International impact as an academic, business leader and entrepreneur in the area of geotechnical engineering
Inducted 2025
Za-Chieh Moh was an international leader in geotechnical engineering, dedicated to the dissemination of geotechnical education. He was a successful entrepreneur, business leader, mentor to students and industry professionals, leaving a lasting legacy by inspiring generations of geotechnical engineers.
Moh came to Iowa State University to pursue his master’s degree after completing his bachelor’s in Taiwan in 1953. He worked as a research assistant while completing coursework and geotechnical engineering projects with CCEE faculty. After earning a master’s degree, Moh went on to obtain his Doctor of Science from MIT in 1961. His career progressed rapidly— he consulted on soil mechanics projects and geotechnical designs, attained a faculty position at Yale, led major projects as a chief engineer, and within 10 years, became Vice President and Provost for the Asian Institute of Technology (AIT).
As an entrepreneur, Moh founded Moh and Associates, now the MAA Group Consulting Engineers, in 1975. MAA has grown to be one of the largest consulting firms in Southeast Asia, with offices in Taipei, Singapore, Hong Kong, Penang, Bangkok, Beijing, Shanghai, Los Angeles, Macau and Yangon. He obtained eight professional engineering licenses in civil and geotechnical engineering across 4 countries. Under Moh’s leadership, MAA’s projects contributed to job creation, education, and infrastructure development for communities of all sizes.
Moh was passionate about extending opportunities for geotechnical engineering to those who previously had limited exposure to the field. Moh established the Southeast Asia Geotechnical Society (SEAGS) and founded the Association of Geotechnical Societies in Southeast Asia (AGSSEA) as an alliance of the national Geotechnical Societies in Southeast Asian countries to support those in the field and to connect students with professional organizations. He led the establishment of the Geotechnical Engineering Division at AIT, which grew into a leading research center in the region. Moh valued a hands-on education, incorporating site visits and real-life projects in soil and structural engineering into many of his courses to ensure students gained practical field experience before graduation.
Moh was an accomplished writer and contributor, authoring over 173 technical papers and reports on soil properties, soil behavior, engineering performance and soil improvement. He received international recognition for his work. He was honored as a Fellow in eight professional organizations and a member of several others. Moh served in numerous executive positions in these organizations throughout his career and into retirement.
Paving the road for geotechnical engineers, Moh received many notable awards for his leadership, research, and involvement. Early in his career, he earned the “Man of the Year” Award from the China Road Federation and the “Gold Medal Award for Academic Achievement,” from the Chinese Institute of Civil and Hydraulic Engineering both in 1983. As his career progressed, Moh continued to receive notable awards, including the title of “Engineer of the Year” from the Federation of Engineering Institutes of Asia and the Pacific, and the “Civil Engineering Achievement Award” from the Asian Civil Engineering Coordinating Council. In 2021 Moh received the highest alumni recognition from the Iowa State College of Engineering, the Anson Marston Medal.
Moh’s impact continues to be seen in the establishment of the geotechnical engineering field and profession in Asia, the continued success of MAA, and in the thousands of students he mentored who have gone on to lead successful geotechnical and civil engineering careers.