IGS Awards

Recognizing Excellence

Our awards recognize individuals or groups from within the IGS membership, whose work has made an outstanding contribution to the development and use of geosynthetics, or who have given outstanding service to the Society.

All IGS members are eligible for consideration, except the President and members of the Awards Committee.

Award winners receive a certificate and specially commissioned medal, and are usually presented at the IGS General Assembly or a Regional IGS Conference.

The IGS Award

The most prestigious of all the IGS Awards recognizes advances in the scientific and engineering development of geosynthetics products and associated technologies. This award is presented every four years in concert with the IGS General Assembly and the International Conference on Geosynthetics (ICG).

Dimiter Alexiew 
Erol Tutumluer
Yan Yu and R. Kerry Rowe
Richard J. Bathurst, Tony M. Allen, and Yoshihisa Miyata
HUESKER Group

Sanjay Kumar Shukla
Amy Rentz, Lauren Ashe, Richard Brachman, Kerry Rowe, and Andy Take
Dr. Yewei Zheng, Dr. Patrick J. Fox, and Dr. John S. McCartney
Malek Bouazza
Tencate
Dr. John H. Greenwood
Dr.-Ing.Hartmut Franz Schroeder
Ir. Wim Voskamp
Dr. Jie Han, PhD., P.E.
S.J.M. van Eekelen MSc
Ir. A. Bezuijen
Dr. Melissa Chappel
Dr. R. Kerry Rowe
Dr. Richard W.I. Brachman
Dr. William Andrew Take
Prof. Hoe Ling
HUESKER SYNTHETIC GMBH
TENSAR INTERNATIONAL CORPORATION
A. Nernheim
Dr. Richard J. Bathurst
Mr. Tony M. Allen
Prof. Chungsik Yoo
Dr. Yoshihisa Miyata
NAUE GmbH & Co. KG
Prof. Nicola Moraci
Dr. Benedito de Souza Bueno
Dr. Patrick J. Fox, P.E.
GSE LINING TECHNOLOGY GMBH
Dr. Ahmet Aydilek
Dr. Abdelmalek Bouazza
Dr. R. Kerry Rowe
Mr. Allen Lunzhu Li
Dr. Ennio Marques Palmeira
Dr. Jorge G. Zornberg, P.E.
Dr. Masahiro Shinoda
Dr. Maria Das Graças Gardoni Almeida
Dr. Jean-Pierre Giroud
Dr. Imad L. Al-Qadi
Mr. Tony M. Allen
BONAR (COLBOND bv)
Dr. Barry R. Christopher. P.E.
Mr. J. A. DeMaggio, P.E.
Mr. V. Elias, P.E.
Dr. Scott Thornton
Dr. K. Warlouzel
Dr.Ing. Daniele A. Cazzuffi
Ing. Pietro Rimoldi
Dr. Alberto Scuero
Ing. Piero Sembenelli
Prof. Jean-Pierre Gourc
Dr. Jonathan R. Fannin
Dr. Hiroshi Miki
Dr. Richard J. Bathurst
Professor T.S. Ingold
Mr. Chris G. Jenner
Mr. Chris R. Lawson
Mr. Bernard Myles MICE SVR DECEASED
Mr. Ragui F. Wilson-Fahmy
Dr. Dhani B. Narejo
Dr. Zhenqi Cai
Dr. Robert M. Koerner
Dr. Ennio Marques Palmeira
Dipl.-Ing. Karl-Heinz Blume
Dr. R. Kerry Rowe
Dr. Fumio Tatsuoka, Mr. Masaru Tateyama, Dr. Osamu Murata, and Dr. Hisashi Tarumi
Dr. J.P. Giroud and Dr. R. Bonaparte
Dr. Robert M. Koerner
Dr. Richard J. Bathurst
Dr. Richard Jewell
IGS Special Recognition Finalist Diploma: Dr. Ian Peggs

Mr. Joseph E. Fluet

Honorary Membership

Honorary Membership is awarded to individuals in recognition of their distinguished position, scientific achievement, outstanding service to the Society, or major contributions to the promotion of geosynthetics and their applications. In common with the IGS Award, Honorary Membership is presented every four years at IGS General Assembly and the International Conference on Geosynthetics (ICG).

