From June 14 to 19, 2026, the 21st International Conference on Soil Mechanics and Geotechnical Engineering (ICSMGE)—the quadrennial academic conference of the International Society for Soil Mechanics and Geotechnical Engineering (ISSMGE)—was held at the Austria Center Vienna. Nearly 3,000 delegates from over 80 countries around the world attended this grand event. Liu Songyu, Chief Professor of Southeast University, was awarded the ISSMGE Outstanding Innovator Award. Marc Ballouz, the current President of the ISSMGE, presented the certificate to Professor Liu.
According to the official website of the ISSMGE, the International Society for Soil Mechanics and Geotechnical Engineering (ISSMGE) was founded in 1936 by Karl Terzaghi, the “Father of Soil Mechanics.” With a 90-year history, the society currently comprises 92 member countries. The Outstanding Innovator Award is bestowed upon an individual or a team who has achieved unprecedented and significant accomplishments in global geotechnical engineering technology, research, and education. It is evaluated every four years, with only one recipient selected per cycle. Professor Liu Songyu was honored with this prestigious award for his outstanding innovative contributions to ground improvement, foundation reinforcement, and sustainable development technologies, making him the first Chinese scientist to receive this accolade.
