John Jaeger Memorial Award

The award perpetuates the memory of Professor John Conrad Jaeger who lectured in mathematics at the University of Tasmania from 1936 until WWII, and briefly afterwards, where he enjoyed expounding applied mathematics to engineers. He was Professor of Geophysics and Geochemistry at the Australian National University from 1953 until his death in 1979. Professor Jaeger’s work of the greatest importance related to the physics of heat flow and rock mechanics and he published several classic books in this field. He became a Fellow of the Australian Academy of Science in 1954 and a Fellow of the Royal Society in 1970.

The award recognises contributions of the highest order over a lifetime commitment to the geotechnical profession in Australia. The award is not restricted to members of the Australian Geomechanics Society. The award is made approximately once every four years and is presented at the ANZ Geomechanics Conference. At the Conference, the award winner will present a paper based on the award submission. The award memento consists of a bronze medallion mounted on a marble plinth.

For more information, visit https://australiangeomechanics.org/awards/john-jaeger-memorial-award/

Congratulations Mark Jaksa

Winner of AGS John Jaeger Memorial Award 2023

 

Mark Jaksa is Professor of Geotechnical Engineering in the School of Architecture and Civil Engineering at the University of Adelaide, Australia.  He has been an academic for more than 35 years, before which, he spent 4 years practicing as a consulting geotechnical and civil engineer in Adelaide and Canberra in Australia.  He has a Bachelor of Engineering (Honours) degree in Civil Engineering and a PhD, both from the University of Adelaide.

He has published more than 220 papers, chapters and reports on various aspects of geotechnical engineering research and teaching.  His primary areas of expertise are in the characterisation of the spatial variability of soils, probabilistic analyses, artificial intelligence, ground improvement, unsaturated soils and enhancing learning in geotechnical engineering.  He has received several awards recognising his contributions to learning and teaching in geotechnical engineering.

Mark is a former Chair of the Australian Geomechanics Society and immediate past Vice-President for Australasia and Treasurer of the International Society for Soil Mechanics and Geotechnical Engineering.  He is also a past Chair of the ISSMGE’s Technical Committee, TC306, on Geo-engineering Education and a member of TC304, on Risk Assessment and Management.

 

Past Winners

  • 2019 – Not Awarded
  • 2015 – Prof John Carter
  • 2012 – Prof Ian Johnston
  • 2007 – Prof Robin Fell
  • 2004 – Prof Ted Brown
  • 1999 – Dr David Coffey
  • 1996 – Prof. David Stapledon
  • 1992 – Dr Brian Richards
  • 1988 – Prof Harry Poulos
  • 1984 – Prof Gordon Aitchison
  • 1980 – Prof Ted Davis

The award was first made in 1980.