2027 Conference

Annual Geotechnical Engineering Conference

75th Annual Geotechnical Engineering Conference

2027- Student Poster Session

75th Annual Geotechnical Engineering Conference

This is the 75th offering of the University of Minnesota Geotechnical Engineering Conference. The Planning Committee, whose members represent the contracting industry, government agencies, the University, and consulting engineers, are developing a program offering technical information and discussion on current topics for the geotechnical engineering community.

The conference provides a forum to interact with peers, meet specialty contractors, and hear researchers and practitioners discuss theory and application of geomechanics. Civil engineers, architects, planners, contractors, and geologists with an interest in geotechnical engineering will benefit by attending this conference.

The University of Minnesota shall provide equal access to and opportunity in its programs, facilities, and employment without regard to race, color, creed, religion, national origin, gender, age, marital status, disability, public assistance status, veteran status, sexual orientation, gender identity, or gender expression.

Conference Details

Date:

February 25-26, 2027

McNamara Alumni Center

Call For Papers

Papers are invited for presentation at the 75th Annual Geotechnical Engineering Conference, to be held on Friday, February 26, 2027, at the McNamara Alumni Center, 200 Oak Street SE, on the Minneapolis East Bank campus of the University of Minnesota (UMN). Case histories presenting geotechnical investigation, design and performance of foundations, embankments, roadway subgrades, or other infrastructure elements are welcome.

For the 75th year event, we are encouraging special multiple-perspective case history papers, where a single collaborative longer-format paper describes technical and project development, site characterization, design, and construction efforts associated with a single geotechnical project from owner, designer, and constructor perspectives. At the conference, multiple presenters (maximum of three) will share their roles as part of a general session plenary, with the presentation allotted 30 minutes and Q&A 10 minutes. While preference will be given for the expanded format, traditional conference case history papers with a single presenter and more focused topic will also be considered for breakout sessions; presentation time is 15 minutes with 5 minutes for Q&A.

The conference typically attracts 200+ engineering, construction, and geoscience professionals who convene to hear expert practitioners and researchers discuss significant projects and current theories. All papers accepted should follow the format necessary for publication in the proceedings, which are available at the conference. Authors are expected to provide a digital copy of their paper, with a signed copyright release, by December 31, 2026.

Submission Deadlines

Abstracts Due --------------- September 25, 2026

Notification of Acceptance ----- October 30, 2026

Digital Copies Due ------------- December 31, 2026

The presenting author(s) of each accepted paper will be given complimentary registration.

Two abstracts, one approximately 300 words and one 100 words, with presenting author name(s) and complete contact information, should be submitted electronically to geoconf@umn.edu

Registration

Registration information is coming soon.

Pre-Conference Banquet

Thursday, February 25, 2026

6:00 P.M. - 8:30 P.M.

Location TBD, Minneapolis East Bank Campus

The Minnesota Geotechnical Society (MGS) hosts a dinner meeting of the local ASCE section the night before the conference. The dinner reception begins at 6 P.M. A separate registration is required for this event. Dinner registration is coming soon.

2027- Student Poster Session

Students are invited to present their research during the dinner the evening before the conference. To enter, send a 250-word abstract to team@mgs-gi.com by December 30, 2026. Participants will be notified by January 16, 2025 if their poster has been accepted for presentation. Posters will not be published. Presented work need not be exclusive for this event. Research that has been presented elsewhere, so long as the author maintains the rights to present it, is welcomed. Please indicate where else the research has or is expected to be presented.

All students chosen to present will be given free admission to the Thursday dinner event on February 25th, which includes the happy hour reception, meal, and keynote presentation. Students will present their posters during the happy hour. A minimum of $500 in scholarship prize money will be awarded to the top posters.

Corporate sponsorship of the student poster session is available. Please contact team@mgs-gi.com if your company would like to directly sponsor the next generation of geotechnical engineers.

Conference Location/Accommodations

Coming Soon!

Parking

Infomation Coming Soon!

Professional Development Hours

Participants can earn 7.0 professional development hours (PDH) for full-day attendance.

Contact for Further Information

Write to geoconf@umn.edu for any further information.

Planning Committee

Taylor Adams, US Army Corps of Engineers

Joe Bentler, American Engineering Testing

Anya Brose, Itasca Consulting Group

Aaron Budge, MN State University, Mankato

Ivan Contreras, Barr Engineering

Liang Chern Chow, Haley & Aldrich

Derrick Dasenbrock, MnDOT

Chris DeDene, City of Saint Paul

Bryan Field, KLJ Engineering

Steve Gale, Gale-Tec Engineering

Mike Haggerty, Barr Engineering

Megan Hoppe, American Engineering Testing

Nathan Iverson, Veit & Company

Joe Labuz, University of Minnesota (UMN)

Rich Lamb, MnDOT

Brett Larsen, Short Elliott Hendrickson, Inc.

Dan Mahrt, Terracon

Steve Olson, Kiewit Corporation

Greg Reuter, American Engineering Testing

Dave Saftner, UMN, Duluth

Brian Sanchez, Menard USA

Joel Swenson, Barr Engineering

Brent Theroux, Barr Engineering

Joe Westphal, Braun Intertec

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