Deep Foundations Institute (DFI) educational trust has awarded professional development grants to 12 women working in the geotechnical industry. 

The recipients were chosen by DFI’s Women in Deep Foundations (WiDF) committee. Each grant is worth $1,750 (C$2458.81) and includes complimentary registration and related expenses for DFI's upcoming 51st Annual Conference, running Nov. 2 to 5 in Orlando.

The recipients are: 

• Catarina Baptista-Pereira, PhD, project engineer, Fugro (AMS: FUR)
• Rachel Bourne, Canadian sales technician, KB International
• Lingling Chien, senior design coordinator, Strabag (VIE: STR)
• Isabella Kennedy, assistant project manager, GZA GeoEnvironmental
• Rachel Lujan, PE, department manager, Terracon Consultants
• Gouri Mohan, PE, engineering manager, Fugro (AMS: FUR)
• Dariana Sagastegui, staff engineer, Terracon Consultants
• Shweta Sah, apprentice post graduate engineer, Jacobs Solutions (NYSE: J)
• Kirsten Shaw, EIT, Isherwood Geostructural Engineers
• Maren Tanberg, PE, PG, senior staff engineer, Terracon Consultants
• Yuderka Trinidad, PhD, assistant professor, Iowa State University
• Yuqi Wei, junior engineer, Isherwood Geostructural Engineers

The grants were funded through DFI’s sponsors, including, Apex Geotech Solutions, Berkel & Company Contractors, GEI Consultants, Ground Stabilization International, Minova, Nicholson Construction Company, Specto Technology, Tarra Engineering and Structural Consultants, TEI Rock Drills, World Sensing, and DFI Past Presidents David Coleman and Joel Moskowitz.

The awards will be presented during the conference at the DFI WiDF committee’s annual networking reception on Monday, Nov. 2.