Prof. Dr. Shuichi Hasegawa is an Emeritus Professor at Kagawa University, Japan, specializing in geological engineering. He has expertise in mitigating earthquake and landslide hazards, and assessing construction sites. Prof. Hasegawa has contributed to research on the active faults of the Median Tectonic Line in Shikoku, Japan. He earned his Ph.D. from the University of Tokyo in 1993. Prof. Hasegawa served as the President of the Japan Society of Engineering Geology and has extensive experience in geotechnical investigations, including those related to landslides and hydrothermal alteration in Japan and Nepal.

Er. Keshav Kumar Sharma, Secretary of the Ministry of Physical Infrastructure and Transport, leads Nepal’s national efforts to improve connectivity and strengthen public transport systems. With over 30 years of experience in the infrastructure sector, including senior roles at the Department of Roads and as Chairperson of the Roads Board Nepal, he has focused on safer roads, modern project management, and resilient construction suited to Himalayan conditions. He works closely with national and international partners on slope stabilization, disaster-resilient design, and institutional reforms to build a safer, more reliable transport network for Nepal’s growth.

Dr. Vassilis P. Marinos is the President of IAEG and an expert in engineering geology for major infrastructure projects, including tunnels, dams, pipelines, and motorways. His specialization includes geohazards, slope stability, landslide and rockfall risk assessments, rock mass characterization, and geotechnical databases. With 24 years of experience, he consults on geotechnical works, tunneling, and geohazard analysis. As a faculty member at NTUA and Aristotle University, he teaches multiple undergraduate and postgraduate courses. Dr. Marinos has contributed to 26+ research projects, authored 150+ publications, delivered 46+ invited lectures, and actively participates in scientific conferences and journal editorial boards.

Dr. Ann Williams is a Technical Fellow in Engineering Geology and Hydrogeology and General Manager of Transport & Infrastructure at Beca Ltd, Auckland, New Zealand. She has led geotechnical hazard and risk projects in New Zealand and several Pacific nations. Ann is a Past Chair and Life Member of the New Zealand Geotechnical Society Inc. and an Honorary Member of the IAEG. She played a pivotal role in establishing New Zealand’s Professional Engineering Geologist register. Ann received the 2022 NZGS Geomechanics Lecture Award and has contributed to the advancement of engineering geology globally.

Prof. Dr. rer. nat. Muhammad Qumrul Hassan is an Honorary Professor in the Department of Geology at the University of Dhaka, with over 45 years of experience in Earth and Environmental Sciences. He completed his studies at Kiel University and FU-Berlin. Prof. Hassan has published over 120 scientific works and mentored more than 100 graduate students. He is a prominent figure in global academic networks, having served as the Founder Dean at DU and President of the DAAD Alumni Association of Bangladesh. His research includes Hydrology, Hydrogeology, and Climate Change.

Prof. Dr. Christian Zangerl is the Head of the Institute of Applied Geology at BOKU University, Vienna. With a focus on engineering geology, his research spans geological hazards (rock slides), environmental geology, and geotechnical engineering. He has contributed significantly to the field through teaching and research in applied geology. Prof. Zangerl has been involved in numerous projects related to landslides, soil mechanics, and geological risk assessment. He has published extensively and is dedicated to advancing knowledge in the geological sciences, both in academic settings and through practical applications.

Prof. Dr. Shahid Azam is a Professor of Environmental Systems Engineering at the University of Regina, Canada, with over 30 years of experience in geotechnical and geoenvironmental engineering. His research focuses on safeguarding soils from climate change, geological hazards, and contaminants. He has developed sustainable solutions for various sectors, including civil infrastructure and mine waste. Dr. Azam has published over 175 papers and has contributed to numerous consulting projects globally. He has received several awards, including the Geoenvironmental Award from the Canadian Geotechnical Society.

Prof. Dr. Trilok Nath Singh is a distinguished faculty member at the Indian Institute of Technology Bombay (IITB), specializing in engineering geology, rock mechanics, and slope stability. He has over three decades of experience and has contributed to research on waste dump environments, CO2 sequestration, and rock-blasting. Dr. Singh has held prominent administrative roles, including Vice Chancellor of MGKVP, Varanasi, and Independent Director at HPCL. He has received numerous awards, including the National Mineral Award (2006) and the ISRMTT Contribution to Rock Mechanics Award (2017). He is a member of several editorial boards.

