The Earthquake Engineering Research Institute (EERI) has named Judith Mitrani-Reiser (M.EERI 2001) the 2023 Distinguished Lecturer in recognition of her exemplary work on and support for investigations of building and infrastructure failures, disaster recovery and community resilience, and multi-hazard mitigation, and contributions that lead to statutory and technical standards changes for a safer world against earthquakes and other extreme events. EERI’s annual Distinguished Lecture Award is awarded to members of the Institute to recognize and encourage communication of outstanding professional contributions of major importance for earthquake hazard mitigation.
Mitrani-Reiser has dedicated her career to reduction of losses from disasters and failures in our built environment. As a Senior Research Scientist at the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST), she provides leadership for programs including the National Earthquake Hazards Reduction program. She currently leads the National Construction Safety Team (NCST) investigation for the partial collapse of the Champlain Towers South building in Florida, and remains active in the Hurricane Maria NCST investigation.
Mitrani-Reiser holds a B.S. in Civil and Coastal Engineering from the University of Florida, a M.S. in Structural Engineering, Mechanics, and Materials from UC Berkeley, and a PhD in Applied Mechanics from CalTech. Following an academic career, she joined NIST as director of Disaster and Failures, and then became Associate Chief of Statutory programs. She was inducted into the Academy of Distinguished Alumni at UC Berkeley in 2021 and has received several NIST awards for her mentorship, dedication to a safe working environment, and her advocacy for diversity, equity, and inclusion in the workplace.
A dedicated EERI member, Mitrani-Reiser served on the Board of Directors from 2018 to 2021 and as Vice-President in 2021. She participated in Learning from Earthquakes (LFE) reconnaissance missions in Chile and Christchurch, offering her holistic mindset. She was also instrumental in establishing the LFE Travel Study program and the Virtual Earthquake Reconnaissance Team (VERT).
She will deliver her Distinguished Lecture at the 2023 Annual Meeting in the San Francisco Bay Area in Spring 2023.