Ian Peggs
Dr. Ing. Daniele A. Cazzuffi
Prof. Fumio Tatsuoka
Dr. Ennio Marques Palmeira
Mr. Peter E. Stevenson
Dr. R. Kerry Rowe
Dr. Robert Koerner
Mr. Gert den Hoedt
Dr. Jean-Pierre Giroud
Prof. Masami Fukuoka

Giroud Lecture

Established in 1994, the Giroud Lecture honors Dr. J.P. Giroud’s invaluable contribution to the technical advancement of the geosynthetics discipline and his central role in the development of the IGS. The Giroud Lecturer is chosen by the IGS Council, with the lecture delivered at the International Conference on Geosynthetics.

Read more:
A Speaker’s Perspective

Watch the most recent Giroud Lecture:
Healing the World: A Geosynthetics Solution

Access 30 years of Giroud Lectures:
Giroud Lectures

Dr. Ennio Marques Palmeira

Dr. Nathalie Touze
Dr. Richard Bathurst
Prof. Heinz Brandl
Mr. Chris R. Lawson
Dr. R. Kerry Rowe
Dr. Robert M. Koerner

The Mercer Lecture

Since 1992, the Mercer Lecture has honored the late Dr. Brian Mercer, a renowned  innovator and entrepreneur. Mercer invented modern Tensar geogrids for the construction industry, providing stabilisation and reinforcement, with the underlying concept of simplicity, flexibility and strength. Mercer lecturers are selected by IGS in partnership with the International Society for Soil Mechanics and Geotechnical Engineering (ISSMGE), and must have made significant technical contributions to the advancement of geosynthetics.  Tensar International sponsors the lecture.

Read more about the Mercer Lecture Series:
Mercer Lecture Series

Access all past Mercer Lectures:
Past Mercer Lectures

Dr. Richard J. Bathurst

Prf. Alan McGown

Prof. Fumio Tatsuoka

Prof. Jean-Pierre Gourc

Dr. Robert M. Koerner

IGS Service Award

This award is given out to IGS members in recognition of their commitment and dedication to the society and the greater good of the geosynthetics discipline.

Boyd Ramsey
Francesco Fontana
Hervé Plusquellec

Dr. Jorge Z. Zornberg

Dr. Jean-Pierre Giroud
Dr. Richard J. Bathurst
Dr. R. Kerry Rowe
Ing. Pierpaolo Fantini

Mr. Bernard Myles MICE SVR DECEASED
Ms. Karina McInnis

Dr. E.R. Floss

Mr. James Paul DECEASED

Mr. Jean Renard

Prof. Toshinobu Akagi, PE. Dr. Eng.
Mr. Chris R. Lawson
Dr. David J. Elton, P.E.

The Young IGS Member and IGS Young Member Service Awards

Reserved for members under the age of 36 years, these awards are made according to similar criteria as the IGS Award and IGS Service Award.

Fernanda Bessa Ferreira
V. Vinay Kumar

Fernando Henrique Martins Portelinha
Ben Leshchinsky

Prof. Kuo-Hsin Yang, Ph.D
Mr. Zhuang, Yanfeng

Mr. Edoardo Zannoni
T. van der Peet MSC

Mr. Warat Kongkitkul
Prof. John S. McCartney
Dr. Daiki Hirakawa

Mr. Francois Cartaud
Dr. Nathalie Touze-Foltz, Ph.D.
Dr. Young In Oh

Dr. Jorge G. Zornberg, P.E.

Mr. James (Jay)McKelvey, III

Dr. Richard A. Jewell

IGS Plaque

Presented in recognition of a specific goal or service achieved by the recipient.

Dr. Abdelmalek Bouazza

Mrs. Rosemary T. Stevenson

Dr. Richard J. Bathurst
Ir. Wim Voskamp

Prof. Liu Zong-Yao
Prof. Wang Zheng Hong
Mr. Wang Yu-Ren

Professor T.S. Ingold

IGS Chapter Achievement/Service Award

Every four years IGS Chapters may recognize exceptional service or achievement at the chapter level. The award is presented at the relevant IGS Regional Conference.
Prof. Mauricio Ehrlich
Mr. Hugues Girard
Prof. K. Rajagopal
Prof. Li Guangxin
Prof. Mauricio Ehrlich
Prof. Delma M. Vidal
Dr. Eun-Chul Shin
Prof. Andrea Cancelli
Mr. G.R.A. Watts
Mr. Mauricio Ossa
Mr. Rafael Rocha Vargas
Prof. Toshinobu Akagi
PE. Dr.Eng.
Mr. Jacques Perfetti
Mr. Bao Cheng-Gang
Mr. Paulo Roberto Aguiar
Prof. Dennes T. Bergado
Dr. Sam-Deok Cho
Mr. Komei Iwasaki
Mr. Kelvin R. Legge
Ing. Leonardo Sarti
Mr. L. David Suits
Dr. Ing. Hartmut Franz Schroeder
Dr. G. Venkatappa Rao

