Theory and Practice Come Together at Geotechnical Symposium

It was another successful year for the Geotechnical Symposium in the Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering at Tufts University. The fourth annual event in the series offered a dedicated forum for over 140 participants from universities, engineering firms, public agencies, and industry to explore the latest developments in geotechnical engineering. This year’s theme, “Reconciling Laboratory Testing, Numerical Modeling, and Field Applications in Geotechnical Engineering,” highlighted the ongoing challenge of connecting experimental insights and computational advances to practical, field-scale geotechnical solutions.

Through lectures, discussions, and a poster session, attendees discussed how laboratory testing, constitutive modeling, and numerical methods can be effectively integrated to inform real-world geotechnical applications. The theme held special significance as it honored the life and legacy of Dr. Juan Pestana, a globally recognized leader in soil behavior, constitutive modeling, and numerical methods.

Dr. Pestana passed away in late 2025 with more than 35 years of consulting and academic experience, including five years as a Professor of the Practice in the Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering at Tufts. He was highly regarded for his work on soil behavior, soil property characterization, and numerical modeling of geotechnical projects. On behalf of the Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, Professor and Chair Laurie Baise presented Dr. Pestana’s partner, Alex, with a commemorative gift in recognition of Dr. Pestana’s valuable contributions to the field and the ongoing impact of his work.

Invited speakers came from across the U.S., Canada, France, and Norway to connect and share the latest research. The strength of the geotechnical community was on full display during the poster session where students, faculty, and practitioners engaged in lively discourse around nearly 20 student research posters. A committee of industry sponsors selected three top posters to receive awards.  

According to organizer Professor and Berger Chair Farshid Vahedifard, attendees praised the event for its quality, impact, and strong sense of community. With growing demands for resilient and sustainable infrastructure, the ability to effectively integrate laboratory insights, numerical tools, and field performance data is increasingly important. Events like the recent geotechnical symposium provide an opportunity for those involved in different aspects of this issue to come together and work towards viable solutions.

A look back on the Tufts Geotechnical Symposium

The 2026 Geotechnical Symposium was the fourth annual symposium in the current series, but the fifth overall in the history of the department. In July 1984, an organizing committee arranged a two-day geotechnical symposium at Tufts University. During the program, seven leading geotechnical practitioners spoke about foundation engineering and the design of earth structures. The event raised money for the International Conference on Soil Mechanics and Foundation Engineering, which would be held the following year in the United States. The 1985 International Conference on Soil Mechanics and Foundation Engineering would be the first time the gathering was held in the United States since 1936. Professor Lew Edgers (now Professor Emeritus) was on the organizing committee for the 1984 event and continues to attend the current CEE geotechnical symposia. 

Read more about Professor Emeritus Lew Edgers’ experience at the 1984 Geotechnical Symposium.