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The Geosynthetic Institute (GSI) is transitioning from Folsom, Pa., to the campus of Georgia Institute of Technology (GT) in Atlanta, Ga., at the end of 2025.
GSI is a 501(c) 3 nonprofit organization incorporated in the state of Delaware. It has operated in the Philadelphia area with assets including an endowment and equipment for the past 35 years. At the request of both GSI’s board of directors (BOD) and board of advisors, GSI formed an ad-hoc committee to search for an organization to run the operation in the future. This decision was made due to the aging workforce at GSI.
An ad-hoc committee was formed with volunteers from the GSI membership to determine the strategic planning for GSI’s transition. This was a temporary committee who reported directly to GSI’s BOD and served under the supervision of chairman Gary Torosian (Geocomp GTX), who was elected internally by the committee.
The Ad hoc committee was comprised of the following 14 GSI members:
- Ahmad Al Masri, Doha Waterproofing
- Jeff Blum, Weaver Group
- Anthony Eith, CEC Consultants
- Jorge Fernandez Lopez, Atarfil
- Nathan Ivy, Concrete Canvas
- Anthony Johnson, AGRU
- Preston Kendall, Axter Coletanche
- Michael Koerner, Aero Aggregates
- George Koerner, Geosynthetic Institute (GSI)
- Rene Laprade, Solmax
- Daniel Meucci, Azul Pack/Techground
- Miranda Rine, C.P. Chem
- Bryan Scholl, Watershed Geo
- Gary Torosian, Geocomp GTX (Chairman)
All committee members served with the objective to represent the best interests of GSI and were open to multiple perspectives about the future of the institute. The committee performed duties for 10 months commencing in April 2024 and ending in January 2025.
Stemming from the request for proposals sent out, six written proposals were received, from which three final candidates were selected to give oral presentations. After a thorough grading process, the committee selected GT as the new home for GSI. As a result of the committee’s efforts and recommendation, GSI entered into talks with GT for transitioning its operation to the Atlanta campus of the university.
The timeline of action taken post Ad Hoc committee;
- December 23, 2024 – Ad-hoc committee decision announced
- January 29, 2025 – Public announcement of transition made at ASTM in Houston, Texas
- February 1, 2025 – GSI Letter to GT containing questions and discussion about transition
- February 17, 2025 – GT internal meeting
- March 4, 2025 – Another public presentation about transition given to ASCE & Advanced Textiles Association/Geosynthetics Materials Association in Louisville, Ky.
- May 6 and 7, 2025 – GSI’s Annual BOD meeting in Atlanta, Ga., with GT
Dr. David Frost of Georgia Tech will lead GSI after the transition from Philadelphia to Atlanta. Georgia Tech’s vision for GSI going forward is summarized below:
- Relocate lab facility from Philadelphia to GT in Atlanta
- Expand membership
- Revitalizing all five existing institutes under the GSI umbrella
- Renewed focus on research activities to support membership
- Addition of two new institutes under the GSI umbrella:
- Geosynthetics Climate Change Institute (GCCI)
- Geosynthetics Artificial Intelligence Institute (GAII)
- Expanding international activities
- Gaining further recognition as a leading support organization for the Geosynthetics Industry
- Sustaining legacy of founder Robert M. Koerner, NAE
Key personnel involved in the transition and operation of the institute going forward will be Dr. David Frost, Henry Mock (WSP) and Zehong Yuan (SGI). Dr. George Koerner with assist with the transition for a year of two at the request of the Georgia Institute of Technology and in particular, will continue to play a critical role in the GSI-LAP activities.
It is envisioned that the institute will grow and continue to conduct multidisciplinary research, host events and offer learning pathways for geosynthetics going forward. We expect that our experienced team will successfully perform this relocation seamlessly while maintaining services to GSI’s member companies without interruption. These are exciting times for geosynthetics and GSI.
There is a frenzy of activity behind the scenes involved in a move of this magnitude. To summarize these activities, Table 1 is presented to show the planned timeline over the next three years.
