China: where the ground shifts
The student delegation of Terre de mouvements, a mission by turns academic, professional and cultural, set out to penetrate some of the mysteries cached behind the greatest wall on earth.

Beijing
The first stop was Beijing, host city to the 2008 Summer Olympics. There, the delegates met Xiaolie Wang, President of the Chinese Academy of Geological Sciences, along with a number of researchers with whom Dr. Ji had worked over the last decade. They also had a chance to talk to a number of Chinese students. Afterwards, they toured the institution's various laboratories, including the Continental Geodynamics Lab and SHRIMP, one of the world's few zircon-dating facilities, and visited the National Astronomical Observatory, where they were accompanied by Professor Guoxiang Ai.

Chengdu
A full week in Chengdu, Southwest China, provided a window onto the dramatic events of three years past. On May 12, 2008, a massive 8.0-magnitude quake shattered the Sichuan region, killing almost 70,000 and giving rise to a colossal rebuilding and resettlement effort. Guided by Dr. Ji, who had worked closely with the Chinese government to probe the region's tectonic mechanisms, the delegates travelled the length of the fault, visiting many towns and villages, to grasp the causes and full impact of the disaster. In Chengdu, they were warmly received by Director Shiping He and his colleagues at the Emei Movie Channel who, together with Dr. Ji, had made a 74-minute scientific documentary on the Sichuan quake.

Chongqing
At Chongqing University, the delegates were welcomed by Dean Wanmin Zhao, Professor Wei Zhen and students of the Faculty of Architecture and Urban Planning, where they were invited to join a discussion on sustainability, green principles and urban development. With Professor Zhen and his students, the delegates then visited Kaixian: a city that, having been partially flooded to make way for the famous Three Gorges Dam, was a focal point for the faculty's research. The visit culminated in a meeting with representatives from the Canadian Consulate in Chongqing.

Yichang
The mission's final stop was the Three Gorges Dam, the largest hydroelectric power plant in the world. Accompanied by Yichang Vice-Mayor Feng Yu and two government officials, Sheng Jia and Guilan Wang, the delegates marvelled at the project's daring scope as they toured the world-renowned facility. The visit ended with a stop at Three Gorges University, where Professor Ji was given the distinction of Honorary Professor.

A powerful educational complement 
Looking abroad only makes sense today, as globalization requires engineers to be increasingly open-minded, come up with sustainable solutions in the face of burgeoning environmental crises and rally their forces in response to natural disasters like the 2008 Sichuan and 2010 Haiti earthquakes.

The students who took part in Terre de mouvements returned with a rich store of new academic, professional and cultural knowledge.

Exemplary sponsorship
Terre de Mouvements would never have seen the light of day but for our valued sponsors.

- Association des étudiants de Polytechnique
- Polytechnique Montréal
- Canadian Geotechnical Society
- Virginia
- Le Groupe Solroc
- Les Laboratoires de la Montérégie
- Terrapex Environnement Ltée
- Jean Coutu Group Inc.
- National Bank

We'd also like to thank Polytechnique's International Relations Office for its help in organizing the mission. Its support and that of our sponsors are what made our Chinese adventure such a resounding success. Xie Xie (thank you)!

On the Great Wall of China
Left to right: Mathieu Belisle, Vanessa Cardin-Dubé, Lilianne Landry-Paré (mission leader), Sandrine Laferrière, Mathieu Sauvageau, Josiane Tanguay, Mélanie Longpré-Girard, Julie Giroux, Véronique Giroux and Stéphanie Ducharme-Rivest

Visiting the Chinese Academy of Geological Sciences






















At the earthquake site, Sichuan region






















Meeting with the Emei Movie Channel






















A visit to Chongqing University






















Tour of the Three Gorges Dam, Yichang

Visiting Three Gorges University