Name

Valentin Tertius

Surname

Bickel

Geotechnical Qualification

Oct 2011 - May 2015
Bachelor of Science in Geology
Technical University of Munich (TUM), Germany
Ludwig-Maximilians University Munich (LMU), Germany

Aug – Dec 2013
Exchange semester in Arctic Engineering & Technology
University Centre in Svalbard (UNIS), Arctic Norway

Sep 2015 - Aug 2017
Master of Science in Engineering Geology
Swiss Federal Institute of Technology Zurich (ETH), Switzerland

Why did you become a Geotechnical engineer?

I am conducting my studies of Engineering Geology and Geotechnical Engineering driven by my
fascination for the complex interaction between nature and humankind. I want to be part of a
profession, which accepts the challenge to achieve the highest possible standards in order to
guarantee the safety, operability and sustainability of man-made structures of all kinds.

What aspects of Geotechnics are most interesting to you?

My personal interests are very diverse and include tunneling, geological mapping, geotechnical
site investigations and specialized foundation works of various kinds. Additionally, a personal
focus lies on the application of air- and spaceborne remote sensing techniques for geotechnical
and geological analyses, such as subsidence- and slope movement recognition or resource
exploration.

In which country are you currently working?

I am currently working for Bauer Cimentaciones S.A. in Costa Rica and for Bauer Fundaciones
S.A. in Panamá. Alongside I am going to finish my MSc studies at the Swiss Federal Institute of
Technology in August 2017.

On what sorts of project would you like to work in the future?

I would like to contribute to big scale projects which follow a positive ulterior motive and which
have the intention to enhance or improve the state of the art of our modern society, while
respecting their responsibility for the nature we are living in. This could include tunneling and
infrastructure operations connecting people and countries, construction works for renewable
energy production facilities, natural hazard recognition/ mitigation operations or remote sensing
based exploration/ monitoring of earth or stellar bodies and numerous more.