Geo-Institute Director’s Cut

On Director's Cut, Geo-Institute Director Brad Keelor interviews G-I members about anything and everything. You might hear about their favorite geotechnical project, their favorite music, or their favorite pie. In Episode 40 of Season 6, our guest is Ghada Ellithy of Embry Riddle Aeronautical University!
SHOW NOTES:
- Music in this episode: Duran Duran - Too Much Information. From the 1992 album Duran Duran (The Wedding Album).
- More info on the labs at ERAU: https://daytonabeach.erau.edu/college...
- Find your local G-I chapter and GET INVOLVED! https://www.geoinstitute.org/chapters...
- Information on Van Gogh's Starry Night, which you can see in New York City: https://www.moma.org/collection/works...
- Here's info on the Personal Rapid Transit (PRT) system in Morgantown - it is VERY unique. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Morgant...
- Info on the brand new Grand Egyptian Museum: https://grandegyptianmuseum.org/
- Here's an Alexandria, Egypt travel guide: https://anywherenoteverywhere.com/202...
- The Geo-Extreme website is http://www.geo-extreme.org. You can watch the plenary sessions here on the Youtube channel and watch for info on the 2029 event!
The Geo-Institute is a technical society with about 12,000 geotechnical engineers and geologists as members. Find out more or join at http://www.geoinstitute.org.
Music courtesy of very cool Seattle band Head Like A Kite. Song is Director's Cut from the 2010 album Dreams Suspend Night. Check them out at http://www.headlikeakite.com.

On Director's Cut, Geo-Institute Director Brad Keelor interviews G-I members about anything and everything. You might hear about their favorite geotechnical project, their favorite music, or their favorite pie. In Episode 39 of Season 6, our guest is Jim Hambleton of the University of Cambridge!
SHOW NOTES:
- First off, get to know JRR Tolkien, the author of The Hobbit and the Lord of the Rings: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/J._R._R._Tolkien
- And if you don't know Max Headroom, start here: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Max_Headroom
- Want to stop using buzzwords so they don't appear in your obituary? Start with this simple tool: https://app.readable.com/text/buzzwords/
- Yes, ASCE student membership is still FREE: https://www.asce.org/communities/student-members
- And here's where to start to get info on the Minnesota Geotechnical Society:https://www.mgs-gi.com/
- History of the Dinkytowner and other establishments that have occupied the same space over the years: https://www.reddit.com/r/Minneapolis/comments/r9u51a/rough_history_of_412_14th_ave_se_dinkytowner_et_al/
- We can never forget the I-35W bridge collapse - here's a great look back from PBS: https://www.pbslearningmedia.org/resource/minneapolis-bridge-collapse-video/retro-report/
- Your background on the Curly Wurly: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Curly_Wurly
- Happy Halloween to all - make it a great one!
The Geo-Institute is a technical society with about 12,000 geotechnical engineers and geologists as members. Find out more or join at http://www.geoinstitute.org.
Music courtesy of very cool Seattle band Head Like A Kite. Song is Director's Cut from the 2010 album Dreams Suspend Night. Check them out at http://www.headlikeakite.com.
 

On Director's Cut, Geo-Institute Director Brad Keelor interviews G-I members about anything and everything. You might hear about their favorite geotechnical project, their favorite music, or their favorite pie. In Episode 38 of Season 6, our guest is Dimitrios Konstantakos of Deep Excavation LLC!
SHOW NOTES:
- Here's something Dimitrios wrote about AI in 2018: https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/last-engineering-profession-replaced-ai-dimitrios-konstantakos/
- You could have a story just like Dimitrios by exhibiting at Geo-Congress! Start at http://www.geocongress.org!
- There are a gazillion places to start learning chess. I'd just start at https://www.chess.com for tips, links to computer opponents, human opponents, etc.
The Geo-Institute is a technical society with about 12,000 geotechnical engineers and geologists as members. Find out more or join at http://www.geoinstitute.org.
Music courtesy of very cool Seattle band Head Like A Kite. Song is Director's Cut from the 2010 album Dreams Suspend Night. Check them out at http://www.headlikeakite.com.

