Michel Bruneau

Michel Bruneau can speak to the media about why the infrastructure fails during extreme events, and what can be done to prevent such disasters. He can also speak about findings from the numerous reconnaissance visits he conducted to disaster-stricken areas to collect valuable post-disaster information on these topics, and on issues addressed in his book “The Blessings of Disaster: The Lessons That Catastrophes Teach Us and Why Our Future Depends on It.”

Bruneau is recognized for the impact of his research contributions to the design and behavior of steel structures subjected to extreme events, and in particular earthquakes. He is one of the most cited researchers in these fields. He is the lead author of the 2003 pioneering paper “A framework to quantitatively assess and enhance the seismic resilience of communities” that has formulated the concept and expression of disaster resilience in a manner that has since driven research in this field.

Bruneau has participated in various expert peer review panels, project advisory committees, and special project design teams, and – most significantly –  is emeritus director of a National Science Foundation nationwide engineering research center focused on preventing disasters from extreme events. He has worked for more than three decades as part of multidisciplinary teams advancing the goal of disaster resilience and has received more than 20 prestigious awards for this innovative work, including a lifetime achievement award.

Bruneau can respond to interview requests in English and French.

Michel Bruneau, PhD
SUNY Distinguished Professor of Civil, Structural and Environmental Engineering
University at Buffalo School of Engineering and Applied Sciences

• 716-645-3398
• bruneau@buffalo.edu
• Michel Bruneau's website