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Geo-Congress 2026

Salt Lake City, Utah | –

Awards

The following ASCE and Geo-Institute awards will be presented at the 2026 Geo-Congress.

Karl Terzaghi Lecture

This lectureship was established by the Soil Mechanics & Foundations Division (now the Geo-Institute) of the Society by the solicitation of gifts from the many friends and admirers of Karl Terzaghi, Hon.M.ASCE. It was instituted by the Board of Direction on October 10, 1960.

2026 Winner

"The Safety of Slopes"

  • D. Vaughan Griffiths, D.Sc., Ph.D., P.E., C.Eng., BC.GE, Dist.M.ASCE
    The Geo-Institute has selected Dr. Vaughan Griffiths to present the Terzaghi Lecture in recognition of his sustained and influential contributions to geotechnical engineering research, education, and practice. His pioneering work in slope stability analysis, risk assessment, and finite element modeling has advanced the state of the art worldwide. Through highly cited publications, textbooks, practitioner-focused short courses, and leadership within ASCE and the Geo-Institute, Dr. Griffiths has made lasting contributions to the profession.

Ralph B. Peck Award

This award was established in 1999 by the Geo-Institute of the Society in honor of Ralph B. Peck, Dist.M.ASCE. Funds to support this award were donated by the Geoprofessional Business Association (GBA, formerly ASFE).

2026 Winner

"Revisiting the Observational Method"

  • Kenichi Soga, Ph.D., NAE, F.ASCE
    The Geo-Institute has selected Dr. Kenichi Soga to present the 2026 Ralph B. Peck Award Lecture in recognition of his outstanding contributions to geotechnical engineering through the development and application of advanced sensing technologies. His pioneering work with Distributed Fiber Optic (DFOS) and related monitoring systems has transformed the evaluation of field performance of engineered systems. Through influential research, recommended practice methodologies, and leadership in smart infrastructure, Dr. Soga has made lasting contributions to the profession.

H. Bolton Seed Medal

This award was established by the Geotechnical Engineering Division (now the Geo-Institute) of the Society in memory of Professor H. Bolton Seed, Hon.M.ASCE. It was officially instituted by action of the Board of Direction on October 23, 1993 and was funded by friends and colleagues of Professor Seed and the U.S. National Society Endowment Fund.

2026 Winner

"Deformation Modeling in Risk Analyses for Dams"

  • Ross W. Boulanger, Ph.D., P.E., NAE, F.ASCE
    The Geo-Institute has selected Dr. Ross Boulanger to receive the 2026 H. Bolton Seed Medal in recognition of his extraordinary contributions to geotechnical earthquake engineering. His influential work on liquefaction and its remediation, the seismic performance of dams, and seismic soil–pile–structure interaction has significantly advanced engineering practice. Through the development of the PM4Sand and PM4Silt constitutive models, Dr. Boulanger has made a lasting impact on research and professional applications worldwide.

Shamsher Prakash Award & Lecture

This award and lecture is established to honor Shamsher Prakash, Ph.D., P.E., D.GE, Dist.M.ASCE for his contributions to geotechnical engineering and soil dynamics. It is established under the auspices of the Geo-Institute and funded by an endowment created through donations from Professor Prakash’s estate and family, mentees, friends, and colleagues. The award was established by the Society on October 4, 2021.

2026 Winner

"Beyond Site-Specific: Regional Near-Surface Effects for System-level Risk Reduction"

  • Domniki Asimaki, Sc.D., M.ASCE
    The Geo-Institute has selected Dr. Domniki Asimaki to receive the 2026 Shamsher Prakash Award in recognition of her pioneering contributions to the modeling of three-dimensional site effects with significant application to the risk assessment of critical infrastructure and urban lifeline systems. Her work has made major contributions to geotechnical earthquake engineering and soil dynamics, advancing understanding of geotechnical system behavior under natural and human-induced hazards.

Arthur Casagrande Professional Development Award

This award was established by the Geotechnical Engineering Division (now the Geo-Institute) of ASCE as a memorial to the outstanding contributions of Arthur Casagrande, Hon.M.ASCE, to the teaching, research, and practice of geotechnical engineering. The award is funded by gifts from the many students, colleagues, and friends of Arthur Casagrande. The award was established to provide professional development opportunities for outstanding young practitioners, researchers, and teachers of geotechnical engineering.

2026 Winner

  • Idil Akin, Ph.D., M.ASCE and Surya S.C. Congress, Ph.D., M.ASCE
    The 2026 Arthur Casagrande Professional Development Award is given to Dr. Idil Akin and Dr. Surya Congress for their technical achievements and her ability to generate high-impact research, secure competitive funding, teach effectively, and serve the profession.

Carl L. Monismith Lecture

The Carl L. Monismith Lecture Award honors Professor Carl L. Monismith's fifty-plus years of teaching and research contributions to pavement technology. The annual Award recognizes outstanding research contributions in Pavement Engineering. 

2026 Winner

  • Navneet Garg, Ph.D, F.ASCE
    The winner of the 2026 Carl L Monismith Lecture Award is Dr. Navneet Garg, for his pioneering contributions to transportation geotechnics and airfield pavement engineering, including advanced testing, development of innovative materials and systems, and sustainability tools. Dr. Garg’s advancing of the profession through his exemplary leadership, mentoring, and service is in keeping with the legacy of Carl L. Monismith.

Martin S. Kapp Foundation Engineering Award

The Martin S. Kapp Foundation Engineering Award is a memorial in recognition of the outstanding professional accomplishments of Martin S. Kapp, F.ASCE. The award is supported by the income from a fund contributed by the friends and professional associates of Mr. Kapp. The award was established by the Board of Direction in April 1973.

