Ross Roberts
I am delighted to report that Ann Williams has been made an Honorary Member of the International Association for Engineering Geology and the Environment (IAEG). Honorary membership is proposed by the Executive Committee on the grounds of exceptional services to the Association.
Ann was nominated by NZGS because of her outstanding leadership in New Zealand and internationally. During Ann’s more than 30 years in the industry, she has become one of the most respected leaders in the engineering geology field. Ann’s contributions to engineering geology include being Chair of NZGS and Vice President (Australasia) of the IAEG. She was the Convenor of 11th IAEG Congress in Auckland in 2010 and was instrumental in establishing Engineering New Zealand’s Professional Engineering Geologist (PEngGeol) qualification and register which came into effect in 2013.
For the past five years, Ann has led Beca’s national geotechnical business, over which time it has doubled in size. Much of this growth can be attributed to her values-driven and strategic approach to leadership – most especially by encouraging and role-modelling opportunities for women in engineering, and to engineering geology in particular.
Ann has recently been elected to the Board of Engineering NZ a position that recognises the ongoing commitment and contribution she continues to make to consulting engineering in New Zealand. Ann is also the Chair of IAEG Women in Engineering Geology Committee and is a member of the IAEG Commission 25 and Commission 37.
In 2022 Ann was the recipient of the NZ Geotechnical Society Geomechanics Lecture Award, the premier award of the New Zealand Geotechnical Society. Ann has authored national geotechnical guidance, judged national and international awards and led industry training. With such an impressive track record it is perhaps not surprising that the IAEG Council voted unanimously to endorse Ann’s honorary membership.
