Civil and Environmental Engineering Associate Chair and Professor Reginald DesRoches will speak in an open meeting on Tuesday, March 16, about his recent reconnaissance work in Haiti.  DesRoches has completed two trips to Haiti to assess damages caused by the (Mw) 7.0 earthquake that occurred 10 miles southwest of Port-au-Prince on January 12.  In his presentation, DesRoches will discuss the experience and provide a first-hand account of the impacts of this disaster.

DesRoches first traveled to Haiti January 22 with a group of 10 structural engineering experts recruited by the United Nations. This initial effort was organized to conduct physical damage assessments of the critical buildings affected by the earthquake. DesRoches' team was the first deployed by the U.N. to assist in determining the safety of the remaining structures.

On February 28, DesRoches lead a reconnaissance effort sponsored by the National Science Foundation. His team included more than 25 experts representing multiple disciplines and organizations, such as the Earthquake Engineering Resource Institute, and the American Society of Civil Engineers.

Dr. DesRoches is one of the nation's leading experts in natural hazard mitigation, with a focus on earthquakes. His primary research interests include structural design and analysis, design of buildings and bridges for extreme loads, and the application of smart materials in earthquake engineering.

This event is organized by Gamma Beta Phi and is open to the entire Georgia Tech community.