IGS Student Award

Run by IGS Chapters around the world, student winners receive a certificate and a $1000 travel stipend to present their winning paper at their regional conference.
Anne Ravaska
Ms. Carlotta Pons
Mrs. Shabnam Meshkinghalam
Laura Carbone
Herman-Jaap Lodder
David Miranda Carlos
Ms. Alla Kusnetsova
Ms. Irene Nyirenda
Dr. Maria Crespo Mucientes
Mr. Hakki Ozhan
Ms. Katarzyna Anna Zamara
Mr. Yang Liu
Mr. Erick Yusuf Kencana
Mr. Jinsuk Hur
Dae-Seong Cho
Ms. Salisa Chaiyaput
Agustin Ecke
Eng. Marianna Jacominy A. Mendes
Jesús Alberto Gomez-Rivera
Azadeh Hoor
Mr. Jose Sousa
Mr. Hiroyuki Aizawa
Mr. KiKwon Hong
Mr. Shilei Zhang
Ms. Mahuya Ghosh
Mr. Jaturonk Saowapakpiboon
Dott. Ing. Giuseppe Cardile
Miss Anna Sia
Dr. Melissa Chappel
Mr. Helber de Lima Viana
Mr. Tit Liviu Talos
Mr. Claas Heitz
Ms. Priscilla Ching
Mr. Armel Ganne
Mr. Carlos Antonio Centurion Panta
Mr. Olivier Boutron
Dr. Florian Bussert
Mr. Agatino Simone Lo Grasso
Mr. Tawatchai Tanchaisawat
Ms. Karina Lange
Mr. Sun-Bin Kim
Mr. Andrei Mihai Baicu
Mr. Bastien LeHello
Mr. Zhuang, Yanfeng
Dr. Susumu Nakajima

Special Awards

The IGS Council may decide to present a Special Award in cases of special merit that fall outside the criteria of other IGS awards.
Dr. Ian D. Peggs

Dr. R. Kerry Rowe
Dr. Brian L.J. Mylleville
Dr. Rudolph Bonaparte, P.E.

Twenty and Thirty Year Corporate Awards

These awards recognize the contribution by corporate members that have been members continuously for 20 and 30 years respectively.
Asahi Geotechnologies (Japan)
Dupont De Nemours (Luxembourg)
Japan Spunbond Toray (Japan)
Okasan Livic (Japan)
Tencate Geosynthetics Austria (Austria)
Tokyu Construction (Japan)
Geosynthetic Material Assoc. (USA)
Kajima Corporation (Japan)
Huesker Synthetic GMBH (Germany)
NAUE GmbH & Co. KG (Germany)
GSE Environmental LLC (USA)
Obayashi Corporation (Japan)
Solmax (Canada)
Low & Bonar BV (Netherlands)

Kuraray Co. LTD. (Japan)
Tensar International (U.K.)
Tensar International Corporation (USA)
The Reinforced Earth Company (USA)
Cofra B.V. (Netherlands)
Taiyo Kogyo Corporation (SUN) (Japan)
Tenax S.P.A. (Italy)
Cetco Lining Technologies (USA)
Maeda Kosen Co., LTD. (Japan)
Mitsubishi Chemical Infratec Co., LTD. (Japan)
Daehan i.m. Co., LTD. (UK)
Geofabrics LTD. (UK)
Agru Kunststofftechnik (Austria)
Geofelt GmbH (Austria)
Presto Geosystems (USA)
Fiti Testing & Research Institute (Korea)
Officine Maccaferri SpA (Italy)
Assoc. of RRR Construction System (Japan)
Beaulieu International Group (Belgium)
Integrated Geotechnology Instititute (Japan)
JUTA a.s. (Czech Republic)
Maccaferri Do Brasil LTDA (Brazil)
Tencate Geosynthetics Americas (USA)
The Association of RRR Construction System (Japan)