YPF logo

ICOLD YOUNG PROFESSIONALS’ FORUM

 

 

 

MISSION

 

The ICOLD Young Professionals Forum (YPF) aims to inspire and guide the next generation to actively engage and shape the future of ICOLD. Focusing on professionals under 40 years old, embarking on the early stages of their careers, YPF provides opportunities for knowledge exchange and networking with peers. YPF aspires to foster meaningful connections and enhance the intergenerational dialogue within ICOLD.

 

 

HISTORY

 

  • The original vision for the ICOLD Young Engineers Forum (YEF) was developed during the 2009 ICOLD Congress in Brasilia.
  • A more detailed proposal for YEF was submitted to the ICOLD Board in 2010.
  • The detailed proposal received the support of the ICOLD Board and the first inaugural YEF meeting took place at the Annual Meeting in Lucerne, 2011. It is there that the Young Engineers Forum is officially born in the presence of about twenty young people from eleven countries representing all five continents (Albania, Australia, Austria, Czech Republic, Mozambique, Slovenia, Sri Lanka, South Korea, Sweden, Switzerland, United States). Marco Conrad from Switzerland was elected as the first president.
  • In 2022, a Special Committee was formed to increase the involvement of young professionals in technical committees. As part of its efforts, the committee proposed changing the designation from Young Engineers Forum (YEF) to Young Professionals Forum (YPF).

 

 

The Lucerne statement, as it was amended in 2009:

  1. Encourage the attendance and involvement of younger engineers at the ICOLD meetings.
  2. Provide an opportunity for knowledge transfer to the next generation and ensuring the long-term future of ICOLD.
  3. Provide an opportunity for the younger engineers to connect with each other to enable sharing of experiences.
  4. Inspire younger engineers to become active in their National Committees to support the above three objectives nationally and internationally.
  5. Provide a forum where country strategies around the attraction, encouragement, development, and support of the younger engineers in the dam engineering industry can be shared.
  6. Provide a format where strategies can be developed to support the above 4 objectives and put forward to the ICOLD Board for acceptance and action.

YoungProBoard

 

THE ICOLD YPF BOARD

 

  The ICOLD YPF Board consists of 7 elected members, including a chair and six members. Board members are elected for a three-year term. Elections take place annually during an in-person YPF meeting held at the annual ICOLD meeting. Board members are required to attend the annual ICOLD YPF Meetings and actively engage in the planning and organizational activities of the YPF throughout the year. It is preferred that the composition of the ICOLD YPF board reflects the diversity of ICOLD.

 

  • Current Board Members

Current Board Members

 

  • Previous Chairs and Board Members

 

CHAIRS

 

Previous Chairs of YPF

 

 

BOARD MEMBERS
 
 

Ms. Amanda Sutter (USA)

Mr. Ahmad Dolatkhahy (Iran)

Mr. Tae Myong Jeon (South Korea)

Mr. Florian Landstorfer (Austria)

Mr. Jiri Hodak (Czech Republic)

Ms. Vicky Ariyanti (Indonesia)

Mr. Hiroki Yamamoto (Japan)

Mr. Nima Tavakoli (Iran)

Ms. Priska Hiller (Norway)

Mr. Jiri Hodak (Czech Republic)

Mr. Milan Zukal (Czech Republic)

Mr. Motebele Moshodi (South Africa)

Mr. Tim Ivanov (Russia)

Mr Elias Baptista (Mozambique)

Ms. Leila Ouahit (Canada)

Ms. Giulia Buffi (Italy)

Ms. Mateja Klun (Slovenia)

Mr. Florent Bacchus (France)

Ms Gabriella Molinder (Sweden)

Mr Wilberforce Manirakiza (Uganda)

Mr Amit Gautam (India)

Ms Yulia Zakrevskaya (USA)

Mr Yang Guang (China)

  

 

 

  • The candidacy and election process

 

The call for candidates to serve on the YPF Board opens at least 2 months before the next ICOLD annual meeting and is announced online. Nominations for board members are received via email at: board.yef@gmail.com. A candidate must be endorsed by their respective National Committee, with a maximum of one candidate per National Committee permitted. During the YPF meeting at the ICOLD annual conference, candidates are presented, and subsequently, all YPF attendees have the right to vote.

 

 

ICOLD YPF AS UMBRELLA FOR NATIONAL YPF AND YEF

 

To date (2024) 33 national committees have created their own group of young professionals (in alphabetical order): Albania, Argentina, Australia, Austria, Brazil, Burkina Faso, Canada, China, Czech Republic, France, Germany, Greece, India, Indonesia, Iran, Italy, Japan, Japan, Korea, Mozambique, New Zealand, Norway, Poland, Romania, Russia, Slovenia, South Africa, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, Uganda, United Kingdom, United States of America.

 

ICOLD National Committees and ICOLD National Committees with YPF

NationalCte&YPF

      ICOLD National Committees    
  ICOLD National Committees with YPF

 

We are eager to expand the network, so if you need any assistance in establishing your national YPF, please contact us at: board.yef@gmail.com

 

 

PRESENCE ON SOCIAL NETWORKS TO KEEP YOU UPDATED

 

 

EVENTS & BENEFITS FOR THE YPF:

 

  • Webinars
  • Workshops especially for the YPF
  • Networking events
  • YPF paper and poster award at ICOLD annual meetings
  • Reduced fee to attend ICOLD annual meetings
  • Mentorship opportunities and mentorship round tables
  • YPF social events
  • Group discussions, networking activities - guidance and knowledge transfer.

 

 

 

DO YOU STILL HAVE QUESTIONS? WANT TO SHARE IDEAS? WOULD LIKE TO GET INVOLVED?

 

If you're a professional in the early stages of your career in the dam industry, we invite you to join us!

Expand your network, connect with peers, and shape your future with us!

 

  • Whether you have fresh ideas, a desire to contribute actively to our endeavors, or are interested in establishing a national YPF network, reach out to us at: board.yef@gmail.com.