51st Martin S. Kapp Lecture and the 21st Annual “Meet & Greet” Dinner

Presented by:

Dr. J. Carlos Santamarina

Professor, Clough Chair

Georgia Institute of Technology

We are entering a transformative era in geotechnical engineering. For more than a century, our field has advanced through careful observation, physical insight, and methodical testing. Today, it faces a new landscape: pervasive sensing, advanced imaging and visualization, autonomous data collection, intelligent algorithms, vast computational power, and instantaneous information sharing. These unprecedented capabilities are catalysts for reimagining how we explore the subsurface, characterize geomaterials, and design in an increasingly complex world. As these rapid developments reshape our field, we must ensure that innovation strengthens, rather than erodes, the physical intuition that underpins our discipline, which can be threatened by overreliance on data-driven methods. The coming era invites us to rethink long-held assumptions and embrace a more integrated and anticipatory form of geotechnical engineering that is more adaptive and ultimately more equitable. The opportunity before us is clear: to elevate the quality and global consistency of geotechnical engineering everywhere and to set the stage for a new century of informed, innovative practice capable of addressing emerging challenges.

Registration/Cocktails at 5:00 pm

Dinner at 6:30 pm | Technical Lecture at 7:30 pm

Know what’s Happening Next — before everyone else does.

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Host or Publisher ASCE Met Section Geo-Institute Chapter