Ivan G. Wong (M. EERI 1978) has been named a 2024 EERI Honorary Member in recognition of his significant contributions to earthquake engineering and seismology. Honorary membership of the Earthquake Engineering Research Institute is awarded to recognize members who have made sustained and outstanding contributions to the field of earthquake engineering and/or to EERI and the pursuit of its objectives.
Wong is a Senior Principal Seismologist at Lettis Consultants International and an internationally renowned expert with nearly 50 years of experience. He has directed and participated in seismic hazard assessments and seismic design of more than 700 critical facilities. He has profoundly impacted research and practice for earthquake hazard reduction involving seismic geology, seismicity, seismotectonics, earthquake ground motions, seismic design criteria, probabilistic and scenario hazard maps, and seismic risk studies.
Wong has been involved in the education and implementation of the seismic risk assessment software HAZUS for the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA). He has been the recipient of 20 United States Geological Survey (USGS) National Earthquake Hazards Reduction Program (NEHRP) external research grants that have supported the development of urban probabilistic and scenario hazard maps and other earthquake hazard-related studies. He has been particularly active in supporting the USGS in various roles, including the development of the National Seismic Hazard Maps.
Wong has been an active EERI member for 45 years including serving on the Board of Directors, as President of the Northern California chapter, on the Earthquake Spectra editorial board, as a SESI founding member, and as a Friedman Family lecturer.
Wong has also served as an Associate Editor for the Bulletin of the Seismological Society of America, on the California State Seismic Safety Commission (2017—2021), and as a member of numerous scientific and engineering committees and panels, including the Working Group on Utah Earthquake Probabilities. He has spoken, taught, and lectured at hundreds of events for schools, universities, and professional organizations, and for the general public, including the California Academy of Sciences.