Graduate Conference on Geotechnical Hazards and Risks
Dec 9, 2026 to Dec 10, 2026 — 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.
Event details
The Faculty of Engineering at the University of Ottawa is pleased to announce the 19th Annual Graduate Conference on Geotechnical Hazards and Risks (GH-RISKS).
GH-RISKS provides a platform for attendees to exchange ideas and discuss solutions to geotechnical hazards and infrastructure challenges facing Canada and the world.
GH-RISKS 2026 will feature an opening keynote address, special technical sessions on Energy Geotechnics and Permafrost Engineering, 25+ technical presentations, presentation competitions, awards and cash prizes, networking opportunities, and professional development activities.
Conference themes
- Geotechnical hazards and risk assessment
- Climate-resilient infrastructure
- Energy and infrastructure geotechnics
- Permafrost and cold-regions engineering
- Transportation infrastructure
- Mining and environmental geotechnics
- Sustainable geotechnical engineering
- Geoenvironmental challenges
- Problem grounds
- Waste management
- Geosynthetics and ground improvement
Program highlights
- Opening keynote address
- Special session on energy geotechnics
- Special session on permafrost engineering
- 25+ technical presentations
- Best presentation competitions
- Cash prizes and awards
- Networking opportunities
- Trivia session and prizes
- Professional development opportunities
Why attend?
- Learn about recent advances in geotechnical, civil, and geoenvironmental engineering research.
- Present your research and receive valuable feedback.
- Engage with experts from academia and industry.
- Build professional and research networks.
- Develop your presentation and communication skills.
- Compete for awards and cash prizes.
- Discover emerging solutions to climate-related geotechnical challenges.
Speakers
Mamadou Fall
Conference founder and chair
Professor Mamadou Fall is a Distinguished University Professor, Chair of Civil Engineering, and University Research Chair in Geotechnical Engineering for Net Zero Transitions at the University of Ottawa.
Founder and Chair of GH-RISKS, his research addresses geotechnical hazards, climate-resilient infrastructure, energy geotechnics, permafrost engineering, and sustainable infrastructure.
Sam Bhat
Conference keynote speaker
Sam Bhat is Chief Technical Officer Geosynthetics at Titan Environmental. With more than 35 years of experience in geotechnical and environmental engineering applications across North America, Europe, Asia, and the Middle East, Sam brings extensive technical and industry experience in geosynthetic technologies.
His keynote presentation, “Advanced Geosynthetics for Climate-Resilient Canadian Transportation Infrastructure,” will examine how novel geogrid composite technologies can improve the resilience, safety, and long-term performance of transportation infrastructure under increasingly severe climate conditions.
Please contact the organizing team: Desmond Talamwin Sunkpal at [email protected] or Abdurrahman Suleiman Mohammed at [email protected].