On Director's Cut, Geo-Institute Director Brad Keelor interviews G-I members about anything and everything. You might hear about their favorite geotechnical project, their favorite music, or their favorite pie. In Episode 37 of Season 6, our guest is Vaughan Griffiths of Colorado School of Mines, the 2026 Karl Terzaghi Lecturer!
SHOW NOTES:
- Start learning about ALGOL 68 here: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/ALGOL_68
- Want to run for region governor? We have procedures for that! https://www.asce.org/-/media/asce-images-and-files/about-asce/official-register/geographic-region-governor-qualifications.pdf
- Student membership is still free, just like it was when Vaughan was a student: https://www.asce.org/communities/student-members
- Of course, there's more info about the Terzaghi Lecture here: https://www.asce.org/career-growth/awards-and-honors/karl-terzaghi-lecture
- And more info about Geo-Congress 2026 in case you want to watch Vaughan's lecture: http://www.geocongress.org
The Geo-Institute is a technical society with about 12,000 geotechnical engineers and geologists as members. Find out more or join at http://www.geoinstitute.org.
Music courtesy of very cool Seattle band Head Like A Kite. Song is Director's Cut from the 2010 album Dreams Suspend Night. Check them out at http://www.headlikeakite.com.

On Director's Cut, Geo-Institute Director Brad Keelor interviews G-I members about anything and everything. You might hear about their favorite geotechnical project, their favorite music, or their favorite pie. In Episode 36 of Season 6, our guest is Marsha Anderson Bomar of GHD USA and the 2025-26 ASCE President!
SHOW NOTES:
- Here's Marsha's LinkedIn profile if you want to reach out to her about ANYTHING: https://www.linkedin.com/in/marsha-anderson-bomar/
- If you've ever ridden MARTA, you've probably been to the Five Points station: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Five_Points_station
- Here's info about the upcoming 2026 Winter Paralympics so you can prep: https://www.paralympic.org/milano-cortina-2026
- And more info about arts and culture in the 96 Olympics: https://www.atlantahistorycenter.com/blog/not-just-sports-arts-and-culture-of-the-96-games/
- View the glory of the TRS-80 handheld: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tandy_Pocket_Computer
- Of course we have a link to the Small Business Innovation in Research (SBIR) program! https://www.sbir.gov/
- The brand new ASCE2027 website is located at https://experience.asce.org/. Submit your content today!
The Geo-Institute is a technical society with about 12,000 geotechnical engineers and geologists as members. Find out more or join at http://www.geoinstitute.org.
Music courtesy of very cool Seattle band Head Like A Kite. Song is Director's Cut from the 2010 album Dreams Suspend Night. Check them out at http://www.headlikeakite.com.
 

On Director's Cut, Geo-Institute Director Brad Keelor interviews G-I members about anything and everything. You might hear about their favorite geotechnical project, their favorite music, or their favorite pie. In Episode 35 of Season 6, our guest is Alba Yerro-Colom of Virginia Tech!
SHOW NOTES:
- Why is it natural that a Virginia Tech person picks Metallica for the music in their episode? Check this out and you'll understand: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YC8LLYMp4M4
- Here's the numerical modeling software Alba developed: https://github.com/Anura3D/Anura3D_OpenSource/wiki
- As you might suspect, there are thousands of websites telling you what you should do when you visit Barcelona. Here is just one: https://www.trvbox.com/our-top-10-things-to-do-in-barcelona/
- Learn more about the human towers of Catalunya: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-iSHfrmGdyo
- This is not Alba's research site, but I find NASA does a pretty good job of explaining things to the public. Here's a landslide prediction page related to the Global Precipitation Measurement Mission (GPMM): https://gpm.nasa.gov/landslides/
The Geo-Institute is a technical society with about 12,000 geotechnical engineers and geologists as members. Find out more or join at http://www.geoinstitute.org.
Music courtesy of very cool Seattle band Head Like A Kite. Song is Director's Cut from the 2010 album Dreams Suspend Night. Check them out at http://www.headlikeakite.com.
 

On Director's Cut, Geo-Institute Director Brad Keelor interviews G-I members about anything and everything. You might hear about their favorite geotechnical project, their favorite music, or their favorite pie. In Episode 33 of Season 6, our guest is Morteza Mirshekari of Atlas Engineering, GeoIntegrate, and the San Diego and Orange County G-I chapters!
SHOW NOTES:
- Here's the excavator song by Blippi. Try not to sing along. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YAguWAJTmBM
- GeoIntegrate is easy to find (and easy to use): https://geo-integrate.com/
- There are surprisingly few places to go learn Farsi. Here's a free resource if you're interested: https://easypersian.com/
- Get all the info you need on Geo-Congress at http://www.geocongress.org! We'll be in Salt Lake City for the 30th Geo-Congress in just a few months!
- To learn more about Chabahar and Iran's South Coast, start here: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chabahar
- Stick around til the end to see Morteza describe the kamancheh, a traditional Iranian instrument that he plays!
The Geo-Institute is a technical society with about 12,000 geotechnical engineers and geologists as members. Find out more or join at http://www.geoinstitute.org.
Music courtesy of very cool Seattle band Head Like A Kite. Song is Director's Cut from the 2010 album Dreams Suspend Night. Check them out at http://www.headlikeakite.com.
 

