A Message from the Vice President
By Professor John Carter
It was with great pleasure that I accepted the invitation of our editor, Professor Osamu Kusakabe, to pen the lead article in this edition of the ISSMGE Bulletin. Although the Australasian Region of ISSMGE contains the smallest number of member societies (currently only New Zealand and Australia), and therefore when votes are counted we have the smallest regional “voice”, we nevertheless see ourselves as significant contributors to our International Society, with much to share with our international colleagues. With the issue of FIGS firmly on the agenda at present, and many member societies and also their individual memberships well-disposed to closer connections between the sister societies, it is timely to reflect on the issues and events “downunder” during the recent past. Like several other member societies within ISSMGE, The Australian Geomechanics Society (AGS) and the New Zealand Geotechnical Society (NZGS) have, since their inceptions, been active member societies of ISRM, IAEG as well as ISSMGE. Our two member societies have worked hard over the years to accommodate the vast range of geo-interests and to find a welcoming place for all who wish to further their own interests in the geotechnical and geological fields of endeavour. I think it is fair to claim that ours are inclusive Societies.
One measure of the success of these efforts can be found in the national membership statistics. Currently NZGS Membership is approaching 600, while affiliation of NZGS members with ISSMGE currently stands at well over 50% of that membership. Current membership of AGS is approximately 1200, with about three quarters of those members choosing to affiliate with ISSMGE. These statistics may seem modest on the global scale, but they represent probably the highest national per capita affiliation rates of all member societies. New Zealand’s population is just over 4 million, and so the affiliation rate is approximately 3 to 4 in 40,000, or the best part of 1 in 10,000, which is exceptional. Similarly, approximately 1 in 20,000 Australians are affiliated with ISSMGE, well behind New Zealand, but probably still amongst the other leading national societies.
It is worth noting at this point that NZGS will celebrate its 50th Anniversary in 2008, with celebrations planned for the New Zealand National Symposium, to be held in Auckland in September 2008. The theme of the symposium is “Soil-structure Interaction”. Earlier this year the New Zealand Geotechnical Society elected a new chairman, Dr C. Y. Chin. Dr Kevin McManus will stay on the NZGS Management Committee for another year as immediate past chairman. Steve Crawford has taken on the role as ISSMGE liaison for NZ, supporting me as ISSMGE Vice President for Australasia, providing magnificent support, for which I am very grateful. A highlight of the NZGS’s activities recently was the news that New Zealand has been invited to host the 11th IAEG Congress to be held in September, 2010 in Auckland, New Zealand. As the Society’s bid document and web pages clearly identify, geologically New Zealand ‘has it all’.
The most recent Regional Conference of ISSMGE in Australasia was held in Brisbane during October 2007, hosted this time by AGS. This four-yearly event is normally the highlight of the geotechnical calendar in Australia and New Zealand, greatly anticipated by members of both societies. I am very happy to report that this most recent Conference, with the theme of “Common Ground” was a resounding success, by all measures. Elsewhere in this issue of the Bulletin you will find a more detailed account of the Conference. At its most recent national committee meeting, AGS elected Neil Benson from the Victorian Chapter as its new National Chairman for the next 2 year period (2008-09), succeeding Marc Woodward from Western Australia. I am very pleased to report that the seven Local Chapters of AGS are all very active, collectively providing hundreds if not thousands of hours of continuing professional development per year.
Both member societies have been particularly active lately, and will remain so, developing a number of geotechnical guides to assist geotechnical professionals with their day-to-day work.
Download ISSMGE Bulletin – Volume 1 Issue 4 (pp. 1-2)
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