Introduction of the Huixian Earthquake

Engineering Foundation

 

In memory of Professor Liu Huixian, the founder of earthquake engineering in China and the first director of the Institute of Engineering Mechanics (IEM), China Earthquake Administration, the “Huixian Earthquake Engineering Foundation” was established on July 16, 2002 in China. It aims at inheriting his noble values, virtue and his tireless efforts in advancing earthquake science. For the same original intention, “The United States-China Earthquake EngineeringFoundation -- in memory of Chinese Professor Liu Huixian” was also established in the United States. (Members of “The United States-China Earthquake Engineering Foundation”: Prof. George Housner, Prof. W. D. Iwan, Prof. Shih-Chi Liu, Prof. Joe Penzien, Prof. George Lee, Dr. Weimin Dong and Prof. Shel Cherry.)

 

In 2002, the two Foundations signed an agreement. The joint objectives of two Foundationswill include, but will not be limited to, the following activities:
1. Conduct joint workshops and seminars in earthquake engineering and related fields,
2. Present awards and give other forms of recognition for outstanding contributions to research and education,
3. Encourage and support the exchange of researchers between the US and China, and
4. Provide seed funding for worthy research projects.

Outstanding projects or individuals on earthquake engineering or in the related fields couldget funds from the foundation; the foundation tries its best to promote the development of earthquake engineering, earthquake prevention and disaster reduction, and to explore more talents in the public service. 

Awards include:
1. Huixian Earthquake Engineering Award. It is given to those outstanding contributors who have done long-term commitment to advance the field of earthquake engineering or the related. In 2006, the two Foundations decided to give the ‘Huixian Earthquake Engineering Award’ to Prof. George W. Housner from USA and Prof. Hu Yuxian from China.
2. Huixian Award for outstanding youth of Earthquake Engineering
3. Huixian Award for excellent academic conference papers on earthquake engineering
4. Scholarship of earthquake engineering and risk management. It was set up to encourage and promote the "pursuit of innovation" for the graduate students in the field of earthquake engineering and risk management.

The presidents of two Foundations are G. W. HOUSNER (USA), QI Xiaozhai (China) respectively.
Huixian Earthquake Engineering Foundation accepts all donations from domestic and foreign organizations, groups or individuals. We set up independent accounts to ensure the financial earmarking, and we claim overall responsibility for the use of funds. Every donor will get an honor certificate, and the donor's name will be written into our permanent-preserved Alumni of Thanks.