About Us
We connect UBC students with opportunities to learn about geotechnical engineering and network with industry professionals.
We are affiliated with the Canadian Geotechnical Society (CGS), a non-profit learned society which exists to serve and promote the geotechnical and geoscience community in Canada. It encompasses a wide spectrum of scientific and engineering disciplines within the geo field. With approximately 1,400 members across Canada and around the world, the CGS is a driving force in the geotechnical profession by providing opportunities for members to upgrade their skills, to present research and case histories, and to connect with other geotechnical professionals locally, nationally, and internationally.
The University of British Columbia student chapter gives undergraduate and graduate students opportunities to learn more about the field and network with professionals and fellow students. The student chapter is also affiliated with the Vancouver Geotechnical Society (VGS), which is the local section of the CGS consisting of professionals from across the Vancouver area.
Learn more about the local and national organizations:
Geotechnical engineering — designing the interface between infrastructure and the ground.
Everything you see around you is supported by soil or rock. Geotechnical engineers are responsible for that. Geotechnical engineering is the science that explains the mechanics of soil and rock and its applications to the development of humankind. It includes the analysis, design, and construction of foundations, slopes, retaining structures, embankments, roadways, tunnels, levees, wharves, landfills and other systems that are made of or are supported by soil or rock (from ISSMGE).