CyGS Presentation (September 11, 2024): Tanys MacGowan, P.Eng.

The Calgary Geotechnical Society is excited to host Tanys MacGowan, P.Eng., Principal Advisor, Geotechnical Engineering at Beryl Mining Services.

This presentation will be hosted at the Wild Rose Brewery - Barracks Rooms. No virtual option is available for this presentation. Light refreshments and appetizers will be provided.

Please register by Friday, September 6.

Dr. Marc Ballouz, President of the International Society for Soil Mechanics and Geotechnical Engineering (ISSMGE) will also present Dr. Norbert Morgenstern with the prestigious ISSMGE Lifetime Achievement Medal. Please join us in person in congratulating Dr. Morgenstern for his incredible dedication and contribution to the geotechnical community over the decades. 

**Please note that limited tickets will be available at the door on the day of the presentation, which can be purchased only with cash or cheque. We recommend registering for the event in advance to guarantee your spot.**

 

Topic: 

Past, Present, and Future Perspective of an EOR, Take 2

 

Speaker:

 Tanys MacGowan, P.Eng., Principal Advisor, Geotechnical Engineering at Beryl Mining Services

 

Date: 

Wednesday, September 11, 2024

 

Details: 

5:30 pm to 6:00 pm – Doors open, networking & registration

6:00 pm to 6:20 pm – ILAM Award Presentation to Dr. Norbert Morgenstern

6:20 pm to 7:00 pm – Technical Presentation                    

7:00 pm to 7:15 pm – Q&A

 

Cost: 

$10 (Regular) / Free (Student)

 

Location: 

Wild Rose Brewery - Barracks Rooms

4580 Quesnay Wood Dr SW, Calgary, AB T3E 7J3

(***Parking and entrance in the back***)

 

Abstract: 

As the adage goes, those who don’t remember history are doomed to repeat it.  This perspective is imperative in our industry, where building on past experiences - the learnings, the re-learnings, and the mistakes - shapes our present and forms a foundation for a safe and sustainable future. Join me as I reflect on the oilsands industry’s progression over time, detailing projects and learnings that have directly influenced my career, and identifying drivers for a more stable, socially responsible, risk-informed future.

 

Bio:

Tanys MacGowan, P.Eng. is a seasoned geotechnical expert with over 25 years of experience with 17 years in the oil sands industry, and 15 of them representing the Operator Company.  She has held roles as Engineer of Record (EOR), Geotechnical Engineering Advisor and Directors of GeoServices and Digital Innovation at Suncor Energy Inc., overseeing the geology, water resources, and geotechnical engineering groups, with oversight of approximately 80 technical people in the group. In her last role as the Director of Digital Innovation at Suncor, she drove innovative digital data strategies, including developing digital twins to improve geotechnical risk management.  

During her time as an EOR, she managed the design of one of the largest dam structures in the oil sands at 140 m in height, 50 to 70 m above natural ground. She was at the forefront of solving the complex design issues associated with constructing Suncor’s first sand storage structure and removing a tailings pond to access ore under the tailings facility. Consequently, she authored one of the first approved dam decommissioning plans. She has co-authored papers covering pit walls, dams, dam breach emergency response, and a summary paper on 50 years of geotechnical engineering in the oilsands.

She is currently a Principal Advisor, Geotechnical Engineering, at Beryl Mining Services where her passion is continuing to work on advancing risk management through governance, education, and digital and data advancements with integrated plans and operations. 

In her spare time, she is fascinated with the psychology behind leadership and has taken courses at Harvard, Oxford and MIT. In addition, she loves kickboxing, travelling, entertaining and the colour blue.