UCL Professor awarded UNESCO Chair

Dina D'Ayala - Professor Dina D'Ayala, Co-Director of the Earthquake and People Interaction Centre at UCL, has pledged to improve the safety of school buildings in communities affected by natural disasters, after being awarded UNESCO Chair on Disaster Risk Reduction and Resilience Engineering. The Chair will focus on research and the dissemination of new ideas, embedding teaching in other countries. This includes the creation of an online repository of materials, workshops and webinars for engineers around the world, including advice tailored to typical building types in each country. Professor D'Ayala, who is also Head of Civil Engineering in the Department of Civil Environmental and Geomatic Engineering, plans to focus on making school buildings more resilient to natural hazards across the world. For example, if an area is prone to flooding, erecting the building on a plinth or installing flood gates can ensure the building can continue to function and deliver education. Commenting on her appointment, Professor D'Ayala (UCL Civil, Environmental and Geomatic Engineering), said: "I am delighted to be awarded the UNESCO Chair on Disaster Risk Reduction and Resilience Engineering at UCL. The Chair means that we will be working in close collaboration with UNESCO officials to improve the safety and resilience of school buildings in communities exposed to natural hazards, to deliver a more resilient education system and fulfil the UN Sustainable Development Goal 4 - 'Ensure inclusive and equitable quality education for all'.