention is to encourage young members to submit papers to the conference.

 

12. Once applications have been received, Sections will (a) select and notify their nominee, (b) notify the conference organizers, and (c) notify the Society Administrator. This should be done by 15 August in the year of the conference so that advantage can be taken of cheap airfares, etc.

 

13. Nominees should be encouraged to reduce costs where possible through shared travel, accommodation, etc.

 

14. After the conference, the recipient submits a statement of expenses to the Executive of the sponsoring Section. The Section decides on the acceptability of the submitted expenses claim and then pays the student the full amount. The Section notifies the conference organizers and the national CGS Secretariat that the claim has been approved and paid. It then asks for repayment of one-third of the approved amount from each of the others.

 

15. Note that all decision-making lies with the local Section. The local group decides if it will participate, decides who it will support, and decides whether the submitted expenses claims are acceptable. The local decisions ‘trigger’ automatic responses from the conference organizers and the national CGS without further checking.