New NZGS YGP coordinator for ISRM
It is a pleasure to welcome Romy Ridl as our very first ever NZGS YGP coordinator for ISRM in New Zealand. Romy was appointed to the role by NZGS following a selection process earlier in the year. Romy joins the other international society YGP coordinators Nima Taghipouran (ISSMGE) and Sarah Barrett (IAEG), all of whom will work alongside NZGS’s overall YGP representative Helen Hendrickson.
Romy will also work closely with our Australasian VP for ISRM, Sevda Dehkhoda, who also leads the ISRM Young Engineers group.
Board and Council Meetings:
The next ISRM Council and Board meetings will be held in conjunction with the Eurock Symposium in September 2021. Deadline for agenda items of the Council meeting is 22 June 2021.
ISRM Awards:
Nominations for the Rocha Medal 2022 are to be received by the ISRM Secretariat by 31 December 2021. The winner will be announced during the 2022 ISRM International Symposium, LARMS 2022 in Asuncion, Paraguay, and will be invited to receive the award and deliver a lecture at the ISRM International Congress in 2023.
Young Professionals Webinars
Some Young Members of different ISRM National Groups (France, Italy, Paraguay, and Spain) started working in the organization of a series of international webinars on rock mechanics, with the aim of involving young researchers and practitioners in a series of short presentation focussed on professional development.
We are current investigating whether a similar event could be run in New Zealand and Australia.
International Symposia 2021 and 2022
- The 2021 ISRM International Symposium will be held in Torino, Italy 20-25 September 2021.
This is now confirmed as a fully virtual event. - The AusRock Conference 2022, the 6th Australasian Ground Control in Mining Conference, an ISRM Regional Conference will be held in Melbourne and online between 29 November and 1 December 2022. Abstract submissions are now open until 25 February 2022.
- The 2022 International Symposium will be held in conjunction with the IX Latin American Congress on Rock Mechanics, Rock Testing and Site Characterization in Asuncion, Paraguay on October 12-19 2022. Abstract submissions are open until 30 June 2021.
COVID19 effects
The ongoing effects of the pandemic continue to result in a number
of changes to both timing and format of upcoming events. Please refer to the ISRM website for updated information.
Training Opportunities
ISRM On-line lectures
Two on-line lectures have been given since the last report:
These have been recorded and are available on the ISRM website.
Online Courses
Four online courses have been added the ISRM website
(https://www.isrm.net/gca/?id=912) in 2022 as follows:
Other items
Sadly, Professor Milton Kanji passed away on 12 February 2021. Details of Professor Kanji’s life and work may be found in tributes on the IRSM website. The ISRM and the rock mechanics community deeply regret his loss.
Paul Horrey
NZGS ISRM Liaison
May, 2021