America’s Research-Active, Geotechnical Faculty Members–A Snapshot of the Community 7 Years On

Abstract

This paper is an update of a 2010 snapshot in time of the personal backgrounds, educational training, and professional ranking of America’s research-active geotechnical faculty members. Important questions are raised not only as to issues of age, gender, and nationality, but as to where the professoriate in geotechnical engineering is coming from, what level of experience they are bringing to their positions, their professional standing, and to what extent these items have changed over the past seven years. The results of this paper raise several important insights as to the retention and progression of women and minorities in the ranks of the professorate. Collectively these show an uneven set of advancements for the geotechnical profession and offers some possible reasons for this.