Geo-Institute Director’s Cut

S06 E20 - Ramin Motamed (Unviersity of Nevada-Reno)

On Director's Cut, Geo-Institute Director Brad Keelor interviews G-I members about anything and everything. You might hear about their favorite geotechnical project, their favorite music, or their favorite pie. In Episode 20 of Season 6, our guest is Ramin Motamed of the University of Nevada-Reno!
SHOW NOTES:
- Info on the Monte Cristo Range earthquake: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2020_Monte_Cristo_Range_earthquake
- And the GEER info and report on the quake: https://geerassociation.org/%22//?view=geerreports&id=98
- Here's the UNR shake table/soil box site: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=U86gdAMyQMU
- Find out everything about the Dept of Energy National Labs: https://www.energy.gov/national-laboratories
- Bungee jumping in the parking lot in Reno! https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QEX9kyLOPtE
- Closest skiing to Reno: https://skirose.com/
The Geo-Institute is a technical society with about 12,000 geotechnical engineers and geologists as members. Find out more or join at http://www.geoinstitute.org.
Music courtesy of very cool Seattle band Head Like A Kite. Song is Director's Cut from the 2010 album Dreams Suspend Night. Check them out at http://www.headlikeakite.com.

S06 E19 - Robert Thompson (Dan Brown and Associates)

On Director's Cut, Geo-Institute Director Brad Keelor interviews G-I members about anything and everything. You might hear about their favorite geotechnical project, their favorite music, or their favorite pie. In Episode 19 of Season 6, our guest is Robert Thompson of Dan Brown and Associates!
SHOW NOTES:
- Kinda tough to find construction info on Riverwalk Stadium, but Wikipedia gets you started with general info: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Montgomery_Riverwalk_Stadium
- Bo vs The Boz: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TnDlFKTNkeE
- WE're kind of in between IFCEEs right now, so there's no website to send you to, but here are the proceedings from IFCEE 2024 if you want to see what it was all about: https://ascelibrary.org/doi/book/10.1061/ifcee2024
- There are six gazillion first time Disney visitor trip guides - here's one we've used: https://www.disneytouristblog.com/first-time-disney-world-visit-tips/
- ALDOT's look back at the Hwy 231 slide: https://www.aldotnews.com/2025/03/12/five-years-later-a-look-back-at-the-us-231-landslide
The Geo-Institute is a technical society with about 12,000 geotechnical engineers and geologists as members. Find out more or join at http://www.geoinstitute.org.
Music courtesy of very cool Seattle band Head Like A Kite. Song is Director's Cut from the 2010 album Dreams Suspend Night. Check them out at http://www.headlikeakite.com.

S06 E18 - Gaby Vasquez (Black and Veatch)

On Director's Cut, Geo-Institute Director Brad Keelor interviews G-I members about anything and everything. You might hear about their favorite geotechnical project, their favorite music, or their favorite pie. In Episode 18 of Season 6, our guest is Gaby Vasquez of Black and Veatch and the brand new Austin G-I chapter!
SHOW NOTES:
- We don't have Gaby's dog waiting for a treat, but here's a random dog named Bailey. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gVwhiAu-T2U
- There's a lot of info about expansive clays on the web! Start here: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Expansive_clay
- Some kind soul posted the entire Aladdin performance from the theatre at Disneyland: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OB5DIv555MQ
- Learn more about Women in Deep Foundations (WiDF) here! https://dfi.org/communities/widf/
- And the Society of Women Engineers (SWE) is here: https://swe.org/ - Make your own Rocoto relleno with this recipe: https://piquantpost.com/blogs/recipes/peruvian-stuffed-peppers-rocoto-relleno
- Here's a drone tour of Texas Tech: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tNuIWDdiIHg
- Evie Mae's website might be enough to get you to Lubbock: https://www.eviemaesbbq.com/
The Geo-Institute is a technical society with about 12,000 geotechnical engineers and geologists as members. Find out more or join at http://www.geoinstitute.org. 
Music courtesy of very cool Seattle band Head Like A Kite. Song is Director's Cut from the 2010 album Dreams Suspend Night. Check them out at http://www.headlikeakite.com.

