Earthquakes and Sustainable Infrastructure

Giuliano Panza, former full professor of Geophysics, Trieste University and Head SAND Group Abdus Salam ICTP Trieste, is Emeritus Honorary professor CEA Beijing, Honorary professor BUCEA Beijing. His research focuses on integrated analysis of structure and dynamics of the lithosphere-asthenosphere system; integrated approach to modelling seismic waves in near-field and far-field; and earthquake-prone lineaments and premonitory seismicity patterns. Recent studies have evidenced the relevant role of CO2 Earth mantle degassing in the exosphere. Dr. Panzo has won several awards, including the Beno Gutenberg Medal from the European Union of Geosciences and a Medal of Honour from the Central European Initiative. He has published more than 100 original articles, reviews, and proceedings papers.

Vladimir G. Kossobokov received his PhD in Physical and Mathematical Sciences (Geophysics) from the Schmidt Institute of Physics of the Earth, USSR Academy of Sciences, and a Doctor of Sciences in Physical and Mathematical Sciences (Geophysics) when working at International Institute of Earthquake Prediction Theory and Mathematical Geophysics, Russian Academy of Sciences, Moscow. An author of about 200 articles in scientific journals, Prof. Kossobokov developed exploratory data analysis tools for pattern recognition of earthquake-prone areas and applied methods of statistical testing for samples of limited data. After the disastrous 2010 Haiti earthquake, Prof. Kossobokov developed the tools for quantitative testing and assessment of seismic hazard based on historical data, pattern recognition studies, and implications from the USLE.

Efraim Laor is a co-founder and Chief Scientist at National Research Institute for Disaster Reduction (AFRAN), Holon Institute of Technology, a former Chairman of the Government of Israel National Steering Committee for Disaster Reduction.

Benedetto De Vivo studied at the University of Napoli Federico II and graduated from there in Geological Sciences. After graduation he worked as consulting geologist for private companies operating in Italy, Africa and Central America in the field of ore deposits, geochemical prospecting, environmental geology and hydrogeology. Later, he was an Associate Professor in Applied Geochemistry at University of Napoli Federico II, and in 2000 he became a Full Professor in Geochemistry at the same University. B. De Vivo served as a research fellow at the Colorado School of Mines in 1978 and with the United States Geological Survey, Reston, VA, in 1982 and 1992. He was invited to serve as a visiting scientist at the Geological Survey of Japan, in 1990 by the EC-Japan Centre for Industrial Cooperation. He has been Chairman of the Working Group “Inclusions in Minerals” of the International Mineralogical Association, has been member of the Editorial Board of Geochemistry – Exploration, Environment, Analysis (2004-2007). At present is a member of the Board of Associate Editors (since 1996) of Mineralogy and Petrology, Associate Editor of American Mineralogist since 2012 and is Chief Editor of Journal of Geochemical Exploration since 2007. He has been a member of different Experts Government Committees for base-metal mining research activities and for the remediation of industrial sites in Italy. His current research interests span a wide range of topics including geochemical prospecting, fluid and melt inclusions studies applied mostly to study volcanic and sub-volcanic systems, and environmental geochemistry. B. De Vivo has published 190 papers (most of them on top internationally referred journals) and has edited different special volumes of J. Volcanol. Geotherm. Res., Eur. J. Miner., Inst. Mining and Metallurgy, and Mineralogy and Petrology; he is author of 4 text books (in Italian) in geochemical prospecting and environmental geochemistry. In 2001 was nominated as Fellow of the Mineralogical Society of America for “his outstanding contributions to the fields of mineralogy, crystallography, geochemistry and petrology”; in 2006 was appointed as an Adjunct Professor of the Department of Geosciences at Virginia Tech, Blacksburg, VA, USA. Selected in a list of 5 elegible, by a Committee of Wises, as a candidate for the nomination by the Ministry of University and Research (MIUR) to the Presidency of Institute National of Geophysics and Volcanology (INGV).