The winning paper for the 2009 Young Professor Paper Competition was submitted by Dr. Debra Laefer, a tenured lecturer at the University College Dublin in Ireland, where she has taught since 2004. Prior to that, she taught at North Carolina State University. She holds degrees from Columbia University, Polytechnic University, and the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. Her paper, titled, "Impact of Clay on early Jet Grouting Strength" presents an experimental investigation where 150 grout samples were subjected to 0-10% levels of Kaolinite and Bentonite inclusion to determine the impact of clay on the strength of jet grouting. The investigation uncovered that even small amounts of clay considerably reduces the soilcrete strength and stiffness. Dr. Laefer will present her topic on October 23rd during the DFI's Annual Conference on Deep Foundations in Kansas City.

Dr. Laefer is an active member of the DFI's Sustainability Committee and is also a long-standing member of the Geo-Institute of ASCE's Deep Foundations Committee and Earth Retaining Structures Committee. Additionally, she serves as an associate editor for their Geo-Strata magazine. Most recently, she was appointed to the Deep Foundations Committee for the International Society of Soil Mechanics and Geotechnical Engineering. She is a past president of the ASCE Met Section Younger Member Forum.