Prof. Manchao He

CBMR Lecture: Rock Mechanics Challenges in the Himalayas

Prof. Manchao He is an Academician of the Chinese Academy of Sciences and Director of the State Key Laboratory for Tunnel Engineering, China University of Mining and Technology, Beijing. He specializes in rock mechanics and engineering, with pioneering contributions to landslide prediction, large-deformation disaster control, and mining innovation.

He developed the Newton force monitoring system for landslide early warning and invented NPR (Negative Poisson's Ratio) materials for rock support. He also proposed the non-pillar mining method (110/N00 method), leading a third revolution in mining technology. Prof. He has led over 20 major national research projects, authored more than 300 SCI papers (h-index 54), and holds 198 patents. He serves as President of CSRME, chairs the ISRM Commission on Rockbursts, and is Vice President of ICGdR.

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Luis Lamas

Lecture: The Second Generation of the Geotechnical Eurocode – Main Aspects and Inclusion of Rock Engineering

Luis Lamas is Principal Researcher and Head of the Modelling and Rock Mechanics Unit at the Portuguese National Laboratory of Civil Engineering (LNEC). He graduated in Civil Engineering from the University of Lisbon and obtained both his MSc and PhD in Engineering Rock Mechanics from Imperial College London. Since 2003, he has served as Secretary General of the International Society for Rock Mechanics and Rock Engineering (ISRM). He currently coordinates the rock mechanics expert group responsible for revising Eurocode 7 – Geotechnical Design, playing a key role in the integration of Rock Engineering into the next generation of European standards.

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Esteban Hormazabal

Lecture: Best Practices for Rock Mass Characterization and Modelling

Esteban Hormazabal is a Mining Engineer with an MSc in Geophysics specialized in applied hydrogeology. He has more than 30 years of experience in geotechnical engineering, rock mechanics, and geotechnical instrumentation, contributing to major mining projects across Latin America, North America, Asia, Africa, and Europe. He has extensive expertise in open pit and underground mining projects and has authored more than 40 technical publications. Esteban is a Fellow of the AusIMM and currently serves as Vice President for Latin America of the International Society for Rock Mechanics and Rock Engineering (ISRM).

Prof. Milorad Jovanovski

Lecture: Stability Challenges in Rock Slope Engineering for Gypsum Rock Masses in Specific Environments: Case Study from the Macedonian Road Network

Prof. Milorad Jovanovski is a Professor of Rock Mechanics and Engineering Geology at Ss. Cyril and Methodius University in Skopje. His research focuses on engineering geology, rock slope engineering, rock mass characterization, landslides, tunnelling, dams, environmental geotechnics, and geotechnical risk assessment. He has authored or co-authored approximately 210 scientific papers and several technical books. He previously served as President of the Macedonian Association for Geotechnics and currently serves as Vice-President At Large of the ISRM for the 2023–2027 term.

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Jorge Lopez Molina

Lecture: Artificial Intelligence for Rock Masses

Jorge Lopez Molina will present recent advances and applications of artificial intelligence techniques for rock mass analysis and engineering decision-making, highlighting emerging opportunities for data-driven geotechnical and mining engineering.

Dr. Andres Marulanda

Lecture: Lessons Learned in the Design and Construction of Hydraulic Pressure Tunnels in the Andes Mountain Range in the Last 50 Years

Dr. Andres Marulanda is Managing Director of INGETEC and an internationally recognized expert in tunnels, dams, and underground infrastructure. His professional career includes the design and supervision of more than 300 km of hydraulic and transportation tunnels across over 20 projects worldwide. He has held leadership positions within the International Tunnelling Association (ITA) and contributed to major international contractual and risk management frameworks, including the FIDIC–ITA Emerald Book. He also actively collaborates with ICOLD and has extensive academic and international consulting experience in underground construction and dam engineering.

Luis Tejada Cervantes

Luis Tejada Cervantes holds a PhD from the University of Brasília (UnB) and a degree in Geotechnical Engineering from the National University of San Agustín (UNSA), Peru. He specializes in soil mechanics, rock mechanics, safe tailings management, and hydrogeology. With 25 years of professional experience, he has worked at renowned consulting firms and major construction companies, and has led geomechanics and water resources teams in the mining industry across South America, Canada, and Australia. He also holds academic and research experience at several Peruvian universities. He is currently Head of Geotechnical and Hydrogeology at Compañía Minera Antamina S.A., Peru, and Chairman of the Organizing Committee of the International Slope Stability Symposium, to be held in Lima, Peru, in October 2026. At LARMS 2026, Luis will address relevant topics in rock mechanics engineering applied to open-pit mining, as well as the strategic partnership established between LARMS and Slope Stability 2026.

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Prof. André Assis

Prof. André Assis is a Professor at the Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering of the University of Brasília (UnB). His research and consulting work cover tunnelling, rock mechanics, rockfill dams, and geotechnical risk management. Throughout his career, he has supervised approximately 130 master's and doctoral dissertations and theses, and has published more than 300 scientific papers. With extensive engagement in international organizations, he served as President of the International Tunnelling and Underground Space Association (ITA) and of the Brazilian Association for Soil Mechanics and Geotechnical Engineering (ABMS), as well as Vice-President for South America of the International Society for Soil Mechanics and Geotechnical Engineering (ISSMGE). At LARMS 2026, André will participate in the roundtable focusing on the generation of geomechanical models through mapping and probabilistic modelling.

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Teofilo Costa

Teofilo Costa is a Geotechnical Consultant at Vale Base Metals, with 28 years of experience at the company. His professional career includes extensive work in open-pit mines in Brazil and abroad, with a strong focus on rock mechanics applied to mining operations. At LARMS 2026, Teo will share insights on the latest developments in rock mechanics applied to mining — new practices, recent evaluations and studies — and the role of structural geology in open-pit operations.

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