On Director's Cut, Geo-Institute Director Brad Keelor interviews G-I members about anything and everything. You might hear about their favorite geotechnical project, their favorite music, or their favorite pie. In Episode 32 of Season 6, our guest is Bruce Kutter of the University of California Davis!
SHOW NOTES:
- Here's a type of vetch - looks great but goes crazy and takes over everything. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vicia_villosa
- Here's Bruce's Wellington Prize winning paper on tunnel uplift:https://ascelibrary.org/doi/10.1061/%28ASCE%29GT.1943-5606.0000489
- Start here to find out more about Ray Brown: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ray_Brown_(musician)
- The rules for the 2026 Geo-Challenge will be out soon - you could win the Geo-Wall!
- Bruce never says the name of his walk-in music - it's Autumn Leaves! https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Autumn_Leaves_(1945_song)
- Learn more about the geotechnical centrifuges here: https://cgm.engr.ucdavis.edu/
- Here's the full list of Norman Medal winners: https://www.asce.org/career-growth/awards-and-honors/norman-medal/norman-medal-past-award-winners
The Geo-Institute is a technical society with about 12,000 geotechnical engineers and geologists as members. Find out more or join at http://www.geoinstitute.org.
Music courtesy of very cool Seattle band Head Like A Kite. Song is Director's Cut from the 2010 album Dreams Suspend Night. Check them out at http://www.headlikeakite.com.
 

SHOW NOTES:
- Not surprisingly, the Large Carnivore Management Association says cheetahs are NOT good pets. https://cheetah.org/press-releases/large-carnivore-management-association-says-cheetahs-are-not-pets
- Here's info on the Indian River Inlet project: https://www.nap.usace.army.mil/Missions/Civil-Works/Indian-River-Inlet/
- Need a good cheesesteak in Philadelphia? Here's Dalessandro's: https://dalessandros.com/
- As we get closer to Halloween, here's the info on Eastern State Penitentiary: https://easternstate.org/halloween
- Find a G-I chapter near you - there's definitely one nearby! https://www.geoinstitute.org/chapters/find-a-chapter
- Some intel on Philadelphia English so you can speak like a native: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Philadelphia_English
- Stick around at the end for a Haitian Salade Russe recipe! Here's one variety: https://www.caribbeangreenliving.com/haitian-salad-russe-recipe/
The Geo-Institute is a technical society with about 12,000 geotechnical engineers and geologists as members. Find out more or join at http://www.geoinstitute.org.
Music courtesy of very cool Seattle band Head Like A Kite. Song is Director's Cut from the 2010 album Dreams Suspend Night. Check them out at http://www.headlikeakite.com.
 

On Director's Cut, Geo-Institute Director Brad Keelor interviews G-I members about anything and everything. You might hear about their favorite geotechnical project, their favorite music, or their favorite pie. In Episode 30 of Season 6, our guest is Juan Pestana of Geosyntec!
SHOW NOTES:
- Want to archive your emails like Juan? Here's one way: https://support.microsoft.com/en-us/office/archive-in-outlook-for-windows-25f75777-3cdc-4c77-9783-5929c7b47028
- The ASCE Katrina report is here (paywall): https://ascelibrary.org/doi/book/10.1061/9780784408933
- Here's our Younger Member Committee session on getting your P.E. license: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4ZgJaPclEps
- We couldn't use Genesis or Phil Collins for Juan's episode, because they haven't given Youtube a blanket license!
- Here's a great starter talk on geotechnical numerical modeling from Katerina Ziotopoulou: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AxuNISfAoCk
The Geo-Institute is a technical society with about 12,000 geotechnical engineers and geologists as members. Find out more or join at http://www.geoinstitute.org.
Music courtesy of very cool Seattle band Head Like A Kite. Song is Director's Cut from the 2010 album Dreams Suspend Night. Check them out at http://www.headlikeakite.com.