Dr. H. Kit Miyamoto is the CEO and Structural Engineer of Miyamoto International, a California based global engineering and humanitarian organization with 30 locations on five continents. He leads with one purpose: to make the world a better, safer place.
Dr. Miyamoto is a world-renowned expert in disaster resiliency, response, and reconstruction. He has led major recovery efforts around the world, including reconstruction work following the devastating 2025 fires in Los Angeles. He provides expert engineering and policy consultation to the World Bank, UN agencies, governments, and major corporations. He is also a California Seismic Safety Commissioner.
Dr. Miyamoto holds advanced degrees from the Tokyo Institute of Technology and California State University, where he has been recognized as a Distinguished Alumnus. His team has won the Engineering News-Record’s Best Global Project award an unprecedented five times and the U.S. Presidential “E” award. Major media outlets such as CNN, CBS, ABC, NBC, Al Jazeera, LA Times, NY Times, and Rolling Stone have profiled him. He was also featured in the “Designing for Disaster” exhibit at the National Building Museum in Washington, D.C.
This lecture covers global earthquake disaster response and reconstruction efforts, focusing on case studies from Turkey, Afghanistan, and the potential impacts on Bangkok following the 2025 Myanmar earthquake. It examines the devastating 2023 Turkey earthquakes, which caused massive human and economic losses, emphasizing vulnerabilities stemming from dangerous construction practices. It highlights rapid shelter solutions and sustainable rebuilding efforts in Afghanistan after the 2022 earthquake, showcasing the resilience and effectiveness of vernacular construction. The lecture also projects the effects of the 2025 Myanmar earthquake, particularly its threat to Bangkok’s high-rise built environment, and outlines urgent next steps for risk reduction through innovative technologies and financial strategies to restore investment confidence.