2024 Photo Contest Winners Announced
GBA is committed to promoting the value of geoprofessionals and for our 2024 photo contest we asked members to share: “How do you depict a day in the life of a geoprofessional?”
The 70 photos that were submitted showed the wide range of impact our members have across North America. In the field, on the road or on the water, in the deep woods and along the coasts, in the heart of busy city centers – geoprofessionals are inherently woven throughout communities. These vibrant photos capture our members in field activities, meeting with colleagues and clients, and observing safety in some amazing locations.
All winners’ photos will be featured on the GBA website and during upcoming GBA events, including the Fall Leadership Summit in October.
Thank you to everyone who submitted photos this year!
Grand Prize Winner
Photographer: Leyla Safari, P.E., CTL|Thompson
Location: Big Sky, MT
Caption: Drilling exploratory borings during the first snowstorm of the season for a proposed water storage pond in Big Sky, Montana.
Overall Runner-up
Photographer: Carl Tacker, Terracon
Location: Near Denali Park, AK, Parks Highway, over the Nenana River.
Caption: Keeping our infrastructure safe. Performing non-destructive testing of in-service bridge welds on tension members that utilized AASHTO M244 Grade100 steel, otherwise known as T-1 (ASTM A514, A517) steel. Under Bridge Inspection Truck (UBIT) utilized for access to bottom of superstructure.
Overall Second Runner-up
Photographer: Kyle Kilfian, GeoEngineers
Location: Donaldsonville, LA
Caption: GeoEngineers’ Baton Rouge drill team took their shiny new rig onto the Mississippi for some over-water drilling near the Sunshine Bridge in Donaldsonville, Louisiana. The rig is a custom-built Mobile Drill International B-58, and with the help of a drilling barge it works just as well on the water! A 14″ steel pipe known as a “rat hole” or “moon pool” provides drilling access right through the deck of the barge. Shifting currents, boat traffic, and other hazards make over-water drilling very complex, but this experienced team is up to the challenge!
Category Winners
Safe Working Practices Category
Photographer: Chris Gardner, Earth Systems
Location: Palmdale, CA
Caption: A crew in the desert begins pouring concrete before sunrise to avoid extreme heat temperatures in the summer.
Client Collaboration Category
Photographer: Bonnie Nelson, Strata
Location: Coeur d’Alene, ID
Caption: End of day discussion between engineering firm and contractor on the day’s work.
Construction Materials Testing and Inspection (CoMET) Category
Photographer: Noah White, ALLWEST Testing & Engineering
Location: Liberty Lake, WA
Caption: This was at the start of night paving in Liberty Lake, WA along with Inland Asphalt from Spokane, WA. I was onsite with my company, ALLWEST, to perform density testing.
Environmental Services Category
Photographer: Nurhan Ansari, Grounded Engineering
Location: Toronto, Ontario
Caption: Drilling groundwater monitoring wells in bedrock, in a utility corridor while the 70-storey building is being constructed. A utility corridor is located along the western portion of the property that contains soil exceedances, specifically Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons (PAHs) that will not be removed as part of the site redevelopment activities.
Geotechnical Services Category
Photographer: Don Seserko, P.E., ECS Mid-Atlantic
Location: 495 Express Lanes Northern Extension Project (495 NEXT), McLean, VA
Caption: Field visit to observe installed steel H-piles for new bridge over the Dulles Toll Road (Rte 267). The piles are wrapped in yellow friction-reducing sleeves to mitigate down drag and are located behind an MSE wall being backfilled with crushed stone.
