Professor Mamadou Fall is a Distinguished University Professor and Chair of the Department of Civil Engineering at the University of Ottawa. He also holds the University Research Chair in Geotechnical Engineering for Net Zero Transitions, recognizing his internationally renowned expertise in geotechnical and geoenvironmental engineering.
Dr. Fall obtained his engineering degree with distinction from the Earth Science Institute of the University of Dakar, followed by a PhD in geotechnical engineering from Freiberg University of Mining and Technology in Germany, supported by a national excellence scholarship. He was later awarded a postdoctoral fellowship by the German Research Foundation and served as Coordinator of the German Research Chair in Environmental Geosciences and Geotechnics.
Since joining the University of Ottawa, Professor Fall has established a dynamic and globally connected research program. He has secured substantial research funding and supervised more than 100 highly qualified personnel (master’s, doctoral, and postdoctoral researchers), many of whom now hold leadership positions in academia, government, and industry. His research has resulted in over 325 publications, numerous keynote and invited lectures on five continents, and has significantly influenced engineering practices and policy development in Canada and beyond.
Professor Fall’s outstanding contributions have earned him numerous honors, including the John B. Stirling Medal from the Engineering Institute of Canada, the uOttawa Award for Research Excellence, the Franz-Special Award for Geotechnical Engineering, and recognition among the top 1% of global scientists by Elsevier and Stanford University. His excellence in teaching and training of HQP has also been recognized through awards the uOttawa Excellence in Education Prize and John V. Marsh Award for Excellence in Teaching.
Beyond his research, Professor Fall has held high-impact leadership roles, including Vice-President Technical and Regional Director of the Canadian Geotechnical Society, Director of the Ottawa-Carleton Institute for Environmental Engineering, Chair of the Geoenvironmental Division of the Canadian Geotechnical Society, and Coordinator of the German Research Chair in Environmental Geosciences and Geotechnics. He is actively engaged in advancing the profession through his service on expert panels, editorial boards, review committees, and through the organization of major national and international conferences, seminars, and workshops.