2026 Winner

  • Rozbeh Moghaddam, Ph.D., P.E., BC.GE, MBA, M.ASCE
    The Geo-Institute has selected Dr. Rozbeh Moghaddam as the 2026 Kapp Award winner in recognition of his technical innovations in deep foundation load testing and his commitment and leadership in the geotechnical profession.

Wallace Hayward Baker Award

The Wallace Hayward Baker Award was established in the year 2000 by the Geo-Institute in recognition of the creative and innovative contributions of Wallace Hayward Baker in the field of ground modification.

2026 Winner

  • Dennis Boehm, M.ASCE
    The Geo-Institute has selected Mr. Dennis Boehm as the 2026 Wallace Hayward Baker Award recipient in recognition of his innovative and creative contributions to the field of ground modification, including deep soil mixing, jet grouting, and vibro methods. With over 38 years of experience in the ground improvement industry, Mr. Boehm has implemented industry design methodologies, served on the G-I Soil Improvement Technical Committee, and distinguished himself in practice, ultimately becoming Senior Vice President of Keller North America, Inc.

Harry Schnabel Jr. Award

The Harry Schnabel Jr. Award was established by the Geo-Institute in 2006. This is a memorial award in recognition of Harry Schnabel's accomplishments in the field of earth retaining structures. This award encourages continued excellence and innovation by those making a career in the earth retaining structures industry. The award is funded by an endowment from the Schnabel Foundation Company.

2026 Winner

  • Hugh S. Lacy, P.E., F.ASCE
    The Geo-Institute has selected Mr. Hugh S. Lacy as the 2026 Harry Schnabel Jr. Award recipient in recognition of his outstanding contributions to geotechnical engineering, particularly in support of excavation, ground freezing for excavation support, and foundation design for buildings and bridges. He is an expert in the design and construction of braced excavations for deep basements, tunnel shafts, and foundations, and in protecting existing structures from tunneling and braced excavations.

Geo-Innovation Award

The Geo-Innovation award was established by the Geo-Institute in 2026 to recognize Innovation, Invention, Implementation, and Impact associated transformative contributions to geotechnical engineering. 

2026 Winner

  • Aero Aggregates of North America
    The 2026 Geo-Innovation Award is awarded to Aero Aggregates of North America in recognition of the company’s innovation of Foam Glass Aggregates and their impact on geotechnical engineering. As the first vertically integrated manufacturer of foam glass aggregates in North America, the company produces the material from recycled glass and has achieved widespread adoption, with approvals from more than 25 state Departments of Transportation and use on over 700 projects across the United States.

Thomas A. Middlebrooks Award

The Thomas A. Middlebrooks Award, established by the Society in 1955, is a memorial in recognition of the outstanding professional accomplishments of Thomas A. Middlebrooks, A.M.ASCE. This award is supported by the income from a fund contributed by friends of Mr. Middlebrooks.

2025 Winners

  • Idil D. Akin, Ph.D., M.ASCE; Taiwo O. Akinleye, Ph.D., S.M.ASCE; and Peter R. Robichaud, Ph.D., P.E., M.ASCE
    For the paper “Changes in Soil Properties over Time after a Wildfire and Implications to Slope Stability,” which demonstrated the need for a wildfire-specific slope stability model and highlighted the importance of in-situ monitoring of critical slopes. The paper presented an original approach with significant implications for professional practice.

Norman Medal

The Norman Medal, instituted by ASCE in 1872 and endowed by George H. Norman, recognizes an original paper that makes significant contributions to either practical or research aspects of engineering disciplines. 

2025 Winners

  • Sumeet K. Sinha, Ph.D.,EIT, M.ASCE; Katerina Ziotopoulou, Ph.D., P.E, C.Eng, BC.GE,  M.ASCE; and Bruce L. Kutter, Ph.D., M.ASCE
    For the paper “Displacement-Based Design of Axially Loaded Piles for Seismic Loading and Liquefaction-Induced Downdrag,” published in the Journal of Geotechnical and Geoenvironmental Engineering, which presents an innovative and applicable approach to evaluating the axial capacity of piles affected by liquefiable deposits. The paper proposes a displacement-based method incorporating soil–structure interaction effects and provides a clear, step-by-step design procedure that is practical for foundation designers.

Walter L. Huber Civil Engineering Research Prizes

In 1964, The Walter L. Huber Civil Engineering Research Prize was endowed by Mrs. Alberta Reed Huber in honor of her husband and to stimulate research in civil engineering. 

2025 Winner

  • Ben A. Leshchinsky, Ph.D., P.E. ,M.ASCE
    The 2025 Walter L. Huber Research Prize is awarded to Ben A. Leshchinsky for his pioneering research in the modeling and mitigation of geohazards. His work advanced the design and analysis of slopes and earth-retaining structures, leading to engineering code advancements and cost-effective solutions for resilient infrastructure. His research on slope stability introduced a new method for evaluating load-bearing capacity near slopes, replacing more than 40 years of prior design approaches.

Best Chapter Award

The Best Chapter Award recognizes a Geo-Institute Chapter for its accomplishments in developing the local geotechnical community, providing quality technical training, conducting outreach to students and young professionals, and promoting the profession. 

2026 Winner

  • Seattle Chapter

Chapter Achievement Award

The Chapter Achievement Award recognizes the achievements of smaller or newer chapters, or chapters that have shown significant year-over-year improvement or growth.

2026 Winner

  • San Antonio Chapter  
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