Meet Our Academicians

Professor Ahmed Elghazouli is a Global STEM Scholar and Chair Professor of Earthquake Engineering and Structural Integrity at the Hong Kong Polytechnic University. Prior to joining PolyU, he led Structural Engineering at Imperial College London. He also worked for several years in industry in the Middle East and at Edinburgh University in the UK. Prof. Elghazouli is an expert on seismic design and structural robustness. He has produced over 400 publications in related areas and has been involved in the design of notable structures worldwide. He is a Fellow of the UK Royal Academy of Engineering, a Chartered Engineer and a Fellow of the Institutions of Civil and Structural Engineers. He chairs and contributes to several international code development committees on seismic design. He is a former Chair of the UK Society for Earthquake and Civil Engineering Dynamics and its delegate to the International and European Associations for Earthquake Engineering. He has also held several visiting posts worldwide, including in Italy, Belgium, USA, China and Japan.

Over the past 30 years, Prof Elghazouli’s research has provided fundamental insights into the performance of structures under extreme loading conditions, leading to direct industrial application and the development of improved international design guidance. His research has included work on the testing, analysis and design of structures and infrastructure systems subjected to earthquake, fire, blast and impact loading conditions, as well as on developing methodologies for overall structural robustness and resilience. Funding for his research projects has been provided by national research councils, the European Commission, industry and governments. He has received several research awards from the Institution of Civil Engineers and the Institution of Structural Engineers.

At The Hong Kong Polytechnic University, Professor Elghazouli is affiliated with the recently established State Key Laboratory of Climate Resilience for Coastal Cities as well as the Otto Poon Research Institute for Climate-Resilient Infrastructure, both with a focus on aspects of Urban Resilience. He also leads a structural resilience research group within the Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, engaged in several research projects including on the disaster resilience of infrastructure facilities in the GBA, circularity and reuse of structural components, seismic behaviour of additively manufactured members, long-term performance of coastal structures, response of tall buildings under extreme loads, and AI-assisted modelling and design of structures.