ACTIVITY REPORT: A Recap of the Young Engineers@Work seminar & General Assembly

On Wednesday 27/03, we held our annual general meeting, as well as our annual seminar. For the general meeting, positive developments in terms of membership numbers, were endorsed with a positive financial balance sheet. We also welcome a new board member: Jean-Charles Vereerstraeten, who comes to share his knowledge on the board thanks to an impressive track record at MBG, CFE, Dimco, Deme. We also bid farewell to vice-president Didier De Bruyn, who will cease to hold a mandate after 26 years as board member (of which 17 years as VP) and become honorary vice-president. In addition, Didier will continue his current role as a sitting member of the editorial board of T&ES as well as a driving force in the organisation towards WTC2027 in Antwerp. We thank Didier for his many years of selfless commitment to our association. From the same organisation (SCK-CEN / ESV Euridice), Arnaud Dizier will from now on take the vacant board seat. Other important agenda item was of course the organisation to WTC2027. A very ambitious project for our association for which the full general assembly gave full approval.

For both the general assembly and the seminar, Etex Group (Promat) fulfilled the role of host. We were welcomed at their headquarters, literally a stone's throw from Brussels Airport. The meeting rooms overlooked the runway, so to speak. An excellent location in terms of accessibility unfortunately did not translate into a massive attendance. The main theme at this seminar was Young Engineers@Work. In which we wanted to put absolute emphasis on projects, studies, researches, which young members of our association are working on.

Some 25 attendees were able to listen to presentations on the Einstein telescope (what a project that will really put Belgium on the world map in terms of gravitational wave research!), the Scheldt Tunnel (well known to us and to be visited later this year on 03/07 in the dry dock), the Flemish tunnelling directive, a train tunnel and its challenges in Watermael-Boitsfort, BIM and a TBM-tunnel under the Elbe and a lecture on economic risk as an additional metric for tunnel's design. 

In the end, the jury chose two laureates: Jonas Bernaert, SBE Engineering Consultants (The Oosterweel Link - Scheldt Tunnel and Construction Dock Cut&Cover Right Bank) and Matteo Pachera, SWECO Belgium (Economic risk as an additional metric for tunnel's design). All five young engineers who presented may safely renounce the title young, as their work clearly shows that they are already working on senior projects in a senior manner. Congratulations!