Ground Investigation Team Honoured with AGS Working Group Awards

Darren Makin, GI Geoenvironmental Lead has been awarded the AGS Contaminated Land Working Group Award 2024 for his active participation, dependency and support for early career professionals. Darren's daily responsibilities often include developing and updating internal procedures and training programs to ensure alignment with industry standards, and at times, even setting the benchmark for industry standard updates. Darren also provides technical and health & safety support to the Operations teams from a geoenvironmental perspective, while offering mentorship to early-career colleagues aiming to advance in their geoenvironmental careers.

“Darren has been one of the most dependable members of the AGS. Never passive, he has provided his support to early career professionals within the CLWG and always promotes best practice. He is an ambassador for the CLWG, in wider industry and amongst other AGS working groups in which he is also an active member and a key point of liaison. He frequently demonstrates a high level of commitment and service to the CLWG. He is very much a valued and respected member of the CLWG.”

Emma Bell (nee Cronin), Senior Geotechnical Engineer, has been awarded the AGS Geotechnical Working Group Award 2024. This marks the second time Emma has received this award, having also been recognised for her contributions and dependability in 2023. Emma is part of the GI Operations team at Heathrow, focusing on technical reporting. Her role involves reviewing field data, managing data oversight, coordinating with testing laboratories and clients, and ensuring projects meet the highest quality standards and align with project specifications. Emma is also an active and highly respected member of the SOCOTEC GI TechTeam, which regularly meets to develop and update training materials and guidance, while supporting teams with technical and quality-related matters.

“Emma is one of most active and reliable members of the group. She has led the delivery of the AGS Pressuremeter Guide, has delivered an EC7 bite size guide, is actively involved in preparing training materials for CPT testing and is part of a team (alongside the Data Management Working Group) in the production of new guidance for the naming of the exploratory hole location identifiers.”

We want to congratulate our esteemed colleagues on their very well deserved recognition. Darren and Emma’s hard work, dedication and innovation has paid off and SOCOTEC are proud to support their future endeavours with their respective industry working groups.

SOCOTEC are involved in six AGS working groups and numerous other industry subgroups and committees, including the Engineering Group of the Geological Society (EGGS), Society of Brownfield Risk Assessment (SoBRA), British Drilling Association (BDA) and other regional groups of the Geological Society. We consider our industry engagement as important and reflective of the commitment of our staff.