S06 E17 - Kenichi Soga (University of California Berkeley)

On Director's Cut, Geo-Institute Director Brad Keelor interviews G-I members about anything and everything. You might hear about their favorite geotechnical project, their favorite music, or their favorite pie. In Episode 17 of Season 6, our guest is Kenichi Soga of the University of California Berkeley!
SHOW NOTES:
- I was recovering from a cold in this one - you can tell by my voice.
- Home page for the Center for Smart Infrastructure: https://smartinfrastructure.berkeley.edu/
- Kenichi's Rankine Lecture from earlier in 2025: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5AxzE7RSGJk
- There's a 1960 Berkeley civil faculty photo and guide at https://ce.berkeley.edu/news/454. Just take in the names for a minute.
- Here's the Fundamentals of Soil Behavior book by Jim and Kenichi (and now Catherine, too!): https://www.wiley.com/en-us/Fundamentals+of+Soil+Behavior%2C+4th+Edition-p-9781119832317
- Be sure to stick around til the end to hear some more of Kenichi's thoughts about Jim Mitchell!
The Geo-Institute is a technical society with about 12,000 geotechnical engineers and geologists as members. Find out more or join at http://www.geoinstitute.org.
Music courtesy of very cool Seattle band Head Like A Kite. Song is Director's Cut from the 2010 album Dreams Suspend Night. Check them out at http://www.headlikeakite.com.

S06 E16 - Shana Carroll (D.W. Kozera)

On Director's Cut, Geo-Institute Director Brad Keelor interviews G-I members about anything and everything. You might hear about their favorite geotechnical project, their favorite music, or their favorite pie. In Episode 16 of Season 6, our guest is Shana Carroll of D.W. Kozera!
SHOW NOTES:
- Here's where to start learning about Southern Magnolias: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Magnolia_grandiflora
- Info on the Sparrows Point container terminal project: https://www.marinelog.com/inland-coastal/ports-terminals/sparrows-point-container-terminal-aims-to-be-third-largest-on-u-s-east-coast
- Construction Angels is a very worthwhile cause. Find out how you can contribute at https://www.constructionangels.us
- Always, always, always get involved with your local G-I chapter! https://www.geoinstitute.org/chapters/find-a-chapter
- JFK came out in 1991, and is 3 and a half hours long! https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/JFK_(film)
- Info on Blankman, the pinnacle of cinema in the 1990s: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Blankman
- Learn more about Goldman Sachs' 10,000 Small Business program: https://www.goldmansachs.com/community-impact/10000-small-businesses
The Geo-Institute is a technical society with about 12,000 geotechnical engineers and geologists as members. Find out more or join at http://www.geoinstitute.org. 
Music courtesy of very cool Seattle band Head Like A Kite. Song is Director's Cut from the 2010 album Dreams Suspend Night. Check them out at http://www.headlikeakite.com.

S06 E15 - Nick Chen (University of Central Florida)

On Director's Cut, Geo-Institute Director Brad Keelor interviews G-I members about anything and everything. You might hear about their favorite geotechnical project, their favorite music, or their favorite pie. In Episode 15 of Season 6, our guest is Nick Chen of the University of Central Florida!
SHOW NOTES:
- Believe it or not, there's a Youtuber who's a surveyor and influencer. Here he is showing the application of UAVs on landfills. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=P5iZsZ-P-qA
- Find out everything you need to know about G-I Graduate Student Organizations (GSOs)! https://www.geoinstitute.org/students/graduate-student-organizations
- Of course you should visit Kennedy Space Center while you're in the Orlando area! https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UKVlYqGLUbA
The Geo-Institute is a technical society with about 12,000 geotechnical engineers and geologists as members. Find out more or join at http://www.geoinstitute.org.
Music courtesy of very cool Seattle band Head Like A Kite. Song is Director's Cut from the 2010 album Dreams Suspend Night. Check them out at http://www.headlikeakite.com.

S06 E14 - Claudia Zapata (Arizona State University)

On Director's Cut, Geo-Institute Director Brad Keelor interviews G-I members about anything and everything. You might hear about their favorite geotechnical project, their favorite music, or their favorite pie. In Episode 14 of Season 6, our guest is Claudia Zapata of Arizona State University, the 2025 Carl L. Monismith Lecturer!
SHOW NOTES:
- Check out this guide to Colombian Spanish - Claudia mentioned some of these! https://greenmochila.com/a-la-orden-beginners-guide-to-colombian-spanish/
- Here's where to start on Phoenix weather: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Climate_of_Phoenix
- You, yes YOU, can join a G-I technical committee! Fill out this form and we'd love to have you! https://www.asce.org/communities/institutes-and-technical-groups/geo-institute/committees/technical-committee-application
- For more info on NSF ERCs: https://www.nsf.gov/eng/engineering-research-centers
- And the landing page for CBBG! https://cbbg.engineering.asu.edu/ - Your starter guide to the Mexico City pyramids! https://www.contexttravel.com/stories/articles/visiting-teotihuacan-mexico-city-pyramids
- And more info on the Monismith Lecture! FREE registration to watch Claudia's in case you can't make it to Phoenix! https://www.eventbrite.com/e/2025-monismith-lecture-claudia-zapata-tickets-1279794733499
The Geo-Institute is a technical society with about 12,000 geotechnical engineers and geologists as members. Find out more or join at http://www.geoinstitute.org.
Music courtesy of very cool Seattle band Head Like A Kite. Song is Director's Cut from the 2010 album Dreams Suspend Night. Check them out at http://www.headlikeakite.com.

