Introduction

The NZGS management committee manages the affairs of the society on behalf of the members. We aim for representation on the Committee that is as broad as possible both geographically and between engineers and geoscientists to ensure that all views are well represented.

The committee includes six elected members, each elected to serve for two years.  Because of a quirk with our rules, this year there are five positions available for election. At least three of these will be new committee members, because three  current members will not be standing (Eleni Gkeli will be transitioning to Chair from her current role as Vice-Chair, and both Sally Hargraves and Sally Dellow have indicated that they do not intend to stand. This means that there is a good chance for new candidates to stand and become a member of the committee, and we encourage all interested parties to stand.

Election of the Management Committee for 2021 will be via an online ballot if an election is necessary (i.e. more than five nominations are received). Results of the election will be announced at the AGM to be held on Tuesday 7 September in Auckland.

You can find out more about the process and the role of the committee in our rules.

Why stand?

Taking part in the NZGS management committee is a unique opportunity to shape the direction of our profession. You will get the opportunity to lobby central government, to take a lead in developing training courses or seminars, guiding the development of technical guidance, bringing international conferences to New Zealand, and supporting our members to develop. You will have a key role in deciding what NZGS prioritises, and what we do for our members. You will get to work with leading members of our profession, and grow your professional networks.

Timeline

The timeline for the election is:

• Call for nominations (opens 23 June 2021, closes 14 July 2021)
• Preparation of election documentation and system (15 July 2021 to 22 July 2021)
• Voting (23 July 2021 to 6 August 2021)
• Confirmation of results (7 August 2021 to 14 August 2021)
• Notification of new committee (15 August 2021)

Expectations

Being on the management committee is rewarding. The benefits that are gained are proportional to the effort put in, and so we encourage people to stand who are able and willing to put in the time and effort required to make the most of their tenure. We strive for a balance of experienced professionals (who may have less time, but who’s advice will be invaluable) and more junior professionals who may be able to spare more time for NZGS activities.

We expect that each elected committee member will:

• Aim to attend all the committee meetings. We traditionally hold four full-day committee meetings each year (8hrs each), but are increasingly holding some online spread over multiple days. The total commitment each year is about 32 hours for these meetings, plus a bit of preparation / pre-reading time.
• Take the lead on one of our core portfolios of work. You can find out more about these in the members only section of the website here. You will take full control of the portfolio (although strategic decisions are always made by the full committee), and will report on progress at each committee meetings. The amount of time this requires will depend on the portfolio, but could range from 40 hours per year to much more than that if you’re keen.
• Take the lead on one or more of our projects. You can find out more about these in the members only section of the website here. You won’t be expected to do all the work, but will be expected to drive the project and report on progress to the committee. The amount of time this takes is really up to you, and varies significantly by project. If it’s something you’re technically interested in it can be a great personal development opportunity, and worth spending considerable time on.

We work as a collaborative team, so expect to make decisions as a group, identify new opportunities together, and to have as much fun as we can along the way.

How to apply

Please submit your application by the end of 14 July 2021 to secretary@nzgs.org. All applications must be on the 2021 NZGS election nomination form provided by the society, and must be signed by the member nominated and two other financial members of NZGS.

What you could be involved in

Our committee is currently involved in a whole range of activities:

• Core activities:
  • Coordinating local branches
  • Arranging touring guest speakers (including overseas speakers)
  • Setting up webinars
  • Creating and managing short courses
  • Leading our awards programme
  • If a person with the right skills is elected, there are also roles working on NZ Geomechanics News and our website
• NZGS led projects
  • Piling Specification Review
  • NZ Ground Investigation Specification update
  • Soil and Rock Description update
  • Ground anchor specification
  • Slope stability guidelines
  • Young Professionals Training Modules
  • NZ Earthworks Specification
  • Expansive soils practice note
  • Building Act section 72 guidance
  • Subsoil drainage guidance
• Other projects we’re involved in
  • MBIE/NZGS Earthquake Geotechnical Engineering Modules Finalisation Project
  • NZS4431 update
  • NZS3604 update
  • Engineering NZ occupational regulation review
  • Engineering NZ review of the New Zealand Geotechnical Database
• Conferences
  • 2021 – Climate Change and Geotechnics Symposium
  • 2021 – ANZ YGP Conference
  • 2023 – ANZ Conference (Cairns)
  • 2024 – ANZ YGP Conference
  • 2025 – 22nd NZGS Symposium
  • 2026 – ISSMGE TC220 (field monitoring) conference
  • 2027 – 16th ISRM International Congress on Rock Mechanics
  • 2027 – ANZ Conference
  • 2029 – 23rd NZGS Symposium