State Geotechnical Workshops
Regional Geotechnical Conferences/Workshops Provide Great Opportunity for Sharing Best Practices from Like-Areas of the Nation
For the past 30+ years, Geotechnical Engineering Conferences/Workshops have been an excellent conduit for the transfer of information and technology to practitioners across the Nation-especially those held by Regional State Geotechnical Engineer Groups. These regional exchange events are held annually in five separate locations-the Northeast, the Northwest, the Midwest, the Southeast, and the Southwest. Geotechnical Engineers from State Departments of Transportation (DOT) attend the various regional events, based on location, and each region has also been assigned a Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) engineer to assist in coordination of these conferences/workshops. They provide the ideal environment for the fluid exchange of information among practitioners and enhance the state-of-the-practice nationwide.
Every year, a State DOT in each region is selected, based on a rotation, to host the annual conference/workshop. That host-State DOT, with the assistance of a subcommittee, creates an agenda prior to the conference/workshop. Generally, State DOT and FHWA engineers are the target audiences of these meetings; however, some meetings include various speakers, consultants, and contractors as invited participants. Presentations and field trips are typically incorporated by all of the conferences/workshops. Many times, a one- or half-day formal training session may be added. Many of those who attend and participate in these conferences/workshops find them to be extremely beneficial in assisting in transferring information as well as networking and provide a great opportunity for professional development.
Additional information on each of these events is provided below, to give you a feel for what they include, who attends, and the benefit of attending these events.
Membership:
- Northeast States Geotechnical Engineers (NESGE) Workshop - Member Federal and State DOT organizations include: Connecticut, Delaware, District of Columbia, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, Vermont, and the FHWA.
- Northwest Geotech Workshop (NWGW) - Member Federal and State DOT organizations include: Alaska, Colorado, Idaho, Montana, North Dakota, Oregon, South Dakota, Utah, Washington, Wyoming and the FHWA.
- Midwest Geotechnical Conference (MWGC) - Member Federal and State DOT organizations include: Iowa, Illinois, Indiana, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, Nebraska, Ohio, Wisconsin, and the FHWA.
- Southeast Transportation Geotechnical Engineers Conference (STGEC) - Member Federal and State DOT organizations include: Alabama, Arkansas, Florida, Georgia, Kentucky, Louisiana, Mississippi, North Carolina, Puerto Rico, South Carolina, Tennessee, Virginia, West Virginia, Transportation Research Board (TRB) and the FHWA.
- Southwest Geotechnical Engineers Conference (SWGEC) - Member Federal and State DOT organizations include: Arizona, California, Hawaii, Kansas, Louisiana, Nevada, New Mexico, Oklahoma, Texas, and the FHWA.