Eucentre is a non-profit private law foundation whose mission is to conduct research and provide training and services in earthquake and safety engineering 
Eucentre promotes science, research and innovation for the benefit of the community, offering targeted methodologies and concrete solutions for prevention, safety and resilience. It collaborates with institutions and companies to disseminate competencies for the common good.
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Eucentre carries out research activities in earthquake engineering and risk reduction through laboratory testing and numerical analysis, aiming to improve the seismic performance of structures and soils and to develop innovative seismic retrofitting techniques.
The Foundation promotes diverse and high-quality training activities aimed at academic and professional contexts, with constantly updated and innovative programs and initiatives designed to meet the evolving needs of the sector and society 
Eucentre ensures communication aimed at informing institutions, professionals, and citizens about ongoing activities and projects, with the goal of disseminating useful and accessible content and knowledge. It contributes to promoting a shared and informed culture of prevention and resilience.
The Board of Directors of the Eucentre Foundation, convened on April 14th, has officially appointed Professor Rui Pinho as the new President. He succeeds Professor Riccardo Pietrabissa, whose leadership over recent years has been instrumental in consolidating Eucentre’s role as a national and international reference in earthquake engineering research and training.
Professor Rui Pinho, formerly Executive Vice-President of the Foundation, is a leading figure in the global earthquake engineering community and a distinguished expert in seismic risk assessment. He is a full professor at the Department of Civil Engineering and Architecture of the University of Pavia. He has held several high-level academic and scientific positions throughout his career.
His professional path reflects a strong commitment to applied research, technological innovation, and advanced training. He is the co-founder and previously Technical Director of Seismosoft, a company specialised in developing advanced software tools for earthquake engineering, and was from 2009 to 2013 the Founding Secretary-General of the GEM Foundation (Global Earthquake Model), an OECD-backed organisation dedicated to the development of global seismic risk models.
As Science Director of Eucentre (2014–2019), he was key in shaping the Foundation’s strategic research directions. In his most recent position as Executive Vice-President (since 2023), he has overseen all technical activities, strengthening the bridge between scientific research, technological transfer, and policy support in risk mitigation.
Professor Pinho is the author of more than 400 scientific publications and has been invited as a keynote speaker at numerous international conferences. He has led major research projects funded by national and European institutions and has contributed significantly to developing advanced seismic vulnerability assessment and risk reduction methodologies. His achievements have been recognised with several prestigious awards, including the EERI Shah’s Innovation Prize and multiple best paper awards from international structural engineering associations. In 2024, he was also Chair of WCEE, the World Conference on Earthquake Engineering that took place in Milan last July.
His appointment marks an important milestone in Eucentre’s continued growth. It reinforces its mission to promote seismic safety through scientific excellence, specialist education, and knowledge dissemination. Under Professor Pinho’s leadership, the Foundation is poised to strengthen its role as a center of excellence in seismic resilience in Italy and internationally.