10th Annual SONEUK Conference Celebrates a Decade of Engineering Excellence

Cambridge (UK) – The Society of Nepalese Engineers UK (SONEUK) held its 10th Annual Conference on 28 June 2025, marking a decade of collaboration, innovation, and professional development among Nepali engineers in the UK and beyond.

The event began with a warm welcome from Sangita Pokhrel, who greeted all the distinguished guests and participants.

Dr Deepak GC, the conference coordinator, provided an overview of the day’s agenda, setting the tone for the occasion.

Chief Guest of the Conference, Ambassador of Nepal to the UK, Chandra Kumar Ghimire, delivered the inaugural address and applauded SONEUK’s active contribution to supporting Nepalese engineers in the UK. He called upon Nepali engineers in the UK to share their skills, knowledge and network for the benefit of Nepal.

He also urged them to transfer best practices being practiced by the engineering community in the UK to Nepal.  The official proceedings of the 10th SONEUK Conference were then unveiled.

In a special guest address, Mr Kul Mani Acharya, Chair of the Liaison Committee at the American Society of Nepalese Engineers (ASNEngr), emphasised the importance of strengthening collaboration between SONEUK and ASNEngr.

He highlighted the need for global partnerships for collective collaboration and knowledge sharing.

The Chairperson of SONEUK, Er. Subodh Timilsina, thanked H.E. Mr Chandra Kumar Ghimire, Ambassador of Nepal, for gracing the session as chief guest with his thought-provoking and encouraging speech, and thanked Mr Tim Peet for his keynote speech.

Mr Timilsina emphasised the need for prioritising outsourcing in engineering disciplines, for which the endeavour to establish “WSP-Nepal” would not only boost employment but also enable knowledge transfer. He also underscored the significance of a global engineering forum to foster connectivity and knowledge sharing among engineers worldwide.

The technical programme of the conference was divided into two sessions and was introduced by Dr Deepak GC, who provided a brief overview of the schedule.

The first session featured a keynote speech by Er. Tim Peet, Director at WSP, who spoke on the HS2 Old Oak Common project, which is poised to become the largest interchange station ever built in the UK. He offered valuable insights into the project’s development and key design features.

The day continued with a series of engaging technical presentations from leading engineers. Er. Sanyukta Shrestha discussed the application of machine translation for Nepal Bhasa. Er. Hari Neupane shared perspectives on the role of artificial intelligence in healthcare.

Dr Binod Amatya covered the Kathmandu Metro project. Er. Prabhav Regmi spoke about the use of UAS for RF localisation. Dr Ramesh Marasini introduced visualisation tools in the construction sector, while Er. Nirdesh Khatiwada offered a comprehensive review of LC3 hydration.

Additionally, two video presentations from Nepal were showcased: Er. Rabin Gurung presented on tunnel ventilation, and Achal Tiwari presented on metro ground vibration.

The session also included insightful poster presentations by Er. Manoj Kapri, Er. Srijana Khadka, Er. Krishna Kandel and Er. Sujan Sapkota.

These technical discussions spanned a wide range of engineering disciplines and reflected emerging priorities and challenges in both global and Nepal-specific contexts. The sessions were highly informative and stimulating for all attendees.

The technical segment concluded with a summary and key resolutions from all presented papers, delivered by Dr Deepak GC and Er. Ghanashyam Paudyal. Their remarks helped consolidate the key takeaways.

The conference ended on a high note with closing remarks from Er. Subodh Timilsina, who expressed heartfelt thanks to the guests, presenters, reviewers, sponsors, journalists, members, and participants. He acknowledged everyone’s contribution to making the event a resounding success.

Marking its tenth anniversary, the 2025 SONEUK Conference once again demonstrated the power of engineering collaboration, innovation, and global unity, bringing together experts and enthusiasts committed to the advancement of the field.