About LFE

When was the Learning From Earthquakes program established?

The Earthquake Engineering Research Institute has, since its inception in 1949, conducted post-earthquake investigations for the purpose of improving the science and practice of earthquake engineering and earthquake hazard reduction. In 1973, EERI formally initiated the Learning from Earthquakes (LFE) Program.

What is the mission of the Learning From Earthquakes program?

The mission of the Learning from Earthquakes (LFE) Program is to accelerate and increase learning from earthquake-induced disasters that affect the natural, built, social and political environments worldwide.

How does the Learning From Earthquakes program achieve its mission?

LFE responds to earthquakes worldwide by conducting earthquake reconnaissance and disseminating products and lessons learned. LFE’s earthquake response consists of:

Establishing Virtual Clearinghouse Websites: Reconnaissance products, including webinar recordings, reports, journal papers, data, and photos, are compiled on virtual earthquake clearinghouse websites. These websites serve as a long-term archives of lessons learned from earthquakes. View sites for over 300 earthquakes in the LFE Reconnaissance Archive.
Activating the Virtual Earthquake Response Team (VERT): Beginning in 2015, LFE formalized a virtual earthquake reconnaissance program aimed at rapidly assessing impacts of damaging earthquakes through review of news articles and social media. The Virtual Earthquake Reconnaissance Team (VERT) provides opportunities for graduate students, early career professionals, and young faculty to be involved in post-earthquake reconnaissance. Learn More about the Virtual Earthquake Reconnaissance Team.
Sending EERI reconnaissance teams to investigate earthquakes: Through LFE, EERI sends multi-disciplinary reconnaissance teams of earthquake risk mitigation experts to investigate earthquake impacts. Reconnaissance teams travel to earthquake-impacted areas, document important observations, and identify topics in need of follow-up research. Increasingly, LFE has focused on capturing lessons for community resilience through earthquake reconnaissance. LFE has developed a framework for resilience reconnaissance and has begun conducting follow-up reconnaissance trips months and years after damaging earthquakes.
Coordinating international reconnaissance teams: In addition to the LFE program, there are many related organizations and private firms that also conduct earthquake reconnaissance programs. As the number of organizations that conduct reconnaissance continue to increase, EERI has led the coordination of international reconnaissance efforts. This coordination fosters collaboration, reduces duplication of efforts, and helps to minimize the burden of international reconnaissance teams on local contacts in earthquake-impacted areas.
Participating in physical clearinghouses: For earthquakes in the US, EERI provides staffing support to operate a physical clearinghouse. A physical clearinghouse is a place where field investigators can gather to share observations and coordinate with others.

Protocols for Operations of the LFE Program (PDF)

Information about how EERI responds to earthquakes.

Who manages the Learning From Earthquakes program?

Learning from Earthquakes is a program of the Earthquake Engineering Research Institute and is managed by a committee of experts with extensive experience conducting earthquake reconnaissance.

LFE Program Committee Members:

Ayse Hortacsu, ATC, Co-Chair
Robb Moss, Cal Poly, Co-Chair
Craig Davis, Board Liaison
Keith Knudsen, Board Liaison
Rebecca Laberenne, Board Liaison
Sabine Loos, University of Michigan, VERT Co-Chair
Andrew Makdisi, USGS, VERT Co-Chair
Juan Fung, NIST, Business Resilience Working Group Co-Chair
Anne Wein, USGS, Business Resilience Working Group Co-Chair
Janise Rodgers, GHI, Public Health Working Group Co-Chair
Kim Shoaf, University of Washington, Public Health Working Group Co-Chair
Albert Kottke, PG&E, Lifelines Reconnaissance Advisory Subcommittee Co-Chair
Brad Wham, University of Nevada Reno, Lifelines Reconnaissance Advisory Subcommittee Co-Chair
Morgan Griffith, Exponent, Housing Reconnaissance Advisory Subcommittee Co-Chair
Halil Sezen, University of Ohio, Housing Reconnaissance Advisory Subcommittee Co-Chair
Thalia Anagnos, San Jose State University (retired), Travel Study Co-Chair
Abe Lynn, Degenkolb, Travel Study Co-Chair
Ken Elwood, University of Auckland, Past Chair
Jeff Hunt, Exponent
David Friedman, Forell/Elsesser (retired)
David Frost, Georgia Tech
Charlie Huyck, ImageCat, Past Chair
Laurie Johnson, Laurie Johnson Consulting
Mike Mieler, ARUP, Past Chair
Eduardo Miranda, Stanford University, Past Chair
Rob Olshansky, UIUC (retired)
Jay Patton, California Geological Survey
Rick Wilson, CGS (retired)

Committee Charge and Organization (PDF)

Details about the committee’s charge and role.

What are the impacts of the Learning From Earthquakes program?

LFE has supported over 80 reconnaissance teams and archived information for over 300 earthquakes in 50 countries leading to advances in Structural Engineering, Earth Sciences and Geotechnical Engineering, and Social Science.

The Learning from Earthquakes Program:
A Brief Synopsis of Major Contributions (PDF)

Information about the impacts of LFE.