The IAEG Bangladesh National Group (IBNG) and the Nepal Society of Engineering Geology (NSEG), along with partner organizations in Bangladesh, Japan, and Nepal, are organizing the 15th IAEG Asian Regional Conference (ARC-15) in Kathmandu, Nepal from November 27-29, 2025. This prestigious international conference series has been a crucial platform for advancing Engineering Geology in Asia. Over the years, geoscientists and engineers from around the world have contributed to and greatly benefited from the discussions at past IAEG Asian Regional Conferences. The upcoming event will be another key milestone in enhancing geoengineering knowledge and furthering the understanding of Engineering Geology in this region.
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.
Prof. Dr. Manchao He is an Academician of the Chinese Academy of Sciences (CAS) and a foreign member of the Argentine National Academy of Engineering (ANI) and the Russian Academy of Mining Sciences (AGN). He is the Director of the State Key Laboratory for Tunnel Engineering and a Professor at China University of Mining and Technology-Beijing (CUMTB). As President of CSRME and CUMI, he has pioneered advancements in rock mechanics, including the 110/N00 mining method and the NPR bolt (“HE-bolt”). His research focuses on rockburst mechanisms, soft rock deformation, landslides, and active fault stability monitoring.
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. Fawu Wang, Chairholder of the UNESCO Chair on Geoenvironmental Disaster Reduction at Shimane University, is a renowned expert in landslides and disaster mitigation. After retiring as a Professor Emeritus from Shimane University, he joined Tongji University as a full professor. With over 30 years of experience, he has published more than 100 papers and co-authored books on landslide mechanics, motion prediction, and disaster reduction. Dr. Wang is the Director-General of the International Consortium on Geo-disaster Reduction and Editor-in-Chief of Geoenvironmental Disasters. He has received numerous research grants throughout his career.
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. Dr. Xuanmei Fan is the Director of the State Key Laboratory of Geohazard Prevention and Geoenvironment Protection (SKLGP) at Chengdu University of Technology, China. Her research focuses on earthquake- and climate change-induced geological hazards, long-term landscape evolution, and disaster risk reduction. Her work has been crucial in emergency response and rescue operations after major earthquakes. Due to her significant scientific contributions, she has received prestigious awards, including the Chinese Young Women Scientists Award, Scientific Exploration Award, and the Science and Technology Awards of IAEG. As chair, she co-founded the Global Partnership for Smart Informatics and Multi-hazard Reduction (SMART), addressing global multi-hazard risks.
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
Dr. Tomochika Tokunaga is a professor of the Geosphere Environment Systems Laboratory, the Department of Environment Systems, Graduate School of Frontier Sciences, The University of Tokyo. From 1997 to 1998, he was a visiting researcher at the University of Wisconsin-Madison, USA, where he conducted both theoretical and experimental analyses on the behavior of anisotropic poro-elastic materials.
Dr. Sultana Nasrin Nury, Director (Geophysics) at the Geological Survey of Bangladesh (GSB), leads the Geophysical Data Analysis Branch. With 25 years of experience, she specializes in urban geology, environmental geology, and geophysical surveys. Dr. Nury holds multiple post-graduate degrees, including a PhD from Monash University, focused on urban heat island mitigation.
Dr. Mahmuda Khatun, born in Tangail, Bangladesh, holds a Ph.D. in Geological Sciences from Jahangirnagar University. Her research focuses on engineering geology and geohazards in Rangamati. She also completed an M.Tech. and Postgraduate Diploma in Remote Sensing and GIS. Dr. Khatun is the IBNG WEG Chair and represents Bangladesh at ARC-15 of IAEG.
Prof. Dr. Bodruddoza Mia, Department of Geology, University of Dhaka, holds an MS in Geology and a PhD in Environmental Engineering from Kyushu University, Japan. He has published 37+ papers, researching remote sensing applications in drought, urban heat islands, river erosion, water resources, and geohazards. He is a member of IBNG.
Prof. Dr. Younus Ahmed Khan, Head of Geology & Mining at the University of Rajshahi, specializes in mining, geomechanics, and geohazards. He holds MSc and PhD degrees from Rajshahi and Tokushima (Japan) Universities, completed postdoctoral research in South Korea, and actively contributes to professional societies, including IBNG and the Geological Society of Bangladesh.
Dr. Md. Shofiqul Islam, Professor and Head of Petroleum and Mining Engineering at SUST, Bangladesh, specializes in geology, geophysics, and energy security. With 20+ years’ experience, he focuses on seismic hazard assessment, reservoir geomechanics, and geotechnical analysis. He earned his PhD in Japan and conducted research at Columbia University.
Dr. H M Sayem, Professor of Engineering Geology at Jahangirnagar University, Bangladesh, earned his Ph.D. from the Chinese Academy of Sciences. He has published over 30 papers and is Treasurer of IBNG. A CAS-TWAS Fellow, he actively researches under ANSO China funding and is a lifetime Geological Society member.
Prof. Dr. Toru Terao, distinguished professor at Kagawa University, Japan, specializes in environmental humanities, focusing on sustainable living spaces. He co-chaired the 2021 workshop on “Water, Air, and Land for Sustainable Living Spaces” at the EJEA Conference. His research also explores the impact of natural disasters on coastal surface water.
Dr. Mike Winter, a leading expert in landslides and debris flows, specializes in hazard assessment, management, and mitigation. With nearly 350 publications, he has shaped industry standards. A former Chief Scientific Editor of QJEGH, he’s Vice-Chair of ISSMGE’s TC 202, Director of Winter Associates, and a Visiting Professor at Portsmouth and Shimane universities.
Dr. Ko-Fei Liu, Professor of Civil Engineering at National Taiwan University, earned his Ph.D. from MIT. He has held leadership roles at NTU and NCDR. His research focuses on debris flow modeling, monitoring automation, rheology, hazard assessment, wave dynamics, and groundwater hydraulics. He was also a visiting scholar at Hong Kong University.
 ARC-15 Media Partner |  ARC-15 Mobility Partner |
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 Nepal Academy of Science and Technology (NAST) |  Nepal Engineers’ Association (NEA) |
 National Society for Earthquake Technology -Nepal (N-SET) |  Himalaya Conservation Group Nepal (HCGN) |
 Society of Nepalese Architect (SONA) |  Society of Consulting Architectural and Engineering Firms (SCAEF) |
 Nepal Hydrogeological Association (NHA) |  Disaster Preparedness Network Nepal (DPNet-Nepal) |
 Nepal Mathematical Society (NMS) |  Society of Transport Engineers Nepal (SOTEN) |
 Nepal Geotechnical Society (NGS) |  Nepal Hydropower Association (NHA) |
 Nepal Landslide Society (NeLS) |  Structural Engineers’ Association, Nepal |
 Society of Hydrologist and Meteorologist (SOHAM) |  Nepal Tunneling Association (NTA) |
 Nepal Society for Rock Mechanics (NSRM) | Ministry of Physical Planning and Transport (MoPIT)* |
| Department of Roads (DoR)* | Nepal Geological Society (NGS)* |
| Department of Irrigation (DoI)* |
