What happens when you remove a geotechnical engineer? Article in Popular Mechanics discusses removal of dams, makes no reference to geotechnical engineers

In an article “What happens when you remove a dam”, the Popular Mechanics magazine discusses lots of aspects, including engineering aspects, of a dam removal. The article itself is interesting.

It discusses issues associated with emptying the reservoir, use of the diversion tunnels, removal of sediments (an obvious major earthwork operation), restoring the river channel with appropriate engineering means, controlling sediment runoff, and the slow process of removing the dam in layers, sometimes with controlled blasting.

The article refers to “engineers”, “environmental restoration specialists.” There is no mention of a geotechnical engineer, although the process described would absolutely need geotechnical engineers. Should the article have mentioned geotechnical engineers? Maybe not...It is a generic science article after all. But it should matter to us, geotechnical engineers. If we are not acknowledged for what we do in science magazines, how do we expect others to know what geotechnical engineers do? We need to do a better job at this. Highlight our work, be proud of our work. Introduce ourselves as geotechnical engineers. Not engineers, not civil engineers.

What do you think?

The Popular Mechanics article is here.

Source: Popular Mechanics