GENTING HIGHLANDS, Aug 14 – The 2nd International Geo-Engineering Conference 2025 (GEOFIESTA 2025) gathered over 121 participants and 61 presenters from seven countries. This event brought together government agencies, industry leaders, academics, and young innovators. Held over two days, from August 13 to 14, 2025, at the Geo Resort & Hotel in Genting Highlands, the conference was jointly organised by the Centre of Tropical Geoengineering (GEOTROPIK) at Universiti Teknologi Malaysia (UTM) and the Smart and Sustainable Township Research Centre (SUTRA) at Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia (UKM).
The conference was officially opened by Dato’ Ir. Hj. Sazali Harun, the Director General of Lembaga Lebuhraya Malaysia (LLM). He emphasised the increasing significance of Artificial Intelligence (AI) in predicting hazards, optimising design processes, and developing more climate-resilient infrastructure.
With the theme “Integrating AI and Geoengineering for Sustainable Development in Tropical Regions,” GEOFIESTA 2025 highlighted how digital innovation is transforming the way geoengineers tackle the challenges of urbanisation and environmental change in tropical climates.
In his welcoming speech, Dr. Muhammad Naqiuddin Mohd Warid, Chairman of GEOFIESTA 2025, described the conference as “a platform where research meets real-world impact, where experts and young engineers collaborate to find solutions that contribute meaningfully to our national sustainability goals.”
Prof. Ts. Dr. Edy Tonnizam Mohamad, Deputy Vice-Chancellor (Development) of UTM, echoed this vision, emphasising that “AI, when harnessed responsibly, can be a powerful driver for sustainable infrastructure and resilient communities in tropical regions and beyond.” He further noted that UTM’s mission is to lead the way in developing innovative AI-driven solutions for societal well-being and sustainable development, ensuring that advanced technologies align with global sustainability goals while addressing the unique challenges of the tropical built environment.
During the two-day programme, participants took part in keynote sessions, technical presentations, and interactive discussions. In addition to these academic activities, the Anti-Collapse Geostructure Competition (ACGC 2025) showcased teams from both Malaysian and international institutions, along with industry collaborators. These teams displayed exceptional creativity and technical skill in designing and testing innovative slope protection systems, effectively bridging the gap between academic theory and practical engineering applications.
The success of GEOFIESTA 2025 was achieved through strong collaboration with several institutions, including Universiti Pertahanan Nasional Malaysia (UPNM), Universiti Sains Malaysia (USM), and Universiti Malaysia Pahang Al-Sultan Abdullah (UMPSA). Additional support came from the Institution of Engineers Malaysia (IEM), Pahang Branch, and the Department of Town and Country Planning (PLANMalaysia), Pahang.
We also received generous sponsorship and assistance from several companies, including Solmax Geosynthetics Asia Sdn. Bhd., Ahn Vertex Sdn. Bhd., Safwa Global Venture (M) Sdn. Bhd., GAT Group, Guideline Geo, Engineering Laboratory Electronics (M) Sdn. Bhd., GoGeo Engineering (M) Sdn. Bhd., and Universiti Teknologi Malaysia (UTM) through its Faculty of Civil Engineering (FKA), Pavement and Transportation Research Group (PTRG), and Geotechnical Research Group (GRG).
GEOFIESTA 2025 successfully combined academic insights with practical innovations, strengthening global research networks and promoting collaboration among academia, industry, and government. The conference served as a platform to transform cutting-edge research into real-world solutions, inspiring the next generation of engineers and industry leaders to adopt sustainable and resilient geoengineering practices. Additionally, it reinforced Malaysia’s commitment to leveraging Artificial Intelligence for climate-resilient and sustainable infrastructure, positioning the country as a regional leader in digital innovation within the field of geoengineering.
Source: UTM NewsHub