********************************************************************************IISEE Newsletter No.59

Aug. 20, 2010********************************************************************************+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++Contents++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
1. From New Director of IISEE
2. Dr. Hurukawa was transferred from Director of IISEE++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++==================================================================[1] From New Director of IISEE

Shoichi Ando (Dr. Eng.)
It is my great pleasure to participate in the International Institute of Seismology andEarthquake Engineering (IISEE) and to have an opportunity to make contact withmany stakeholders in the world. Since my last task was coordinator of the Disaster
Management Planning Hyogo Office of the United Nations Centre for RegionalDevelopment (UNCRD), I’m deeply impressed that global earthquake safety became apressing need under rapid development in many regions/cities.
Looking back on the history of international training course, it was established in 1960
based on a discussion and common recognition to provide training for young researchersof developing countries at the 2nd World Conference on Earthquake Engineering(WCEE) held in Tokyo. The University of Tokyo hosted the first training and theJapanese Government established IISEE at the Building Research Institute (BRI) tocarry out the training from January 1962. Almost 1,500 trainees from 96 countries/regions have studied in IISEE training courses.
The role of IISEE has been expanding in line with the intention of the founders. TheInternational Platforms for Reducing Earthquake Disaster (IPRED) through buildingsand housing was currently created with UNESCO as a global network of research andtraining as well as an international back-up system to cooperate each other in case of ahuge disaster. (In total 8 countries join as of April 2010.) In addition, the cooperative
efforts of GRIPS and JICA make possible to provide master degree to the graduate
students in the 1 year training course since 2006.
I very much appreciate efforts and understanding of all stakeholders so far and I would
like to ask your continuous supports and considerations to the participants from all over
the world as well as new activities of IISEE that aim at providing broader opportunities
to many countries /regions for sustainable society through knowledge on seismology andearthquake resistant buildings and constructions.
Lastly I would like to introduce an effort by Yuji Ishiyama, Anand Arya and Teddy Boen
who created an IAEE guideline for non-engineered construction in 1986. They aretrying to revise the guideline and asking your opinion as indicated in the bottom right of
the IISEE web-site. (see IISEE web http://iisee.kenken.go.jp/ )Shoichi ANDO,
Director of IISEE, BRI==================================================================

==================================================================[2]Dr. Hurukawa was transferred from Director of IISEEAs of August 1, I was transferred from Director of the IISEE to Research Coordinator ofthe BRI after four years and four months' service. Since I had joined the IISEE on Oct.
1984, I worked at the IISEE more than a quarter of a century, which exceeds a half ofhistory of the IISEE established on Jan. 1962. During last 26 years, I met about 940
IISEE participants including about 540 Regular-Course participants. I could meetmany of you again at international meetings and other opportunities. I appreciate their
hospitality during them. They treated me as a VIP. Although I left the IISEE, I'm still inthe BRI as a Research Coordinator for Building Technology. Since one of my duties is to
give advise to the IISEE, I'm still involved in the IISEE training programs. I'm looking
forward to seeing you again in near future.

Nobuo HURUKAWA,
Former Director of IISEE, BRI==================================================================*******************************************************************************We send this IISEE Newsletter to ex-participants whose e-mail addresses are known.
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