Inclusion, equity and celebrating differences in our industry will be given special focus at the forthcoming 8^th European conference on geosynthetics (EuroGeo8).

Guillaume Stoltz, General Secretary of IGS France, which is organizing the event in 2025, said organizers would give the IGS Diversity Task Force "a strong spotlight" at the conference in Lille, France.

He said: "We are going to organize a lecture in plenary session, just after the LMNS Lecture, a first such approach in the EuroGeo conference series. We will ensure this becomes an unmissable event and a tradition that continues in the EuroGeo conferences."

The LMNS Lecture opens each edition of the quadrennial EuroGeo conference. It was named using the first letter of the surnames of the four-member organizing committee of the first International Conference on Geosynthetics in Paris in 1977.

EuroGeo8 takes place on September 15-18, 2025, and is themed 'Technical challenges and environmental imperatives for the 21^st Century', exploring new challenges faced by construction professionals, environmental concerns, and innovation and risk management.

Mr Stoltz said the scientific committee had recently completed evaluating more than 160 abstract articles which had corresponded well to the main conference theme, and its sub-themes which include sustainability with geosynthetics, environmental performance, and the circular economy.

There will also be plenty for IGS Young Members including a special session, and careers advice with members of EAGM (European Association of Geosynthetic product Manufacturers).

Organizers are also launching the 'Geosynthetics Education Ideas Competition', inviting proposals for innovative 'demonstrators' – hand-made models using soils and geosynthetics – which could serve as a basis for educational laboratory work. Judges will select the best that demonstrate the multifunctional effectiveness of geosynthetics.

Ideas should be targeted at engineering school level. The best proposals, in the form of videos, will be presented at the conference. If you would like to submit, email secretary@eurogeo8.org for more details.

Mr Stoltz said almost all conference exhibition booths and sponsor places had been taken, with a map of exhibitors available to view here. Organizers may also expand booth availability to meet added demand.

Conference registration is now open. The full scientific program is expected to be announced by mid-April 2025.

Find out more on the dedicated EuroGeo8 conference website here.