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The Third Croatian Conference on Earthquake Engineering (3CroCEE) recently concluded in Split, Croatia, reaffirming the importance of international collaboration in advancing seismic risk reduction. This year’s event brought together a community of researchers, engineers, and policymakers from the Balkans and beyond - both as keynote speakers and participants - to address challenges in seismic hazard assessment and promote strategies for protecting vulnerable and culturally significant areas such as Split.

As a platform dedicated to seismic risk awareness, 3CroCEE played a vital role in encouraging dialogue on integrating research findings into practical measures. The conference highlighted the need for risk-informed planning and innovative engineering solutions, particularly in regions prone to seismic activity.

GEM’s participation at 3CroCEE reflected its commitment to advancing earthquake resilience through collaboration and knowledge sharing. Helen Crowley, GEM Secretary General, delivered a keynote lecture titled “Why Seismic Hazard Modelling Has Become a Risky Business.” In her presentation, Crowley explored the evolving challenges in updates to seismic hazard models and their implications for risk reduction efforts.

The conference also featured a dynamic session led by Vitor Silva, GEM Head of Risk Engineering, who co-chaired the “Risk Uncertainty Brawl” with Paolo Bazzurro and Dimitrios Vamvatsikos. This interactive session included a debate between the three experts regarding the main driver of uncertainty in risk.  The session’s engaging format encouraged participants to critically examine the assumptions behind risk models, provoking a deeper understanding of their application in real-world scenarios. In the end, future directions and new developments in seismic risk modelling were also presented.

Helen Crowley’s keynote and Vitor Silva’s session demonstrated GEM’s proactive approach to addressing the evolving nature of seismic risk assessment. Their participation not only contributed to the technical discourse but also reinforced the value of global cooperation in enhancing earthquake resilience.

GEM’s involvement at 3CroCEE underscores the foundation’s ongoing dedication to improving earthquake risk understanding and promoting resilient practices worldwide.