Prof. Dr. Shengwen Qi is a distinguished professor at the Institute of Geology and Geophysics, Chinese Academy of Sciences (CAS), specializing in engineering geomechanics, rock mechanics, and geohazards. He earned his Ph.D. in Geological Engineering from CAS in 2002. Dr. Qi has held notable positions, including Secretary General of the IAEG China National Group and Chairperson of the IAEG’s Committee on Structure and Behavior of Soil and Rock Mass and IAEG Vice President for Asia. His research encompasses slope stability analysis, underground excavations, and numerical simulation for geotechnical problems. Dr. Qi has published extensively, contributing significantly to the understanding of seismic dynamic responses in rock masses and gravity deformation in deep slopes.

Mr. Anil Pokhrel is the former Chief Executive of Nepal’s National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Authority (NDRRMA), where he led the development of its structure, SOPs, programs, and budget, and implemented Nepal’s DRRM Action Plan. He also served as Member Secretary of the National Executive Committee (headed by the Minister of Home Affairs) and the National Council for DRRM (headed by the Prime Minister). With over two decades of experience, he has worked with NGOs, UN agencies, ADB, and the World Bank in DRR, climate change, and water management. Mr. Pokhrel holds degrees in Civil Engineering and Environmental Management from Tribhuvan University and Yale University.

Prof. Ing. Giovanna Vessia is an Associate Professor of Engineering Geology at the University “G. d’Annunzio” of Chieti-Pescara, a position she has held since 2012. She holds a Master’s degree in Civil Engineering and earned her PhD in Earthquake Geotechnical Engineering in 2001. Her research focuses on geohazard assessment, including seismic microzonation, landslide studies, and geostatistical methods for hazard mapping. She has contributed to numerous national and international research projects and has authored over 100 publications in the field. Since 2014, she has been a member of the Technical Committee TC304 of the ISSMGE, and in 2020, she became co-chair of the IAEG Committee C28. She also serves as an associate editor for Engineering Geology and is on the editorial boards of several prestigious journals

Prof. Dr. Tümay Kadakci Koca is an Associate Professor at Muğla Sıtkı Koçman University, Turkey, teaching Engineering Geology, Rock Mechanics, and Slope Stability and Landslides. She serves as a board member of the Turkish National Group of IAEG and a committee member of the IAEG Young Engineering Geologists group. With over a decade of experience, she has contributed to projects on slope stability, remedial measures in open-pit mining and construction areas, and geohazard assessment. Her current research focuses on the conditioning effect of wildfire on geohazards. She actively mentors young geoscientists through teaching and international collaboration.

Dr. Scott Anderson is a Senior Principal Geotechnical Engineer at BGC Engineering, a former member of the National Academies of Science, Engineering and Medicine’s Committee on Geological and Geotechnical Engineering, a Steering Committee member of the National Science Foundation Geotechnical Extreme Event Reconnaissance Association, a former leader of the U.S. Federal Highway Administration, and a former professor at the University of Hawaii. He is a recipient of the Burwell award from the Geological Society of America and a Jahns Lecturer for the Association of Environmental and Engineering Geologists. He’s an active innovator with ASCE and has published more than 100 papers.

Mr. Dinesh Kumar Napit is the Director General of the Department of Mines and Geology (DMG), Government of Nepal. With over two decades of professional experience, he has held several key positions within DMG, including Deputy Director General (Spokesperson) and Project Chief of the Petroleum Exploration Promotion Project. He has contributed significantly to Nepal’s mineral exploration, petroleum promotion, and geoscience-based resource management.

Dr. Daniele Giordan is a Senior Researcher at the Italian National Research Council (CNR), Institute for Geo-Hydrological Protection (IRPI). He leads the GeoHazard Monitoring Group and serves as Chairman of IAEG Commission C35 on Monitoring Methods and Approaches in Engineering Geology Applications. Dr. Giordan’s research focuses on innovative monitoring techniques for landslides and other geohazards. He is a recognized expert in remote sensing and geotechnical instrumentation. He is also a member of the editorial boards of Engineering Geology, Natural Hazards and Earth System Sciences, and Remote Sensing, contributing significantly to scientific advancements in engineering geology.

Prof. Dr. Keh-Jian (Albert) Shou is Vice President for Asia of the International Society for Soil Mechanics and Geotechnical Engineering (ISSMGE). A distinguished scholar in geotechnical engineering, he has led pioneering research and major infrastructure projects, contributed extensively to education, and promoted international collaboration in soil and rock engineering.