Professor Julian BommerInaugural Lecture

Vote of Thanks

Gian Michele Calvi

Vote of thanksVote (n): “a formal

expression of preference for a candidate for …”

“the way by which such preference is made known, as by a raised hand …”Vote (v): “to declare or to pronounce by general consent …”

Vote of thanksThanks (n): “an

acknowledgements of a favour, gift or benefit …”

Vote of thanksTo declare by general consent,raising my hand,a formal expression of preference for the candidate Julian Bommer, in recognition of the favours, gifts and benefits that we acknowledge to him

Honours and awards

1994 Pony Tail Ridding Medal

1982 Queen’s Jubilee Scholarship

2000 Award for Excellence in Teaching

From a sad hippy to a happy professor

From hippy

to happ

y

Research lines, progress and results

1 – Obsession with cracks

Bommer, J.J., S. Oates, J.M. Cepeda, C. Lindholm, J.F. Bird, R. Torres, G. Marroquín & J. Rivas (2006)Control of hazard […] induced by a hot fracture

Research lines, progress and results

1 – Obsession with cracks

A research project, started many years ago, close to success

On the use of zippers to control natural or artificial cracks

Bommer, J.J. (2002). […] anexaggerated and obstructive dichotomy

Bommer, J.J., N.A. Abrahamson, F.O. Strasser, A. Pecker, P-Y. Bard, H. Bungum, F. Cotton, D. Faeh, F. Sabetta, F. Scherbaum & J. Studer (2004). The challenge of defining the upper limits

Crowley, H., J.J. Bommer, R. Pinho & J.F. Bird (2005). The impact of epistemic uncertainty

Research lines, progress and results

2 – Nature, earthquakes and fluids

Rodríguez, C.E., J.J. Bommer & R.J. Chandler (1999). Earthquake-induced landslides

Bird, J.F., J.J. Bommer, H. Crowley & R. Pinho (2006). Modelling liquefactionLópez-Querol, S., M. Coop, W.W. Sim, J.J. Bommer & C. Fenton (2007). Back-analysis of liquefaction

Restrepo-Vélez, L.F. & J.J. Bommer (2003). An exploration of the nature …

Bommer, J.J. & A. Martinez-Pereira (1999). The effective durationHancock, J. & J.J. Bommer (2005). The effective number of cyclesAkkar, S. & J.J. Bommer (2006). Influence of […] filter cut-off

Bommer, J.J., F. Scherbaum, H. Bungum, F. Cotton, F. Sabetta & N.A. Abrahamson(2005). On the logic use of trees

Research lines, progress and results

2 – Nature, earthquakes and fluids

liquefaction exploration of nature

duration

number of cycles

filtering

logic use of trees

A natural “crescendo”

Conclusions – Julian Bommer

An extraordinary (re)searcher?

Yes, and …

Often searching with best buddies• San Salvador, El Salvador, October 1986

• Armenia, USSR, December 1988• Loma Prieta, California, October 1989• Djebel Chenoua, Algeria, October 1989• Kobe, Japan, Janaury 1995• Grevena-Kozani, Greece, May 1995• Aegion, Greece, June 1995• Konitsa, Greece, April 1996• Umbria-Marche, Italy, September 1997• El Quindio, Colombia, January 1999• El Salvador, January-February 2001• Arequipa, Peru, June 2001• Machaze, Mozambique, February 2006

Conclusions – Julian Bommer: a searcherWho finally obtain the recognition that he deserved for a long time A recognition that today we are ceremoniously and joyfully celebrating

Julian BommerProfessor ofEarthquake RiskAssessment

Singing