Symposium: Is Lebanon prepared for the next big earthquake?
Date and time
Aug 24, 2023 04:50 pm CET
About
Improving the Safety of Homes Against Earthquakes: Methods for Seismic Strengthening Pre-2000s and Heritage Buildings to Enhance Earthquake and Hazard Resilience
Speakers
- Dr. Kit Miyamoto
Global CEO of Miyamoto International, President Miyamoto Relief
Dr. Miyamoto is a world-leading expert in disaster resiliency, response and reconstruction. He provides expert engineering and policy consultation to the World Bank, USAID, UN agencies, governments and private sector. He is a California Seismic Safety Commissioner, and the Global CEO and structural engineer of Miyamoto International.
- Dr. Devis Sonda
Principal and CEO of Miyamoto Heritage
Dr. Devis Sonda, the Principal and CEO of Miyamoto Heritage in Italy, boasts an extensive career spanning over 25 years as a structural engineer and more than 20 years as an adjunct professor at Italy's Padua University. Devis demonstrates a depth of knowledge and experience in evaluating structure reliability and the seismic retrofit of masonry and historic structures.
- Carl Abinander
Associate, Miyamoto Relief
A notable UCI and UCLA graduate, Carl's journey spanned designing structures across Asia before his return to the US. After Hurricane Michael's impact in Florida, he actively participated in recovery. His next chapter unfolded at Miyamoto International, where he expanded his skills to include existing structures. Amid the aftermath of the Beirut blast, he was in Lebanon, lending expertise to evaluate and restore compromised units. Additionally, he played a crucial role in leading surveying, assessment, and restoration of hundreds of buildings following the devastating earthquake in Turkey.
- Nohra Abi Rizk
Nohra Abi Rizk is a prominent Architect Restorer and Heritage Expert based in Lebanon. In 2020, Miyamoto Global Disaster Relief engaged Nohra as an Expert Restorer to implement repairs across eleven residential units damaged by the Beirut Blast. Nohra is also supporting Miyamoto Relief in the development of seismic guidelines for the preservation of cultural heritage structures. Nohra Abi Rizk's legacy combines architectural expertise and a deep appreciation for heritage. Through his work, he ensures that Lebanon's architectural landscape continues to stand the test of time and remain resilient in the face of disaster.