Primary Keynote - SINCE 2027
The Future of NDT Education, Certification and Workforce Development
Mr David J. Gilbert
Abstract
Coming soon.
About the speaker
David J. Gilbert is a distinguished British engineer and executive who has spent over three decades advancing the global field of Non-Destructive Testing (NDT). He serves as the Chief Executive Officer of the British Institute of Non-Destructive Testing (BINDT) and the General Secretary for the International Committee for Non-Destructive Testing (ICNDT).
A Chartered Engineer (CEng), David joined BINDT in 1993 as the editor of the Institute’s primary technical journal. Over the next 25 years, he leveraged his engineering background to elevate research dissemination while expanding into broader administrative roles as Deputy CEO.
On 1 January 2018, David officially stepped into the role of CEO. In this position, he drives BINDT's strategic governance, statutory compliance, and organizational modernization.
On the global stage, David serves as the General Secretary of ICNDT, facilitating administrative alignment among national NDT societies worldwide. Notably, he was instrumental in coordinating the May 2025 Practical Arrangements agreement between the ICNDT and the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), which strengthened international cooperation in radiation safety, capacity building, and infrastructure protection. Throughout his career, Gilbert has championed consensus-building to ensure industrial diagnostic technologies meet rigorous global safety benchmarks.
Primary Keynote - QIRT Asia 2027
Antique Egyptian Pyramids: Solving Mysteries with Infrared Thermography and More
Professor Xavier Maldague
Abstract
Ancient Egyptian monuments like Khufu, Khafre, and Menkaure were built more than 4,000 years ago; yet, they still stand and fascinate while preserving many unknowns. With the help of the Egyptian Ministry of Antiquities, the Heritage Innovation and Preservation Institute (HIP) invited groups of scientists and engineers to perform Non-Destructive Testing (NDT) on several sites in ancient Egypt to uncover these mysteries. In this talk, we will discuss some of these unknowns and explore how modern NDT technology can help solve ancient pyramid mysteries, with a primary emphasis on infrared thermography. We will also examine how the techniques used in these projects can be applied to other settings.
About the speaker
Dr. Xavier Maldague is a world-renowned pioneer in Non-Destructive Testing (NDT), a full professor at Université Laval, and a long-standing pillar of the global thermography community. As the longtime chair of the Quantitative Infrared Thermography (QIRT) Council, his leadership bridges advanced academic inquiry and industrial application.
His research focuses heavily on infrared vision, digital inspection systems, and the non-destructive evaluation of materials. Notably, he pioneered Pulsed Phase Thermography (PPT), a technique that revolutionized quantitative component inspections across the manufacturing and aerospace sectors. His extensive academic legacy includes training over 50 graduate students and contributing to more than 400 highly cited publications.
He holds a prestigious Tier 1 Canada Research Chair in Infrared Vision. A recognized global authority, Maldague is an elected Fellow of the IEEE, the Engineering Institute of Canada (EIC), and the American Society for Non-Destructive Testing (ASNT). He is an Honorary Fellow of the Indian Society of Non-destructive Testing (ISNT) and a Fellow of the Alexander von Humboldt Foundation in Germany.
In addition to his address, he plays a vital role in our educational mission by leading the conference's specialized short courses, training the next generation of thermography specialists.
Additional Keynote Speakers
Additional keynote speakers for both SINCE 2027 and QIRT Asia 2027 will be added here once confirmed.