Presidents Corner (April 2024)

April 28, 2024

Thanks to Scott Rugg of Kleinfelder for providing a very stimulating presentation regarding Cone Penetrometer Testing (CPT) for paleoseimic investigations. I assume that everyone will be getting out of the truck to check that the probe tip is at the correct elevation from hereon. There were 63 people at the meeting and great thanks to many of you for paying your annual dues.

Earlier this year I had a conversation with someone about the origins of their geotechnical company. If you’re not aware of it, Professor J. David Rogers (Ph.D., P.E., P.G., C.E.G., F.ASCE, F. GSA) at Missouri University of Science & Technology wrote an extensive history of geotechnical engineering and engineering geology called Threadlines of Geotechnical and Engineering Geology Firms in southern California. There’s a companion history for the San Francisco Bay area as well. It’s interesting reading if you’re curious about both professional and academic origins.

Evolution Of Geotechnical Practice (mst.edu)

The May 6^th meeting is our annual poster session at Chapman Crafted Beer in Orange. That’s Chapman Crafted Beer. If you search for Chapman Brewing, you will end up in Angola, Indiana. In past years the poster session has been in the Fall. After much discussion, we moved the poster session because May is when students and faculty at the various surrounding universities will be making posters for year-end festivities as well as the Geological Society of America Cordilleran Section meeting. We will be giving out scholarships to both undergraduate and graduate students, so we will be asking folks to act as judges as well.

FUTURE MEETINGS

• June 17: Sue Hough, USGS, 30 year anniversary of the Northridge Earthquake; Joint meeting with SDAG at El Adobe in San Juan Capistrano.
• October 18-20: Annual field trip – Owens Valley
• November 4: Jeff Pigati and Kathleen Springer, USGS, Dated hominid footprints at White Sands; Zoom

Respectfully,
Jeff Knott