Kim Chan
Geotechnical Consultant/Forensic Engineer
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Biography of the Speaker: Kim Chan graduated from the University of Calgary in Canada with a Bachelor of Science degree in Engineering and received his Master of Engineering Science degree from the University of Sydney. He has over 40 years of post-graduate experience and is highly regarded in the industry for his in-depth knowledge of various geotechnical subjects. He has worked on all facets of geotechnical engineering and has published numerous peer reviewed technical papers and book chapters on various topics. Kim was GHD’s Australasia and Asia Service Line Leader of Geotechnical Engineering for 8 years. He is now an independent geotechnical consultant.
Professor Anna Giacomini
Director Research Centre for Geotechnical Science and Engineering
Head of Discipline Civil, Environmental and Surveying Engineering
College of Engineering, Science and Environment
The University of Newcastle, Australia
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Biography of the Speaker: Anna is a Professor in Civil Engineering and the Director of the Research Centre for Geotechnical Science and Engineering in the College of Engineering, Science and Environment of the University of Newcastle.
Anna has been working in the field of rock mechanics and rockfall analyses for more than 20 year, leading several major research projects through industry and government developing new designs to protect major corridors and infrastructures from rockfall hazards. Anna’s contribution has been recognised by several awards such as the 2022 NSW Premier's Prize for Science & Engineering, the 2019 John Booker Medal from the Australian Academy of Science and the 2023 EH Davis Memorial Lecture by the AGS . In 2023, she was elected Fellow of the Academy of Technology Science and Engineering (ATSE). Anna has published over 190 scientific works, she serves as Associate Editor for the International Journal of Rock mechanics and mining Science , Editorial board member of four International Journals in the field, and reviewer for several national and international funding bodies.
Professor Hadi Khabbaz
Head of discipline, geotechnical and transport engineering
University of Technology Sydney, Australia
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Biography of the Speaker: Professor Hadi Khabbaz is an award-winning civil engineer whose work has made significant contributions of a fundamental and pioneering nature, in particular, in the field of unsaturated soil mechanics. Hadi received his PhD degree in Geotechnical Engineering from UNSW (1997), his MSc degree in Geo-environmental Engineering from Shiraz University, and a BSc (Honours) degree in Civil Engineering from the same institution. He is an expert in Geotechnical and Geo-environmental Engineering at the School of Civil and Environmental Engineering, UTS, and the Deputy Head of School (Research). Hadi has focused on the theoretical and numerical analysis of soft soils, granular particles and unsaturated porous media, with strong applications to real-life engineering problems. He has been involved in soil behaviour modelling and ground improvement research since 1993, taking an active role in conducting practical research in the characterisation and modification of problematic soils and associated current ground improvement techniques more than for 20 years. His early work on the effective stress principle in unsaturated soils is increasingly cited in the literature and is considered a significant contribution to the field. In 1999, Hadi received the joint section award for the most valuable paper at the 8th ANZ conference on Geomechanics. He has recently received 3 more best paper awards together with his colleagues and research students. He served as the Chair of the Australian Geomechanics Society (Sydney), a technical society of Engineers Australia. He is the author/co-author of more than 300 articles in civil and geotechnical engineering. He is also a technical reviewer of many International Journals and several research organisations.
Professor Adrian Russell
School of Civil and Environmental Engineering
The University of New South Wales
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Biography of the Speaker: Adrian R. Russell is a Professor of Geotechnical Engineering at UNSW Sydney. His expertise is in the development of analytical and semi-analytical techniques in geomechanics, the behaviour of soils and tailings and rock, physical model testing, cavity expansion theory, the CPT and knowledge transfer to industry. Professor Russell is an Australian representative on TC106 and TC221, which are International Technical Committees on unsaturated soil mechanics and tailings within the ISSMGE. He does expert review work on the stability of tailings storages and serves on Independent Tailings Review Boards. He is one of a team of industry leaders updating the AGS guidelines for risk assessments of slopes. He is also on Editorial Boards of Geotechnique, Computers and Geotechnics and the International Journal of Rock Mechanics and Mining Sciences. He was awarded his PhD in 2005 and BE in 1998, each by UNSW Sydney. His first academic appointment was a lectureship at the University of Bristol in the UK (2003-2007). This was followed by a move UNSW Sydney where has been ever since.
Professor Kunlong Yin
Department of Engineering Geology and Geotechnical Engineering
China University of Geosciences, China
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Biography of the Speaker: Professor Yin Kunlong, Ph.D., is a highly accomplished Professor at the China University of Geosciences (Wuhan). He is a leading national expert specializing in geohazard risk management and early warning. For over 30 years, Professor Yin Kunlong has maintained a sustained studies on geological hazard prevention and control in the Three Gorges Reservoir area. As a key national expert, he has participated extensively in the planning, design, and consultation for geohazard prevention projects, notably presiding over the compilation of the Design Code for Geological Hazard Prevention and Control Projects in the Three Gorges Reservoir Area. His innovative contributions include pioneering new risk warning methods for the hazard-chain from landslide-generated wave. He holds the prestigious honor of being an Expert Receiving Special Government Allowance from the State Council of China. To date, he has published over 200 academic papers and authored 10 monographs. He actively maintains strong international collaborations with renowned institutions, including the University of Vienna, University of Florence, Western Sydney University, and the Norwegian Geotechnical Institute