Engineering Geologists and Risk Management
Dr Sergio Mora-Castro
Dr Mora is currently on a speaking tour of Australia and New Zealand and is eminently qualified to speak on the top of risk management having until recently held the position of Environmental, Natural Resources and Risk Management Specialist at the Inter-American Development Bank and before that Professor of Geotechnical Geology, Soils and Rocks Mechanics and Natural Hazards Assessment at the Central American School of Geology, University of Costa Rica.
Dr Mora will discuss the risks that Engineering Geologists face in two different contexts:
- Deciphering risk as a derivation of natural hazards and vulnerability; and
- Risk, as we face it on our daily professional work, by tackling the normal uncertainties of our trade.
Dr Mora will challenge our professional paradigms: don’t we trust a bit too much the standards and codes? Don’t we take them as prescriptions shadowing our own judgment and creativity? Do we take too little advantage of our natural vocation of being able to read nature? If we are able to develop the good arguments, how do we overcome the enormous difficulties influencing and assisting decisionmakers?
Dr Mora will discuss the risk management process using case studies from a diverse range of natural hazards including volcanic, seismic, climatic and slope hazards and will challenge us about the notions of risk acceptance and vulnerability.
Engineers Australia members participating in AGS technical sessions can record attendance on their personal CPD logs. Members should refer to Engineers Australia CPD policy for details on CPD types, requirements and auditing guidelines.