A new biogeotechnical committee, AsRTC-22, has been established in Asia under the leadership of an ENU professor

Prof Askar Zhussupbekov, Dr Ankit Garg and Dr Abdulla Omarov Secure New Asian Regional Technical Committee on Biogeotechnics (AsRTC-22) Approved by ISSMGE Asia.

In a significant milestone for geotechnical engineering in Asia, the proposal to establish a new Asian Regional Technical Committee on Biogeotechnics was officially approved at the Asian Council Meeting.

The meeting was presided over by Prof. Albert Shou, Vice-President of the International Society for Soil Mechanics and Geotechnical Engineering (ISSMGE) for Asia. The new committee, operating under the ISSMGE framework, will be named AsRTC-22, where the number 22 symbolizes Earth Day, which is celebrated globally on April 22 each year to demonstrate support for environmental protection and sustainability.

Earth Day serves as a powerful reminder of our collective responsibility to protect the planet, and the committee's name reflects its deep commitment to environmentally harmonious geotechnical solutions.

The committee will be chaired by Prof. Askar Zhussupbekov, a renowned professor at L.N. Gumilyov Eurasian National University and President of the Kazakhstan Geotechnical Society. Dr. Ankit Garg, Research Fellow of L.N. Gumilyov Eurasian National University and also honorary member of the Kazakhstan Geotechnical Society, will serve as the Vice-Chair. Dr. Abdulla Omarov has been appointed as the Secretary of the newly formed committee.

The AsRTC-22 is designed to address unique regional challenges, including arid climates, seismic risks, and the scarcity of conventional construction materials. For Kazakhstan, the committee will promote low-carbon, circular solutions such as biocementation and phytoremediation using local biomass. This approach is expected to reduce dependency on imported construction materials and convert agricultural waste into cost-effective inputs for infrastructure development.

Prof. Askar Zhussupbekov, chair of the new committee, stated:

“The establishment of AsRTC-22 is a proud moment for ENU and Kazakhstan. It positions our nation at the forefront of sustainable geotechnical innovation in Asia. We aim to build local expertise, close the engineering skills gap, and strengthen community resilience through environmentally friendly technologies.”

Dr Ankit Garg, vice-chair, added:

“Biogeotechnics offers incredible potential for sustainable development in Kazakhstan. By harnessing biological processes, we can stabilize slopes, reduce dust in arid regions, and improve soil properties, all while lowering the carbon footprint of infrastructure projects.”

The AsRTC-22 will include technical committee members nominated from various Asian member societies, fostering interdisciplinary research and equitable development across the continent. The committee will collaborate closely with existing ISSMGE Technical Committees, including TC305 (Geotechnical Infrastructure for Megacities and New Capitals), TC211 (Environmental Geotechnics), and TC308 (Energy Geotechnics), as well as international societies in agriculture, hydrology, and environmental science. Key objectives of the committee include developing preliminary guidelines for biogeotechnical applications, promoting the inclusion of biogeotechnics in university curricula (UG/Master/PhD programs), organizing workshops, webinars, and short courses, bridging academia and industry through pilot projects and technology transfer, and launching mentorship programs and annual awards for early-career researchers, including a Young Biogeotechnicians Group (YBG). In alignment with its mission, the committee will also organise the Excellent International Young Minds in Geotechnics (EIYMG) program, recognising top young professionals under 40 who contribute to geotechnical infrastructure for megacities and new capitals.

The approval of AsRTC-22 marks a transformative step for sustainable geotechnical engineering in Kazakhstan and across Asia. It will drive knowledge exchange, support low-resource regions, and foster a new generation of engineers equipped to tackle 21st-century infrastructure challenges using biology-inspired solutions.