13/03/2026
JGP Merit Award in Geotechnics – 2026
John Grimes Partnership were delighted to recently present the JGP Merit Award in Geotechnics to Lewis Kirby, a BEng Civil Engineering student at the University of Plymouth.
The award recognises the most promising student within the Geotechnics module, acknowledging both academic performance and enthusiasm for the subject.
Alongside his strong interest in geotechnics, Lewis explained that he has particularly enjoyed the Hydraulics module, where he has been studying topics such as surface water management, concrete drainage channels and the principles behind effective conveyance and control of runoff.
During his visit to the JGP office, we spent some time discussing how these areas of study increasingly overlap in professional practice. Across many of the projects we are currently involved in, the interaction between surface water and groundwater is becoming a critical design consideration. This is particularly evident on complex development sites with elevated groundwater levels, or where significant earthworks and cuttings into existing slopes alter the natural groundwater regime.
In these situations, engineers are often required to carefully balance the management of surface water through Sustainable Drainage Systems (SuDS), particularly where infiltration is constrained by ground conditions or high water tables, whilst also addressing the implications for slope stability, landscaping, drainage infrastructure and adjacent civil engineering structures.
It was great to see Lewis already taking an interest in how these disciplines connect in real-world engineering projects, and we look forward to following his progress as he continues his studies.
And of course, Lewis, if you fancy staying in the area after graduating and think you might enjoy working in a multidisciplinary SME environment, please do drop us a message.
