ABSTRACT
This talk invites us to rethink earthquake engineering from a perspective of social commitment. It offers a reflection on the role of civil and structural engineering in addressing today’s challenges in seismic risk reduction. Beyond structural design and code checking, the talk emphasises the need to explicitly incorporate the social dimension, including engaging with communities, identifying vulnerable areas, clarifying the roles of universities and professional bodies, and translating technical knowledge into concrete policies and actions. As highlighted by the United Nations Office for Disaster Risk Reduction, honoring the memory of earthquake victims means protecting those who remain, through safer buildings, safer communities and a safer future. The aim is to open a discussion on whether we are truly doing enough and which lines of action can be promoted from civil and structural engineering.
Language: Spanish
SPEAKER
Dr Gustavo Luis Palazzo holds a degree in Construction Engineering, an MSc in Structural Engineering and a PhD in Engineering from the National Technological University (UTN), Argentina. He is a professor and researcher at UTN-Mendoza, specialising in seismic protection of structures using passive energy dissipation devices and FRP strengthening. He has led research projects, supervised graduate theses, and contributed to initiatives on earthquake-resistant engineering and seismic risk reduction.