The British Geotechnical Association (BGA) is the principal association for geotechnical engineers in the UK.
The British Geotechnical Association (BGA) is the principal association for geotechnical engineers in the UK.
The BGA Knowledge Support Fund allows the BGA to provide financial assistance to individual BGA members for further study or advancement of their career in technical subjects.
Applicants are invited to apply for funds of up to £1,000 for studies which will support or advance their geotechnical career.
The application form, eligibility and judging criteria can be found HERE.
I learned about the BGA knowledge support fund from their promotions on social media and from the testimonials from previous recipients.
I used the fund to cover travel and accommodation expenses for attending the LARAM Summer School on Landslide Risk and Mitigation, hosted by the University of Salerno in Italy. As a PhD student researching multi-hazard risk, this summer school provided essential specialist training directly relevant to my studies.
Yes, I would highly recommend the BGA Knowledge Support. It can cover a range of different requirements from equipment, conferences and training making it widely applicable to your needs.
Outline exactly why you need it and how this will benefit you and your work. Make sure this shows through in your writing, outlining out exactly what you need and how it will benefit you. I would recommend a quick search to properly estimate the expected costs of what you are requesting.
I was introduced to the fund through my university supervisor, who helped me develop my conference paper. They suggested it as the best way to obtain funding to attend an international conference in offshore geotechnics.
Using the fund, I was able to attend the 5th International Symposium on Frontiers in Offshore Engineering in Nantes, France. The fund covered all travel, accommodation and my 4-day pass to the conference. This gave me the opportunity to meet with many industry professionals, attend insightful talks on the latest advancements in offshore geotechnics, and present my research. Overall, I really enjoyed the week and felt it boost my interests in the geotechnics sector.
Most definitely. The BGA Knowledge Support fund helped tremendously to facilitate my trip and allow me to enjoy the experience without worrying too much about funding. I would recommend anyone to apply for it if they feel that it would help advance their career or interests in the geotechnical sector.
I would advise new applicants to provide plenty of details on how the fund will be used so that the BGA can understand how it may support you. This includes activities, travel, etc. along with the associated estimated costs.
I was informed by my PhD Project Supervisor about the BGA Knowledge Support Fund.
The generous fund award enabled me to obtain soil materials used for my PhD research from Nigeria. Initially, my research in which I intend to develop an engineered capillary barrier system (CBS) to minimize rainfall-infiltration into partially saturated soil slopes in southeastern Nigeria was limited to numerical modelling. During literature review, it was discovered that modelling parameters which are obtained from certain soil properties tests are not available, hence, it was impossible to proceed with the numerical modelling. Besides, there is not evidence of suitable laboratory equipment and expertise to perform such studies within the region in Nigeria, thus, there was the need to import soils for the purpose. Since my PhD funding does not cover consumables, it was a difficult decision. The £1000 funding provided by BGA enabled me to collect and import this soil through which I am determining the essential soil properties required for numerical modelling.
I am grateful to BGA for providing this fund that enabled me to make progress in my PhD research. The assistance was crucial to advance the study of rainfall-induced landslides in southeastern Nigeria. It is anticipated that the final outcome of this research will be a significant milestone towards mitigating the effects of rainfall-induced landslides in southeastern Nigeria.
Definitely!
The BGA Knowledge Support Fund is a generous fund that is intended to be utilised appropriately. Clearly define what you would do with the fund and how you will utilise it and I am convinced you will get support from BGA.
I was made aware of the fund during the school year, by my professor Dr. James Lawrence. He clearly explained what the fund can be used for and the application process (which is also clearly explained on the BGA’s website).
I used the fund to attend the 5th International Symposium on Frontiers in Offshore Geotechnics in Nantes, France. Thanks to the funding I was able to cover expenses related to the accommodation, flight tickets and local travel. This gave me an opportunity to expose myself to new research that is being conducted globally, connect with colleagues and gain valuable insights into topics that are related to my research. This experience set an amazing foundation for my PhD where I will be looking at glauconitic sand behavior in offshore geotechnics!
I would absolutely recommend it! This fund is an amazing opportunity for every young engineer to further develop their career, acquire new skills and knowledge. Not only that, but it can also be used to get new equipment for educational purposes that you may need!
Yes, get in touch with an academic from your university in order to get a reference. Make a detailed expenses breakdown. Make sure to save all the receipts in order to justify the expenses you make. And finally, and in my opinion most importantly, express your passion for the field of geotechnics when applying for the fund!