Chairman's Message

It is my honour to be elected as the Chairman of Geotechnical Division. First, I would like to express my thanks to my colleagues as their participation is invaluable for the smooth operation of the Division.

One of the key goals of the Division is to provide effective avenues for sharing experiences and the latest professional developments. In particular, we are committing ourselves to meeting the needs of our young members who are still in the formative stage of their careers. Our site visits, technical seminars, conferences and workshops are always well-received by Division members. While we are going on to invite experts to share state-of-the-art developments in various areas of our field, we are also encouraging members to attend overseas professional activities, such as conferences and site visits. In October 2008, we will organise a delegation, with support from the PSDAS, to Malaysia. After the delegation, our Malaysian counterparts will visit us and conduct a one-day seminar. Other activities are being planned and they either have been announced or will be announced in due course.

To support young members to participate in overseas activities, our Division began to provide them with financial support a few years ago. In view of the positive responses, we wish to increase the number of places. We will also explore the possibility of expanding the scheme to other membership grades.

Our past Chairmen and Committee members have established strong collaborations with international institutes. We can proudly claim that we are well recognised as the representative of Hong Kong Geotechnical community and we are entrusted to organise key events in Hong Kong. Through the HKGES, our members are either holding key roles or participating actively in the technical committees of the ISSMGE. Members may find it exciting that we are going to host the SINOROCK in 2009 and the 14th Asian Regional Conference in 2011. In addition to these international links, we will continue to build a strong network within the region by enhancing our relationship with the regional institutions.

I am aware of the challenges ahead of us but I am confident, with your support, that they can be overcome. Please participate in our activities and provide us with feedback and advice. I look forward to seeing you in our coming events.

Ir Prof Leslie George THAM
Chairman, Geotechnical Division
Session 2008/2009