Asst. Prof. Dr. İbrahim Rasin DÜZCEER, a faculty member of our Civil Engineering Department and Chair of the Board of Directors of the Turkish Society for Soil Mechanics and Geotechnical Engineering (ZMGM), has publicly released the association’s Activity Report covering the period from February 2024 to March 2025.
In his message as Chair, Asst. Prof. Dr. İbrahim Rasin DÜZCEER emphasized that hosting the 19th European Conference on Soil Mechanics and Geotechnical Engineering (ECSMGE) in Istanbul in 2028 is a major achievement and a source of pride for Türkiye and the Turkish geotechnical community. He highlighted that gaining the right to organize such a prestigious international event—23 years after Türkiye hosted the ICSMGE Conference in 2001—is a reflection of the outstanding contributions and growing reputation of Turkish geotechnical engineers and academics on both national and international platforms.
The report also covers several major highlights, including the 19th National Conference on Soil Mechanics and Geotechnical Engineering and the 3rd Young Geotechnical Engineers Symposium, held on October 16–18, 2024, at Hacettepe University. The event stood out as one of the most impactful national gatherings in recent years, with over 600 participants, high-quality paper presentations, and strong engagement from young researchers. The ZMGM webinar series also continued in 2025 with diverse topics and expert speakers, streamed live via the association's YouTube channel.
With the release of the Second Generation Eurocode EN 1997 at the end of 2024, the report notes that Türkiye currently lacks a national annex for the new standard. ZMGM aims to initiate efforts to develop one in the upcoming period. Additionally, as part of the Honorary Council initiative, electronic certificates of appreciation were issued to members who have completed 45 years in the profession, and formal presentations are planned to take place during the 20th National ZMGM Conference at Sakarya University.
The report also announced a new archival initiative titled "A Journey Through the Memories of ZMGM", which aims to share photographs highlighting the historical development of soil mechanics in Türkiye and the legacy of ZMGM. These visuals will be published in upcoming newsletters and compiled in a special digital archive on the association’s website.
In closing, Asst. Prof. Dr. İbrahim Rasin DÜZCEER extended his gratitude to all supporting institutions, association members, and those who contributed to the conference bidding process. He reaffirmed that ZMGM will continue to promote the scientific and professional advancement of geotechnical engineering in Türkiye.
We sincerely congratulate Asst. Prof. Dr. İbrahim Rasin DÜZCEER for his visionary leadership and valuable contributions, and we wish him continued success.
