Brazil 04 – 07 October 2018

The ETE program returned to Brazil’s southern region in 2018, making IGS Brasil the first Chapter to hold three consecutive editions of the current ETE program.

Key facts:

• location: Curitiba, Paraná (Federal Technological University of Paraná, UTFPR)
• 29 professors over 16 hours
• content included theoretical classes, case studies, discussion sessions and practical workshops
• lecturers: Maria das Graças Gardoni (UFMG), Delma Vidal (ITA), Ennio Palmeira (UnB)
• sponsors:   Cipatex, Engepol, Geo Soluções, HUESKER, Maccaferri, TDM

Educate the Educators on Geosynthetics, Brazil

The second ETE program on Brazil took place in the county’s northeastern region, at the Polytechnic School of the University of Pernambuco (POLI / UPE). The program included nine lectures, five case history presentations, three discussion sessions on strategies to introduce the subject in undergraduate engineering courses, and a practical workshop.

Key facts:

• location: Recife, Pernambuco
• 29 professors over 16 hours
• Content: geosynthetics types, functions, properties and testing; filtration and drainage; reinforced walls, slopes and embankments; pavement reinforcement; environmental applications; hydraulic applications

lecturers: Maria das Graças Gardoni (UFMG), Ennio Palmeira (UnB)

Photograph courtesy of Maccaferri

Educate the Educators on Geosynthetics, China

With support of the IGS, the IGS China Chapter and the China Techncial Association for Geosynthetics, an Educate the Educators (ETE) program was held in China for the first time in August 2016. Prof. Chungsik Yoo, Vice President of IGS, delivered a speech in the opening ceremony and Prof. Chao Xu, Chair of Chinese Chapter delivered the closing address. A sample book including 33 types of geosynthetics was provided to attendees for their educational use at their institutions.

Key facts:

• location: Zhangjiajie, Hunan Province
• over 70 participants  from more than 30 colleges and institutes of China
• more than 30 new IGS members recruited
• topics covered included types, function and properties of geosynthetics, reinforcement, application of geosynthetics in roadway and railway systems, hydraulics, erosion control and environmental protection
• lecturers:  Prof. Chiwan Wayne Hsieh (National Pingtung University of Science and Technology), Prof. Chungsik Yoo (Sungkyunkwan University), Prof. Guangxin Li (Tsinghua University), Prof. Chao Xu (Tongji University), Prof. Guangqing Yang (Shijiazhuang Railway University), Mr. Boyd Ramsey (GSE Lining Technology Inc.) and Mr. Pietro Rimoldi (World Tech Engineering/Maccaferri)
• sponsors:  GSE Environmental, Hock Technology, Hongxiang New Material,  Maccaferri (China), Taian Modern Plastics

Educate the Educators on Geosynthetics, Brazil

The second ETE to take place in South America was held in the southeastern region of Brazil in 2016, for University teachers and  Geotechnical Engineers from across the country.  At the time, a large majority of Brazilian universities offered little or no teaching on geosynthetics, either in compulsory or elective modules. The course provided information on  types of materials, functions and typical applications and was organised by the directors of IGS Brasil, Prof. PhD. Maria das Graças Gardoni and André EstevãoBrazilian, with the support of the IGS.

Key facts:

• location: Belo Horizonte, Minas Gerais
• more than 40 participants over three days
• content included applications in: dam works, landfill construction, slopes and retaining walls, transport infrastructure, water bodies management, recovery of degraded and contaminated areas
• lecturers: Maria das Graças Gardoni (UFMG), Delma Vidal (ITA), Ennio Palmeira (UnB), Jorge Zornberg (UT-Texas) and Maria de Lourdes Coelho, pedagogue (UFMG)
• sponsors:  Braskem, Engepol, Geo Soluções, HUESKER,  Inovageo, Maccaferri, TDM