From Earthquakes to Opportunities

Structural engineering evolves through disruptive events, much like careers do. The 2009 L’Aquila earthquake significantly shaped Flavia De Luca’s PhD journey in Italy, opening doors to the study of soil-structure interaction and earthquake resilience—particularly in the context of schools in Nepal. As part of the Earthquake Engineering Field Investigation Team, she has explored the challenges and opportunities that arise in the pursuit of safer, smarter structures.
In this talk, Flavia will share lessons learned from earthquakes in Italy, Spain, and Nepal, examining how post-earthquake assessments have shifted focus from visible damage to wider indirect losses in an increasingly interconnected world. She will also discuss the potential of social media data to support engineers in post-earthquake contexts, and reflect on the enduring value of experimental work in helping us better understand and improve structural resilience.