S06 E13 - Jeff Dunn (Consultant)

On Director's Cut, Geo-Institute Director Brad Keelor interviews G-I members about anything and everything. You might hear about their favorite geotechnical project, their favorite music, or their favorite pie. In Episode 13 of Season 6, our guest is Jeff Dunn, Associate Editor for GEOSTRATA, Berkeley grad, and consultant!
SHOW NOTES:
- Jeff has to be talking about Digger's Diner for the inferno omelette - but they're surprisingly common! Here's Digger's menu: https://www.diggersconcord.com/menus/
- Learn more about the Davies Symphony Hall at https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Louise_M._Davies_Symphony_Hall
- Of course, you can read GEOSTRATA at http://www.readgeo.com - including back issues, and watch GEOSTRATA Extra right here on the Youtube channel!
The Geo-Institute is a technical society with about 12,000 geotechnical engineers and geologists as members. Find out more or join at http://www.geoinstitute.org. 
Music courtesy of very cool Seattle band Head Like A Kite. Song is Director's Cut from the 2010 album Dreams Suspend Night. Check them out at http://www.headlikeakite.com.

S06 E11 - Derrick Dasenbrock (Minnesota DOT)

On Director's Cut, Geo-Institute Director Brad Keelor interviews G-I members about anything and everything. You might hear about their favorite geotechnical project, their favorite music, or their favorite pie. In Episode 11 of Season 6, our guest is Derrick Dasenbrock of the Minnesota Department of Transportation!
SHOW NOTES:
- We recorded this on St Patrick's Day, just in case that wasn't clear.
- Here's the home page for the Baltimore Kinetic Sculpture Race, with one of Derrick's photos front and center! https://www.kineticbaltimore.com/
- Just some of the great content from Geo-Congress 2020, which Derrick chaired! https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLXHjEGSzGOPOwZZd7aYq3RnPzdXqez4gn
- Here's the form to join a G-I Technical Committee: https://www.asce.org/communities/institutes-and-technical-groups/geo-institute/committees/technical-committee-application
- Here's some random family's footage of their trip to Wild World in the 80s. Yes, it actually looked like this: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=y5LLhb_BaHE
- Here's a Geo-PIT talk Derrick did in 2020 on public service: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XtaJ3c76SzE
- The Love Boat actually did get a reboot in the 90s - it didn't go super well. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Love_Boat:_The_Next_Wave
- Details on the Shamrock Shake: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Shamrock_Shake
The Geo-Institute is a technical society with about 12,000 geotechnical engineers and geologists as members. Find out more or join at http://www.geoinstitute.org. 
Music courtesy of very cool Seattle band Head Like A Kite. Song is Director's Cut from the 2010 album Dreams Suspend Night. Check them out at http://www.headlikeakite.com.

S06 E10 - Omid Ghasemi-Fare (University of Louisville)

On Director's Cut, Geo-Institute Director Brad Keelor interviews G-I members about anything and everything. You might hear about their favorite geotechnical project, their favorite music, or their favorite pie. In Episode 10 of Season 6, our guest is Omid Ghasemi-Fare of the University of Louisville!
SHOW NOTES:
- Here's Omid's paper on using geothermal piles to deice bridge decks: https://ascelibrary.org/doi/10.1061/9780784485330.076
- Some background on the geography of Iran, and this will get you to the climate as well: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Geography_of_Iran
- There are, predictably, a gazillion kofta (kufta, kefta, etc) recipes. Here's a good one to start with: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lZSBrVdbxjg
- It's easy to review conference papers! Volunteer here: https://www.geoinstitute.org/volunteer-review-conference-papers
- You can find TONS of other content from Geotechnical Frontiers on our Youtube channel! We had a great time in Louisville!
The Geo-Institute is a technical society with about 12,000 geotechnical engineers and geologists as members. Find out more or join at http://www.geoinstitute.org.
Music courtesy of very cool Seattle band Head Like A Kite. Song is Director's Cut from the 2010 album Dreams Suspend Night. Check them out at http://www.headlikeakite.com.