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Charles Huyck presented on GAIA, the Global Assessment of Infrastructure assets, at the Human Planet Forum 2025 in Ispra, Italy

melissahuyck — Wed, 19 Nov 2025 18:20:10 +0000

Charlie Huyck of ImageCat attended the Human Planet Forum 2025, held at the European Commission’s Joint Research Centre site in Ispra, Italy, from November 19-21. The forum was held by the European Commission and the Group on Earth Observations (GEO). The aim of the gathering was to 1) present Human Planet’s latest data products, analytical methods and applications, and highlight this year’s advances, 2) strengthen and broaden the partnership for a stronger GEO Human Planet, 3) align with global policy agendas and their evolution, and 4) co-create the Human Planet work plan for 2025-2027.

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

ZhengHui Hu of ImageCat attended the Cascadia Region Earthquake Science Center (CRESCENT) Annual Meeting

melissahuyck — Thu, 13 Nov 2025 17:27:11 +0000

ZhengHui Hu of ImageCat attended the Cascadia Region Earthquake Science Center (CRESCENT) Annual Meeting, held at the University of Washington, Seattle, on October 28-29.

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

CRESCENT 2025 Annual Meeting

ZhengHui Hu and Diego Melgar, Ann and Lew Williams Chair of Earth Sciences and Director of CRESCENT

ImageCat, USC Price School, and Laurie Johnson Consulting collaborate on groundbreaking NSF Rapid Research to capture critical data on impacts and recovery after the 2025 Los Angeles Fires

melissahuyck — Wed, 22 Oct 2025 22:26:09 +0000

A team of distinguished disaster researchers comprised of Price School alum and Principal Investigator (PI) Shubharoop Ghosh, Price School Assistant Professor Santina Contreras, PhD and Laurie Johnson (Co-I) have been awarded a prestigious National Science Foundation (NSF) Rapid Response Research (RAPID) grant for their project titled “Bridging the Data Gap: Capturing Ephemeral Data to Enhance Wildfire Resilience and Recovery after the 2025 Devastating Los Angeles Fires.”

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.

Shubharoop Ghosh attended the CRESCENT Partnerships & Applications Workshop

melissahuyck — Wed, 09 Jul 2025 15:19:16 +0000

Shubharoop Ghosh, Vice President of Data Services at ImageCat attended the CRESCENT Partnerships & Applications Workshop organized by the Cascadia Region Earthquake Science Center (CRESCENT) at the University of Oregon.

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

Ron Eguchi attended the 2025 Building Innovation Conference, held by NIBS

melissahuyck — Wed, 25 Jun 2025 15:06:52 +0000

Ron Eguchi attended the 2025 Building Innovation Conference, held by the National Institute of Building Sciences (NIBS), on May 19-21, 2025.

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.

Ron Eguchi spoke at Virginia Tech’s student chapter of EERI as a part of the Friedman Family Visiting Professionals Program

melissahuyck — Wed, 30 Apr 2025 21:48:58 +0000

Virginia Tech’s student chapter of the Earthquake Engineering Research Institute (EERI) invited Ron Eguchi to speak as a part of the Friedman Family Visiting Professionals Program.

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://www.linkedin.com/posts/eerivt_eerivt-earthquakeengineering-friedmanlecture-activity-7322670491859619841-2oX7?utm_source=share&utm_medium=member_desktop&rcm=ACoAAAC0EBIBJcCwUTRT5h7rAkHb9idLzHK5T0g

Earthquake in Myanmar, March 2025

melissahuyck — Wed, 02 Apr 2025 14:44:05 +0000

A 7.7-magnitude earthquake struck in Myanmar on Friday, March 28^th, 2025. The epicenter was near Mandalay, the country’s second largest city. The earthquake impacted much of the country. Over 10,000 buildings are reported either destroyed or severely damaged. Infrastructure is damaged as well, leaving large areas of the country without power, and rescue and recovery hampered by damaged bridges and roads. Authorities have reported that, while the current casualty count exceeds 2,700, it is expected to rise to over 3,000. The quake, Myanmar’s second largest recorded, was felt in Bangladesh, India, Thailand, and China.

Contact us about our Global Cat Response services.

Wildfires in Southern California, January 2025

melissahuyck — Mon, 13 Jan 2025 21:27:01 +0000

Two historically destructive wildfires are burning in Southern California. Unusually strong Santa Ana winds and dry conditions created ideal conditions for wildfire in the region. The Palisades fire started on January 7^th along the Pacific coast, north of Santa Monica. The fire destroyed much of the Pacific Palisades neighborhood between Santa Monica and Malibu. The fire has burned almost 24,000,000 acres and is threatening over 12,000 structures. CAL FIRE estimates more than 5,000 structures have been destroyed. It is 14% contained. The Eaton fire, which also began on the 7^th, started in the San Gabrial mountains and moved south into densely populated Altadena and the City of Pasadena. It has burned over 14,000 acres and is 33% contained. CAL FIRE estimates that over 7,000 structures are destroyed and almost 40,000 threatened. The intense demand for water has depleted the supply, further hampering fire suppression. Four smaller fires, the Hurst, Lidia, Sunset, and Kenneth, have been largely or completely contained.

For evacuation orders, please see CAL FIRE’s incident pages here:

Palisades fire: https://www.fire.ca.gov/incidents/2025/1/7/palisades-fire

Eaton fire: https://www.fire.ca.gov/incidents/2025/1/7/eaton-fire

Contact us about our Global Cat Response services.

Flash Flooding, southern and eastern Spain, Oct 2024

melissahuyck — Thu, 31 Oct 2024 15:40:53 +0000

Heavy rainfall in the southern and eastern regions of Spain caused deadly flash flooding on Tuesday, October 29^th, 2024. In one day, rainfall equivalent to a normal year’s worth fell, flooding towns and catching residents off guard. At least 155 people were killed, and infrastructure was badly damage, leaving thousands without power or running water and many roads unpassable. Valencia was the most impacted region.

Contact us about our Global Cat Response services.

Hurricane Milton, October 2024

melissahuyck — Thu, 10 Oct 2024 19:30:10 +0000

Hurricane Milton came ashore along Florida’s Gulf Coast as a Category 3 storm on Wednesday, October 9. Milton was the third hurricane to hit Florida this year. The storm made landfall near Siesta Key, about 70 miles south of Tampa. It spawned numerous tornados in the region. Some areas received more than 18 inches of rain and it, as well as storm surge, caused flooding in some areas such as Plant City, inland from Tampa. At least eight people were killed, and millions are currently without power.

Contact us about our Global Cat Response services.