Professor Maghoul caught the attention of the Geotechnical Research Board, which is responsible for selecting the Colloquium speaker, by submitting a detailed summary of her background, including letters of support from colleagues at other Canadian universities, as well as an outline of a presentation topic.

As the winning applicant, she has been invited to present her research at GeoSaskatoon2023, which will take place in Saskatoon, Saskatchewan, from October 1 to 4, 2023. Once the conference is over, she will tour the Canadian Geotechnical Society's regional chapters to discuss her work with other members across the country.

Professor Maghoul was also approached by the editor of the Canadian Geotechnical Journal to submit an article about her research.

"I'm extremely honoured to receive this recognition from my peers," said Professor Maghoul. "I look forward to sharing the results of my ongoing research at Polytechnique Montréal with the Canadian geotechnical community."

As the leading organization for geotechnical engineering and related geoscience in Canada, the Canadian Geotechnical Society is dedicated to the advancement of knowledge and the creation of opportunities to exchange information among individuals from academia, consulting groups, government, industry, contractors, and various providers of products and services related to the geotechnical field. With approximately 1,400 members across Canada and around the world, the CGS is a driving force in the geotechnical profession. It provides opportunities for members to upgrade their skills, present research and connect with other geotechnical professionals locally, nationally and internationally.
 

Professor Maghoul has been teaching at Polytechnique since 2021. She is an expert in geotechnical science and multiscale poromechanics for complex materials, energy and the environment. Earlier this year, she was the first person in Canada to receive the Outstanding Young Geotechnical Engineer Award from the International Society for Soil Mechanics and Geotechnical Engineering.

At GeoSaskatoon2023, Professor Maghoul will discuss her research on terrestrial and lunar permafrost, a topic featured in the article Du Grand Nord au pôle Sud lunaire in the Fall 2021 issue of Poly magazine (available in French only). More specifically, she will focus on permafrost in the context of climate change and lunar exploration, and the importance of detecting and quantifying water contained in permafrost.

Professor Maghoul is a promising young researcher whose findings have already led to four patents and several software licenses in the past five years. As an active member of the geotechnical community, she is the Chair of the CGS's Education Committee and Co-Chair of the Canadian Permafrost Association's Strategic Planning Committee, which developed the organization's first-ever strategic plan (2021–2025). She is also a member of the Executive Committee at the Canadian Lunar Research Network, the Evaluation Group for the 1509 – Civil, Industrial and Systems Engineering Committee at the Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council of Canada, and the Multidisciplinary Review Panel for the New Frontiers in Research Fund.

Professor Maghoul's official selection as a Colloquium speaker at the 2023 Canadian Geotechnical Conference comes with a $5,000 grant from the Canadian Foundation for Geotechnique.

Congratulations to Professor Maghoul!

Learn more

Professor Pooneh Maghoul's expertise
Department of Civil, Geological and Mining Engineering website (in French only)
Canadian Geotechnical Society website