A seismically resilient water lifeline system is critical for ensuring effective post-event response and rapid community recovery after disastrous earthquakes. To design, construct, and maintain seismically resilient water systems, it is crucial that the potential damage of a pipeline system be quantified in future earthquakes. Mitigation strategies to address known vulnerabilities are essential in ensuring that system performance goals and criteria can be achieved with available resources.

Ron’s lecture explored how Los Angeles is using simulation analysis to strengthen its transmission water network against future earthquakes. Ron discussed a study that uses large-scale earthquake simulations, seismic hazard models, pipeline fragility data, and lessons from the 1971 San Fernando and 1994 Northridge earthquakes to estimate the potential pipeline damage, repair costs, and recovery times. This study was performed as part of a long-term program administered by the City of Los Angeles Department of Water and Power to quantify and ultimately enhance the seismic resilience of all city trunklines and distribution pipelines.

Ron has been a Special Lecturer for the Friedman Family Visiting Professionals Program since 2003 and is a former EERI Distinguished Lecturer. He has over 40 years of risk analysis experience and has published over 300 works on the seismic risk of utility lifelines and on remote sensing technology in disaster response.

Honduras experiences frequent tropical storms and hurricanes, which are catalysts to severe flooding, particularly in the Sula Valley-the industrial and economic center of Honduras. With the increasing risk and impacts of climate change, coupled with global economic interdependencies, insurance is relied upon for resiliency. Payouts from traditional insurance can be slower than needed and generally cover businesses, but not the workers on whom the businesses rely. Parametric insurance offers a solution to this problem.

The conference was held to encourage discussions about solutions parametric insurance may offer, addressing topics ranging from data-driven insights, business continuity, basis risk, and market case studies. bring together the key players, get government support, generate market interest, and raise awareness about parametric products.

ImageCat’s session, moderated by Shubharoop Ghosh, was titled Data Driven Insights – Developing Parametric Insurance Markets. Panelists included Patricia Fernández from RSS-Hydro, Martin Portillo from CCRIF,     Francisco Argenal from CENAOS, and Luis Da Costa from the Center for Studies and Development of the Sula Valley.

Other session included Expanding Insurance Protection Against Climate Risks- a business focused panel with Seguros del País (insurance co), Honduran Association of Insurers (CAHDA), Insurance Broker and Honduran Association of Insurance Brokers (CAHDECOSE); Climate Risk and Business Continuity: Why Protecting Workers, with Claudia Herrera as Moderator, and participants FUNDAHRSE, COHEP, and the President of the Mexican Association of Insurance Companies; and Market Experience Case Studies, with Banrural, Guy Carpenter, and Lockton.

Shubharoop Ghosh, moderating the session titled: Data Driven Insights – Developing Parametric Insurance Markets

Charles Huyck presented GAIA: the Global Assessment of Infrastructure assets. An open building exposure data set for risk modelling under the section titled Open data integration and human settlement characterization. GAIA, funded by the NASA Disasters Program, addresses the critical need for consistent building exposure databases for risk assessment by providing actionable information to decision-makers in disaster management worldwide.

For more information, visit https://joint-research-centre.ec.europa.eu/events/human-planet-forum-2025-2025-11-19_en

Attended by academics, researchers, emergency managers, and risk practitioners from public and private entities, the meeting was held to showcase advances in subduction zone science, provide an update on CRESCENT activities, progress, and next steps, and foster connections between collaborators.

ZhengHui Hu presented TsunamiCAT, an online Tsunami Risk Analysis Platform, during the poster session. TsunamiCAT is a web-based platform for tsunami risk analysis that supports both scenario-based and probabilistic assessments. This platform was created under the  National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) Disasters Program to utilize advanced technologies such as Earth Observation (EO) and modeling that help measure, monitor, and evaluate the threats of tsunamis.

ZhengHui Hu presenting his poster

Led by ImageCat, the team is capturing perishable data in the first year following the Eaton and Palisades fires. Vital information that disappears quickly but holds the key to enhance long-term recovery and stronger wildfire resilience are being gathered under this project. By systematically collecting data on wildfire impacts, governance structures, recovery processes, and rebuilding policies, this project fills a critical gap in wildfire risk assessments and disaster recovery models.

PI Shubharoop Ghosh’s primary focus is leading ImageCat’s effort on collecting foundational data on impacts to the communities of Altadena and Palisades including a wide range of GIS and other critical data such as Right of Entry (ROE) status for debris removal program by USACE, building permit history, insurance claims data and aggregate data from post event surveys.

Price School Assistant Professor Santina Contreras, PhD is leading a series of interviews with nonprofit, philanthropic, and community-based organizations to contribute to our understanding of organizational response and recovery activities, the incorporation of community needs and interests, and recommendations for improved work of organizations in the wake of future disasters.

