Allan McConnell is a geotechnical engineer, with 50+ years experience in Australia, SE Asia and the Pacific. He is the founder of the specialised geotechnical testing company Insitu Geotech Services (IGS). Allan is known for his past consulting work on major projects, including many involving very soft soils, and for his “crusade” to reduce risk and uncertainty in geotechnical engineering. It is this passion for reducing risk and uncertainty that led to the evolution of IGS. Allan is a Fellow of Engineers Australia, a Registered Engineer in Queensland, a long-term Committee Member and Honorary Life Member of the Australian Geomechanics Society, and a Committee Member of the Queensland Tailings Group. He was Chair of the 2015 ISC’5 (International Site Characterisation) Conference on The Gold Coast, and also chaired a mini-symposium at the 2024 ISC’7 Conference in Barcelona, titled “Sources of Uncertainty in CPT”. Allan has presented papers on the topic of CPT testing in extremely soft soils and tailings at several international and Australian conferences.

Evan is a Geotechnical Engineer with over eighteen (18) years of professional experience. He has worked across a wide range of tailings and water storage projects. He specialises in the planning, design, and construction of embankment dams and tailings storage facilities (TSFs). He has experience in the design and engineering stewardship of tailings and water dams both locally and abroad – with specific focus on soil mechanics and risk-based design. He is familiar with the Australian regulatory environment as well as global industry practice. He has postgraduate level training in both dam design and risk management. He has a detailed understanding of the risks associated with managing tailings and water storage assets throughout design, construction, and operations.

David is a Principal Tailings Engineer with 20 years' experience in the design, analysis, in situ investigation, and laboratory characterisation of tailings. He has carried out post-doctoral research on tailings static liquefaction and mechanical behaviour on two industry-funded research projects. He now leads a dedicated tailings testing facility, REELab.

Jim Greig is a professional geotechnical engineer with over four decades of expertise in in-situ testing, instrument design, and software applications. He earned his B.A.Sc. (1981) and M.A.Sc. (1985) from the University of British Columbia, focusing on in-situ testing methods, including CPT, PMT, VST, and DMT. Jim is a senior engineer at ConeTec, having been with ConeTec since 1994 and has conducted CPT testing and site investigations throughout North America, as well as in Trinidad and Japan. As the Technical Oversight for Geotechnical and Professional Services, he is responsible for developing proprietary software, visualization techniques, and new in-situ tools. He also oversees QA/QC, training, and regulatory compliance as a responsible registrant for British Columbia and Alberta. Jim is the author of ConeTec’s in-house geotechnical analysis software, which generates plots and reporting materials. He continues to provide technical specifications, geotechnical reviews, and hands-on testing for software development.

Senior Tailings and Geotechnical Engineer with over 15 years of international experience in the design, construction, and monitoring of tailings storage facilities (TSFs) and heap leach pads for world-class mining projects. Specialized in filtered tailings systems (330 million m³), heap leach pad management (300 million m³), and dam engineering. Proven leader in managing complex engineering projects, coordinating with EORs and ITRBs, and aligning construction and operations teams to deliver projects that meet the highest standards of safety, schedule, and business performance. Self-driven and solutions-oriented, with a strong ability to address field challenges and mitigate geotechnical risks using advanced analysis tools. Recognized for leading multidisciplinary teams in multicultural environments and delivering innovative, practical solutions. Trilingual (Spanish, Portuguese, English), with advanced training in Geotechnics and a successful track record in high-impact projects for Vale and Freeport McMoRan.

Sebastian Quintero is a PhD candidate and the manager of the laboratory of Geomechanics at the University of Queensland. He has gained reputable experience in research, teaching, and consulting as at the School of Civil Engineering laboratories for the last 10 years. He supervises and teach every student who needs any test done related to soil, rocks, and tailings. He has developed a profile in research and consultancy of projects that require any testing at the Geotechnical laboratories. He has a promising track record of published articles, grants, and commercial income, and several students trained at the Laboratories of Geomechanics of the University of Queensland.