Passing of Professor Juan Pestana

The ALERT Geomaterials community is deeply saddened to share that our colleague and friend, Professor Juan Pestana, passed away on September 16, 2025, in Lexington, Massachusetts. Juan was a brilliant professor, an inspiring teacher, and a warm presence who left a lasting impact on our field and on all who knew him.
Please see the attached note for more details about his life, achievements, and the legacy he leaves behind from his colleagues and friends at Berkeley.

For further information, see the attached [PDF].

International Workshop RootS25 – Soil-Vegetation-Atmosphere Interaction: DEADLINE EXTENSION 20/07

Dear Colleagues,

We are glad to share an update on RootS25 – the 3rd International Workshop on Soil-Vegetation-Atmosphere Interaction, which will be held at the Politecnico di Bari from 6 to 8 November 2025.
The call for abstracts has closed with more than 60 contributions submitted by researchers worldwide, confirming the strong international and interdisciplinary interest in the event. This ensures a rich program of oral and poster presentations, fostering discussion and collaboration across communities.
We also warmly invite you to attend the special lecture by Prof. Lidija Zdravkovic (Imperial College London), entitled “Geotechnical Engineering for a Sustainable Society” (5 November, Aula Magna “Domus Sapientiae” at the Politecnico di Bari). Attendance is free to all.
We look forward to welcoming you to Bari.
For any questions, please contact us at workshop.roots25@gmail.com

Best regards,
On behalf of the RootS’s Scientific Committee

For further information, see the attached [PDF].

🚨 We are hiring 2 PhD candidates at UPC-BarcelonaTech! 🚨

Join our Geo2AQUA research group in the MUSSED project to study sediment production and erosion in the Pyrenees. Research topics include soil production and erosion in humid badlands and sediment, production and fluxes driven by torrential flows and shallow landslides.

Why join us?
✅ Be part of a well-established, international research group
✅ Work with long-term field datasets in natural laboratory sites
✅ 4-year full-time contracts
✅ Barcelona as your research base 🌍

📅 Deadline: October 5, 2025
🔗 More info regarding the application here: https://engeomodels.upc.edu/en/news/news-sample

We welcome applications from motivated candidates with backgrounds in civil/environmental/geological engineering or applied geomorphology, and with a strong interest in fieldwork, modelling, and collaborative science.

👉 Feel free to share with anyone who might be interested!

#PhDposition #GeoHazards #Erosion #Geomorphology #UPC #JobsInScience

Post-Doc in “Scientific Machine Learning and Mechanics for scale-bridging in granular materials”

The appointment is part of the Chair AIM: Artificial Intelligence and Mechanics for scale bridging in complex materials (https://project.inria.fr/aimechanics/). The research will be conducted at Université Grenoble Alpes | Inria (https://www.inria.fr).
We are looking for an excellent candidate in applied mathematics, scientific computing, and computational mechanics to carry fundamental developments in data-driven and machine learning for the discovery of robust and accurate models of granular media. The position provides the opportunity to work on a challenging research topic at the crossroad of AI, physics, and mechanics.

For further information, see the attached [PDF].

PhD positions at Wuhan University, China

This is a full-time, on-site Doctoral Student position located in Wuhan, China, at Wuhan University. The Doctoral Student will be responsible for conducting research, attending seminars and conferences, collaborating with faculty members, writing high-quality research papers, and completing their dissertation. There are two vacancies. The research will be related to (1) AI-assisted non-destructive testing in rock masses and soils, and (2) application of the high-power microwave technique in the fracturing of rocks and strengthening of soils.

Vacancies: Two international students with full scholarships from the government. Outstanding students may also be eligible for an additional allowance to support their living and studies.

For further information, see the attached [PDF].

Getting to Centre Paul Langevin: Shuttle Times & Bus Departure

Based on the registration list, transport has been arranged between Modane and Centre Paul Langevin (Aussois):

Sunday, 28 September – Arrival (departure point Train Station)

  • 17:00 → 3 shuttle taxis (8 seats each)
  • 20:10 → 1 bus

Saturday, 4 October – Departure (departure point Centre Paul Langevin)

  • 13:00 → 1 bus

Please be at the departure point on time. Seating is assigned according to the registration list.

We look forward to seeing you soon, ALERT Geomaterials

Postdoc on Multidirectional Loading in Anchors for Floating Offshore

TU Delft is hiring a Postdoctoral Researcher in Multidirectional Loading in Anchors for Floating Offshore Structures. This position focuses on understanding anchor behavior under complex loading conditions through advanced experimental and numerical methods, contributing to the development of reliable anchoring systems for floating offshore wind as part of the Tailwind project. We are looking for candidates with a PhD in geotechnical engineering and proven experience in numerical modeling of offshore foundation systems. Knowledge and experience of physical testing would be an advantage.

Apply here: https://careers.tudelft.nl/job/Delft-Postdoc-Multidirectional-Loading-in-Anchors-for-Floating-Offshore-2628-CD/828986002/

Submission is possible until: 28 Sep 2025

PhD Position on Geothermal Integration in District Heating at ULB, BrusselsPhD Position in Geothermal

We are seeking a passionate and highly motivated PhD candidate to join our research group at Université libre de Bruxelles (ULB, Belgium) for a research project on the integration of geothermal borefields into district heating and cooling networks. The work will combine the analysis and interpretation of extensive monitoring data collected from a geothermal borefield in Brussels, modelling activities of subsurface heat transfers between borehole heat exchangers, and the development of strategies for the optimal integration of such systems into urban energy networks.

For further information, see the attached [PDF].

International Conference on Advances and Innovations in Soft Soil Engineering – Soft Soils 2026

Dear Colleagues,

We are pleased to announce the International Conference on Advances and Innovations in Soft Soil Engineering – Soft Soils 2026. The conference will be hosted at TU Delft from 24-26 August 2026 and is supported by the TC 214 Soft Soils of the ISSMGE and the Royal Netherlands Society of Engineers (KIVI).

You can find additional information on the website https://softsoils2026.dryfta.com and on the LinkedIn page https://www.linkedin.com/company/soft-soils-2026.

The call for abstracts is open! We invite you to submit an abstract for the conference and forward the announcement to anyone potentially interested. On the conference website, you can find the “Call for Abstracts” page with all the instructions and access to the submission page. The submission deadline is 30 September 2025!

We look forward to receiving your contributions!

Kind regards,

Stefano Muraro, Cristina Jommi, Yoichi Watabe, Minna Karstunen,Suched Likitlersuang

For further information, see the attached [PDF].