Laurie Johnson, PhD FAICP, who is a member of the Blue Ribbon Commission on Climate Action and Fire-Safe Recovery is leading the research on the evolution of multi-level governmental response and recovery coordination structures of  federal, state, county and city leaders and agencies.

This timely research integrates diverse perspectives to capture a broad range of factors influencing disaster impacts and recovery processes. By collecting distinct snapshots of the recovery process over the course of one year, the team aims to create a more cohesive understanding of post-disaster recovery dynamics. The final data outputs of this research will be published on the NSF Natural Hazards Engineering Research Infrastructure (NHERI) DesignSafe facilities for the natural hazards research community.

The workshop, held on June 26-27, 2025, at the University of Oregon, Portland campus, brought participants from academic, public, critical infrastructure, private sector, and community-based organizations together for connection and collaboration around Cascadia seismic research and resilience. Day one of the meetings included the Cascadia Connection Exercise — an interorganizational connectivity mapping session, panel presentations, roundtable sessions, CRESCENT research and Seed Grant presentations, a communication workshop, and a poster session. Day two of the workshop addressed three themes: i. Cascadia Subduction zone earthquake scenarios and its needs, ii. data dashboards and databases, and iii. skills gaps, and geosciences education.

Shubharoop Ghosh participated as an industry research partner, bringing insights from practice and collaboration. Shubharoop contributed to discussions on science communication, emergency planning and response, data access, and resource needs.

Contact Shubharoop Ghosh for more information: sg@imagecatinc.com

Leaders from government, industry, and academia gathered in Washington, D.C. to attend curated panels, collaborative workshops, and federal program showcases that explored how coordination across sectors can unlock scalable solutions to infrastructure challenges, transforming insight into action.

Ron spoke on the plenary panel, Strategies for Resilient Lifeline Infrastructure – A Public and Private Partnership, which explored strategies for resilient lifeline infrastructure design, the need for systematic review and enhancement of aging systems, policy opportunities for reliability enhancement, and public and private partnerships for future innovations in design and construction.

Mr. Eguchi’s lecture on April 24^th to students and faculty members addressed seismic risk evaluation for water supply systems’ criticality to ensuring community resilience. These systems are essential for firefighting, sanitation, and public health in the immediate aftermath of earthquakes. Risk evaluation also enables prioritizing retrofits and developing contingency plans.

Ron Eguchi presenting at Virginia Tech’s student chapter of the Earthquake Engineering Research Institute (EERI). Photo credit Virginia Tech.

See Virginia Tech’s LinkedIn post here https://tinyurl.com/3pe59c5k

The American Society of Civil Engineers (ASCE) presents the award annually to an individual who has made a definite contribution to the practice of reducing risks to lifeline systems and preparing communities for natural and manmade hazards. The recipient shall have demonstrated exemplary professional conduct, personal leadership, and an understanding of the inter-relationship between engineering and social, economic, and political factors in lifeline risk reduction.  The award will formally be presented to Ron at ASCE’s Los Angeles Section event in 2025.

Ron’s career in risk analysis and risk management studies has spanned over 40 years. He has been recognized with several awards for his contributions to these fields. Ron has authored over 300 publications and serves or has served on various editorial boards, including the Earthquake Engineering Research Institute’s (EERI) Journal SPECTRA. He founded the Technical Committee on Advances in Information Technologies for the SEI Division of ASCE in 2015 and was recognized as the 2008 Distinguished Lecturer by EERI.

Ronald T. Eguchi

Ron moderated a session convened by ImageCat titled Symphony of Tradition and Innovation: Orchestrating Global Resilience in Diverse Communities. The session featured panelists Helen Crowley from the Global Earthquake Model Foundation, Shunichi Koshimura from Tohoku University, Laurie Johnson from Laurie John Consulting and Research, and Shubharoop Ghosh. While a broad range of topics were discussed, spanning multiple hazards from earthquake to tsunami, hurricane to wildfire, four key themes were addressed: Can AI help us predict the impacts of earthquakes better than the traditional models? What are some of the applications of Digital Twin technologies in disaster response and forecasting? What are some of the innovation values and challenges for community-scale recovery planning? And can we harness the power of earth observation and modeling to mitigate the growing risk of wildfire?

In addition to convening the session, ImageCat hosted a booth at the Expo which allowed for meetings and discussions with fellow conference participants. The Expo Area was built with the innovative paper and cardboard system developed by award-winning Architect Shigeru Ban with VAN (Voluntary Architects’ Network).

Left to right: Ron Eguchi, Shunichi Koshimura, Helen Crowley, Laurie Johnson, and Shubharoop Ghosh