REQUEST FOR PROPOSALS

The Geosynthetic Institute (GSI) is delighted to announce a worldwide call for requests for proposals (RFPs) focusing on innovative geosynthetics research and development projects. There will be numerous awards given, each for $5,000 (Note that this is a change from previous years of the program in that the terms are different and that the students can be pursuing either masters or doctoral degrees). Emphasis will be placed on relevant topics of interest and/or concern to the geosynthetics community. A list of possible topics (there are obviously many others) is available upon request. The proposals must be submitted in the following four page format (with no exceptions).

• Page 1 – Letter of recommendation from student’s department head or advisor
• Page 2 – Title and detailed abstract of proposed project
• Page 3 – Student’s resume
• Page 4 – Relevancy of topic to the geosynthetics community

The RFPs for the 2015-2016 academic year must be submitted to the undersigned by e-mail by June 12, 2015. Awards will be announced on, or before, July 30, 2015. Review of the proposals is by the nine-person Board of Directors of GSI. For information on the Geosynthetic Institute and past recipients, visit us at the following website: www.geosynthetic-institute.org/gsifellows.htm

-Jamie R. Koerner, Special Projects Coordinator, jrkoerner@verizon.net

The GSI Board of Directors has made their selections for this year’s GSI Fellowship awards from a number of proposals from universities around the world. The program recognizes and supports outstanding graduate students studying geosynthetics. Requests for proposals (RFP’s) for the upcoming seventh year of the program will be announced this winter. In order to be eligible, students must focus on a geosynthetic topic, have passed their candidacy examination, and be recommended by their advisor. The recipients for the 2013–2014 GSI Fellowship Awards are as follows:

• Class 6(a) — 1st Year Funding at $10,000 per Student

  No.: 1-13

  Name: Jongwan Eun

  University: University of Wisconsin

  Advisor: Craig Benson

  Topic: Transport Parameters in Coextruded Geomembrane Containing Ethylene Vinyl-Alcohol

   

  No.: 2-13

  Name: Yu Qian

  University: University of Illinois

  Advisor: Erol Tutumluer

  Topic: Geogrid-Ballast Interaction and Geogrid Application in Railroad Reinforcement using Image-aided Discrete Element Method

• Class 5(b) — 2nd Year Funding at $5,000 per Student

  No.: 2-12

  Name: Xunchang Fei

  University: University of Michigan

  Advisor: Dimitrios Zekkos

  Topic: Impact of Municipal Solid Waste Biodegradation on Separator Geotextile

• Class 4(c) — 3rd Year Funding at $5000 per Student

  No.: 3-11

  Name: Felix Jacobs

  University: RWTH Aachen University

  Advisor: Martin Ziegler

  Topic: Large Scale Biaxial Compression Testing of Geogrid Reinforced Soil

Please contact Jamie Koerner at jrkoerner@verizon.net for additional information on the students and their respective projects or go to www.geosynthetic-institute.org/gsifellows.htm for a complete history of the fellowship program.