Hudyma’s rockfall research featured in international education platform

Professor Nick Hudyma of the Department of Civil Engineering was recently published in Futurum Careers, a global magazine and online educational platform that inspires young people to explore careers in STEM as well as SHAPE (social sciences, humanities, and arts for people and the economy) fields.

Hudyma's article, "Can we predict where falling rocks will go?," explains the geotechnical engineering research his lab conducts in a way that is accessible to students and educators worldwide. In the piece, along with his graduate student Grant Goertzen, the pair describe their work creating artificial rockfalls to better understand how rocks travel down slopes. A knowledge that could improve hazard prediction and the design of protection systems along mountain roads and infrastructure.

"Our hope is that we can successfully simulate our field tests to provide confidence in our future simulations," Hudyma said. "Our work will better inform geotechnical engineers about the role of soil and slope properties in rockfalls and their influence on how rocks move downslope and where they will eventually come to rest."

Hudyma's contribution offers readers insight into the challenges and excitement of geotechnical engineering, showing how field experiments and advanced modelling can help address natural hazards. The article also highlights the variety of skills and knowledge involved in engineering research, making it a valuable resource for students considering careers in the field.

Futurum Careers collaborates with researchers around the world to translate current research into free educational content, including articles, activities and classroom resources. The platform's resources are used internationally by teachers and students to broaden understanding of STEM and SHAPE subjects.

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